Chapter 26 - THE CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK
Sterling turned his gaze back to Lucas, his breathing heavy as he stared at the young man who had successfully dismantled his empire.
"The transplant was successful?" Sterling asked quietly, his voice dropping into a surprisingly gentle tone.
"It was a complete success," Lucas confirmed. "Noah is fully recovered and running around the yard with his brother every day."
A long silence settled over the sterile room as the aging tycoon processed his son's words. For the first time in his life, Sterling Vance looked like a frail old man burdened by the weight of his own terrible mistakes.
"I built that empire for you, Lucas," Sterling muttered softly, staring down at his handcuffed wrists. "Everything I did—even pushing Nataly away—was because I thought you needed to be ruthless to survive in this world."
"You were wrong, Sterling," Lucas said firmly, standing up from his chair. "True strength isn't about crushing people to stay on top; it's about having something worth protecting when everything falls apart."
Lucas turned toward the heavy steel door, signaling for the guard to unlock it.
"Lucas..." Sterling called out just as the door swung open.
May you like
Lucas stopped, looking back over his shoulder. "What?"
"You're a better man than I ever was," Sterling confessed, his voice barely audible over the hum of the fluorescent lights.
