Chapter 3: The Revelation of Bloodlines
Julian stepped forward, his heart dropping into his stomach. He looked at Martha, really looked at her, for the first time in his life. He saw the way she held the ring, the way his father—a man who bowed to no one—bowed his head slightly in deference to the housekeeper.
"Martha isn't just a maid, Julian," Richard continued, his gaze locked on the pale, sweating Chloe. "She is my mother, Evelyn Sterling. She went undercover in her own home to vet the vultures that have been circling our family since my father passed. She wanted to see who would love us for our character, and who would love us for our credit lines."
The silence in the kitchen was absolute. The modern stainless steel appliances seemed to hum with the weight of the secret. Chloe’s face drained of color, turning the shade of ash. Her ego, once her greatest weapon, had become the anchor pulling her under.
