Chapter 4: The Unwelcome Guest
Upstairs in the grand foyer, Victoria Sterling paced back and forth across the checkered marble floor, her high heels clicking rhythmically against the stone. Her anger had morphed into a cold, calculating determination. She refused to be dismissed like a common trespasser in a house she had spent the last year treating as her own personal estate. She stopped in front of the massive gilt-framed mirror, checking her makeup and ensuring her diamond necklace caught the amber glow of the chandelier. The heavy oak door of Julian’s study remained firmly shut down the hall, a frustrating barrier to her authority. Victoria pulled out her smartphone, dialing a private number with sharp, deliberate keystrokes. The phone rang twice before a smooth, professional voice answered on the other end. "Marcus Sterling speaking. To what do I owe the displeasure, Victoria?" asked her uncle and primary legal advisor, his tone devoid of familial warmth. "Julian has lost his mind," Victoria hissed into the phone, keeping her voice low to avoid being overheard by the wandering staff. "He humiliated me in front of the entire household over a clumsy maid. He actually had the audacity to tell me to get out of my own home." On the other line, Marcus Sterling chuckled softly, an unpleasant sound that grated on Victoria's frayed nerves. "Your own home, Victoria? The deed is still solely in Julian’s name until the marriage contract is officially signed and notarized next month. I warned you to play the docile fiancée until the ink was dry." Victoria’s face flushed with hot irritation. "I cannot play anything when he treats me like a subordinate! You need to come over here, Uncle. Bring the amended asset transfer agreements and let’s expedite this process. I want total control over the household staff and the estate funds by tomorrow morning, or I will make sure his corporate reputation takes a very public hit." "Control is not seized by throwing tantrums, Victoria," her uncle replied sharply, the amusement vanishing from his voice. "It is acquired through legal leverage. Stay put, keep your mouth shut for once, and let me handle Julian. I will be at the estate in an hour." The line went dead with a crisp click. Victoria lowered her phone, her chest heaving as she fought to regain her composure. She walked over to the grand staircase, looking down toward the hallway where Julian’s study was located. She knew her uncle was right, but her pride burned too intensely to let the insult go unpunished. She would bide her time until her uncle arrived with the legal documents, and then she would watch Julian sign away his independence piece by piece.
