Chapter 6 - The Broken Crown
Three weeks passed. The news cycle, which had been obsessed with the dramatic downfall of the Sterling family, slowly shifted its focus to other events. But for Dominic Sterling, time had stopped entirely.
He sat on the narrow metal frame of the bed in his cramped apartment, staring at a half-empty bottle of cheap whiskey resting on the cracked nightstand. The apartment smelled stale, heavy with the stench of unwashed clothes and damp rain.
His once-immaculate suits were gone, sold to consignment shops over the previous fortnight just to raise enough cash to buy basic groceries and pay for Victoria’s public defender fees.
The public defender—a tired, overworked young man named Gary—had made it abundantly clear during their last meeting that Victoria was facing serious prison time.
"The evidence is ironclad, Mr. Sterling," Gary had told him bluntly in the visitor’s room at the county jail. "The audio recording from the smart hub alone guarantees a conviction for aggravated assault. The prosecution is offering a plea deal: five years in a state facility. If we go to trial, she’s looking at ten to fifteen."
Dominic had tried to visit Victoria twice. Both times, he had sat behind the scratched Plexiglas barrier, watching his mother weep hysterically, her polished nails gone, her regal silver hair unkempt and oily. She hadn't asked about his health. She hadn't asked if he had enough to eat. She had spent every single minute screaming at him to find money, to sell something, to beg Audrey for forgiveness so that the charges might be dropped.
"Beg her, Dominic!" Victoria had shrieked, slamming her knuckles against the glass. "You were her husband! She loved you! Tell her you’ll take her back! Tell her we’ll forgive her for hiding the money if she just signs the affidavit!"
Even in a orange prison jumpsuit, his mother still believed she was granting a favor.
Dominic had walked out of the jail that day and had not returned.
Now, sitting in the silence of his dreary room, his phone buzzed on the nightstand. It was a text message from an unknown number. He picked it up with trembling fingers, hoping against hope.
If you want to talk, come to the grand opening of the Vance Maternal Health Site. 2:00 PM today.
Dominic’s heart leaped into his throat. "Audrey..." he whispered.
He scrambled off the bed, rushing to the bathroom mirror. His face was gaunt, dark circles carved deep beneath his hollow eyes, a unkempt stubble covering his jaw. He scrubbed his face with cold water, put on the last clean shirt he owned—a wrinkled white dress shirt—and ran out into the afternoon heat.
The construction site for the new health center was located in a prominent urban corridor downtown. Large white banners bearing the sleek logo of the Vance Foundation fluttered gently in the summer breeze. Dozens of news crews, corporate executives, and local leaders were gathered around a temporary stage adorned with flowers.
Dominic stood at the back of the crowd, hiding behind a wooden utility pole. He looked down at his scuffed shoes, feeling like an absolute ghost in a world that had moved on without him.
Then, she stepped onto the stage.
Audrey looked radiant. She wore a tailored crimson dress that fit her perfectly, her long dark hair cascading over her shoulders in polished waves. Beside her stood Dr. Alexander Reed, looking handsome and composed in a dark suit, his hand gently touching the small of her back as he guided her toward the podium.
Dominic felt a sudden, sharp stab of agony in his chest. Seeing another man stand near her—a man who looked at her with genuine respect and tenderness—was a torture worse than losing his fortune.
"Thank you, everyone," Audrey’s voice echoed through the high-powered loudspeakers, smooth, confident, and filled with deep warmth. "Today, we break ground on a facility that will ensure no woman ever has to suffer in silence, and no child is forgotten."
The crowd burst into enthusiastic applause. Cameras flashed brilliant white light across the stage.
Dominic couldn't contain himself any longer. Driven by a desperate, pathetic need to hear her voice directed at him just once more, he began pushing through the crowd of dignitaries and reporters.
"Audrey!" he called out, his voice hoarse and desperate. "Audrey, please!"
Security guards immediately noticed him, moving quickly to intercept him before he reached the steps of the stage. "Sir, step back!"
"Audrey! It’s me! Please!" Dominic cried out, struggling against the firm grip of two security officers.
The crowd gasped, turning to look at the disheveled, frantic man who had interrupted the proceedings. Reporters instantly recognized him, turning their long camera lenses toward the disgraced former CEO.
May you like
Audrey paused mid-sentence. She looked down from the stage, her expression completely calm, completely unbothered. She held up a gentle hand, signaling the security guards to stop.
"It’s alright," Audrey said quietly into the microphone. "Let him speak."
