Chapter 4

"You're awake?"

I opened my eyes to find myself in an unfamiliar bedroom.

It wasn't the hotel, nor was it the penthouse I had shared with Julian.

Logan walked in, carrying a mug of warm water.

"You crashed right after sending that email last night. I brought you back to my place."

I sat up, rubbing my temples.

After hitting 'send,' the accumulated exhaustion and tension of the last three years had hit me like a freight train.

Monday morning, 9:00 AM sharp.

Every single board member of Sterling Group received an anonymous email.

Attached were three explosive files:

First, records proving Julian had embezzled twenty million dollars in corporate funds to buy luxury real estate and cars for his mistress, Evelyn.

Second, a complete, airtight audit trail of bribery behind the South District land acquisition.

Third, an official ownership disclosure—an entity named Vance Capital had consolidated a 60.7% stake in Sterling Group, making it the absolute majority shareholder.

The entire boardroom erupted.

"Julian Sterling! Sixty percent of this company is in an outsider's hands, and you, the CEO, had no clue?!"

At the emergency board meeting, a veteran director slammed his glass down so hard it shattered.

Sweat poured down Julian's neck. He frantically called his CFO and chief counsel, but no one could uncover who was pulling the strings behind Vance Capital.

While he was spiraling, a notification pinged on his phone.

An anonymous text with an attached photo.

The picture showed Evelyn walking intimately into an OB/GYN clinic with a strange man, who had his arm gently wrapped around her waist.

Julian's hands shook uncontrollably.

He stormed out of the boardroom and drove straight to Evelyn’s apartment, throwing the printout into her face.

"Who the hell is this guy?! Is this baby even mine?!"

Panic flashed across Evelyn's eyes before she dropped to her knees, crying hysterically.

"Julian, that's my cousin! He was just escorting me to my appointment! Don't let someone drive a wedge between us!"

Her eyes darted around. For the first time, Julian didn't believe a word coming out of her mouth.

An even bigger bomb arrived courtesy of Logan’s legal team.

An asset investigation report on Julian’s mother, Beatrice.

Under her name were three hidden properties she didn't even know were registered to her, alongside an offshore account holding tens of millions.

Every cent had been funneled from Sterling Group’s accounts disguised as renovation fees and consulting costs.

Attacked from both sides, Julian rushed home and got into a screaming match with Beatrice.

Pushed to the brink, Beatrice snapped:

"I took that money to pay off your useless younger brother's gambling debts in Vegas! Who are you to judge me?!"

Julian froze.

He had no idea his favorite younger brother was an addict at the blackjack tables, or that his mother had been draining company funds to fill a bottomless pit.

His family, his career, his love life—everything collapsed within twenty-four hours.

As he sat amidst the ruins, his secretary tapped nervously on the door.

"Mr. Sterling... there's a woman in the lobby. She claims to be the controlling owner of Vance Capital and wants to see you."

Thinking he had found a lifeline, Julian bolted downstairs like a madman.

In the company lobby, the entire staff had gathered, standing in dead silence.

In the center of the crowd stood a woman in a tailored black suit.

Her presence was commanding, her eyes piercingly cold.

Behind her stood Logan Hayes and four elite corporate litigators.

That woman was me.

Chloe Vance.

Julian stumbled back a step, refusing to believe his own eyes.

My heels clicked against the marble as I walked past him and straight into the executive boardroom behind him.

I took the seat at the head of the table—the seat that had belonged to him.

I slid a file across the mahogany surface toward him.

"Julian Sterling, allow me to introduce myself."

"I am the sole controlling owner of Vance Capital, and the only heir to the Vance Empire. Chloe Vance."

"Did you honestly think you married the broke, helpless daughter of a washed-up businessman?"

"The seed money my father gave you to start this company wasn't even worth a rounding error on one of Vance Corporation’s projects."

The room was pin-drop quiet.

Every board member sat frozen in shock.

Someone nervously searched the Vance Corporation on their phone—its market cap was two hundred times larger than Sterling Group.

And I was the heiress who had vanished from high society three years ago.

Julian’s knees buckled. He had to grab the edge of the table to keep from collapsing to the floor.

His own words echoed in his ears—*leeching off your daddy's dirty money*, *can't even give me a son*, every insult he had ever spat at me...

Every syllable was now cutting into him like a razor.

I stood up, looking down at him. There was no hatred in my eyes—only absolute indifference.

"Julian, I'm not here for revenge."

"I am here, as the majority shareholder, to call an extraordinary board meeting."

I surveyed the room.

"I propose the immediate removal of Mr. Julian Sterling from his position as Chief Executive Officer."

"All in favor, raise your hands."

The second my words landed:

Every single director in the room raised their hand. Except Julian.