Chapter 6 - The Fall of the House of Sterling
The clock ticked away the seconds. Arthur Vance stared at the paper. His hands trembled as he picked up a heavy Montblanc pen—the same brand Julian had used to sign away Elena’s dignity at dinner parties. He looked at his colleagues, seeking support, but found only averted eyes. They were checkmated.
With a ragged sigh, Arthur signed the document. One by one, the board members followed suit. Within three minutes, the House of Sterling had been dismantled.
"Pleasure doing business with you," Elena said. She signaled Marcus, who gathered the signed papers.
As she headed for the elevator, her phone buzzed. Arraignment scheduled for 2:00 PM. Bail denied.
A faint smile crossed her lips. Julian was in a holding cell, stripped of his suits and his delusions, experiencing the cold floor he had so casually pushed her onto.
"Ms. Sterling," Marcus said as they walked toward her new office. "The media is circling like sharks. What’s our next move?"
"Let them talk," Elena replied, entering the suite where the gold lettering had already been scrubbed away, leaving clean, transparent glass. "Prepare a press release. Announce the restructuring, the restitution trust, and the rebranding."
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"Rebranding, ma'am? Under what name?"
Elena looked out at the Manhattan skyline. She touched the diamond ring on her right hand. "Aegis," she said softly. "And make sure the press knows who’s holding the shield."
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