Chapter 5 - Heir to the Storm
Julian Sterling stood in the center of the study, his expensive silk tie slightly loosened, his chest heaving with indignation. He glared at Lily, who shrank back into the cushions of the leather armchair, pulling her gray knitted shawl up over her chin.
“Julian, lower your voice,” Arthur commanded, stepping between his son and the frightened child. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I know exactly what I’m talking about, Dad!” Julian yelled, throwing his hands up in disbelief. He pointed an accusing finger at Lily. “Mother called me downstairs and told me some homeless brat crashed the gala with a fake piece of jewelry, and now you’re acting like she’s royalty? Have you lost your mind? What happens to my position as CEO? What happens to the board vote next month?”
“This isn't about your corporate title, Julian!” Arthur shouted back, his patience finally snapping. “This is about family. This little girl is your niece. Your sister Caroline’s daughter.”
Julian let out a sharp, cynical laugh that lacked any humor.
“Caroline? Are you kidding me? Aunt Caroline died in that fire decades ago before I was even old enough to remember her! You’ve been mourning a ghost for thirty years, and now you’re letting some street scammer exploit your weakness!”
“Enough!” Eleanor shouted, stepping between the two men. Her voice was trembling, but her eyes were sharp and calculating. She turned to Julian, giving him a subtle, pointed look that only a mother and son sharing a dark secret would understand. “Julian is right, Arthur. We are all letting our emotions cloud our judgment. We need verified proof before we turn our entire lives upside down.”
Arthur narrowed his eyes, catching the strange exchange between his wife and son. Decades of marriage had taught him to read Eleanor’s micro-expressions, and right now, she wasn’t just skeptical—she was terrified.
“The private lab is running the DNA samples right now,” Arthur said quietly, watching Eleanor’s face closely. “We will have the definitive results by eight o’clock tomorrow morning. Until then, Lily stays right here in the master guest suite under my personal protection.”
Julian scoffed, shoving his hands into his trouser pockets. “This is insane. You’re letting a nobody take over our lives.”
“She is a Sterling,” Arthur said with finality. “And if she is proven to be my blood, heads will roll in this house.”
Without waiting for a response, Arthur scooped the sleeping little girl gently into his arms, carrying her toward the private elevator. As the doors closed behind them, Julian turned to his mother with wide, panicked eyes.
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“Mother, if that DNA test comes back positive, we are ruined. Everything we stole will be exposed.”
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