Chapter 7 - The Missing Pages
Julian’s fingers trembled as he pulled a stack of faded, water-stained documents from the manila folder. The paper was crisp with age, smelling faintly of old ink and damp basements. He squinted at the headings under the dim lamplight.
“Adoption papers?” Julian muttered, looking up at his mother in confusion. “Mother, what is this? I thought Caroline died alone in that warehouse fire.”
“Caroline did die, legally speaking,” Eleanor said coldly, pouring herself a glass of amber scotch from the crystal decanter on the sideboard. She took a slow sip before continuing. “When she discovered she was pregnant out of wedlock at nineteen, she threatened to go public with our financial embezzlement to fund her new life. Your father was away on business in London. I handled it.”
Julian stared at the documents, horror dawning in his eyes. “You paid her off?”
“I didn't just pay her off,” Eleanor whispered, her voice dangerously calm. “I forced her to sign away all parental rights in exchange for enough money to start over in a remote town upstate. But she betrayed me. She kept the sapphire ring as leverage, and she raised that child to hate us. She taught her everything about the Sterling family history, grooming her for this exact moment.”
“And the fire?” Julian asked, his voice barely a breath.
“The warehouse fire happened three years ago,” Eleanor admitted without a trace of remorse. “Caroline didn't survive it. But apparently, her daughter did. And somehow, that little girl managed to hold onto the one piece of evidence that connects our past crimes to our present fortune.”
Julian dropped the papers onto the coffee table, backing away as if the ink were poisonous.
“If Dad finds these documents, he won't just disinherit me, Mother. He’ll divorce you, throw us both out on the street, and hand us over to the federal prosecutors.”
“He won't find them,” Eleanor said smoothly, walking over to put a comforting, yet chillingly firm hand on her son’s shoulder. “Because before those DNA results print out at eight o’clock, that little girl is going to vanish just like her mother did. And you are going to help me make it happen.”
Before Julian could answer, a sharp knock echoed at the private sitting room door. Both of them froze.
“Mrs. Sterling?” the head of security’s voice filtered through the heavy oak. “Mr. Sterling is awake. He’s heading down to the private lab to retrieve the DNA results early. He asked for you both to join him immediately.”
Eleanor’s eyes flashed with fierce determination. She grabbed a small silver key from the desk and slipped it into her pocket.
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“Come along, Julian,” she whispered, her voice laced with deadly intent. “It’s time to settle this family reunion once and for all.”
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