Chapter 6 - The Trial of Public Opinion
By 9:00 AM the following morning, the financial world was rocked by a seismic explosion.
Sterling International stock plummeted seven percent at the opening bell as rumors leaked that Victoria Sterling had been stripped of her executive board titles overnight. Media helicopters buzzed over the Sterling Estate in the hamptons, while reporters crowded the entrance of St. Jude’s Hospital.
Victoria Sterling refused to go down quietly.
At 11:00 AM, she hosted an unannounced press conference on the steps of the Sterling Cultural Center, dressed in an impeccable navy suit, surrounded by her high-powered legal team.
"My family is currently facing a private mental health crisis," Victoria announced to dozens of flashing cameras, her voice filled with practiced maternal sorrow. "My son, Alexander, has been under immense pressure leading Sterling International. Unfortunately, he has fallen victim to a calculated extortion scheme orchestrated by a former employee who vanished years ago and has now re-emerged targeting our family wealth."
Inside the hospital suite, Alexander watched the broadcast on a wall-mounted television screen.
Beside him, Sophia was sitting on a plush rug, playing with a set of wooden building blocks that a staff member had brought her. Lauren was resting comfortably, her vitals stable under the new medication regimen.
Alexander stared at his mother’s face on the screen. The brazen audacity of her lies was incredible. She was attempting to frame Lauren as a gold-digging blackmailer and depict Alexander as mentally unstable to take control of the company through a board proxy vote.
The door to the suite opened, and Marco—Alexander’s chief legal advisor and most trusted friend—walked in carrying a thick leather briefcase.
"She’s filing for an emergency conservatorship over Sterling International at two o'clock," Marco reported rapidly. "She’s claiming you are unfit to make corporate decisions due to emotional distress."
"Does she have the board behind her?" Alexander asked, his eyes never leaving the TV screen.
"She has three senior directors who owe her favors," Marco said grimly. "If they vote with her, she can freeze your voting shares until a court competency hearing next month."
Alexander turned around slowly. "Where is Dr. Edmund Vale?"
"He’s hiding at his private residence in Upstate New York," Marco replied. "He knows the state medical board is going to pull his license the moment the police open an investigation."
"Get a private security team to Vale’s house," Alexander ordered coldly. "Bring him here. I don't care if you have to subpoena him or drag him by his collar. He signs an affidavit admitting to falsifying Lauren’s records, or he goes to federal prison for obstruction and fraud by sunset."
"And Victoria's press conference?" Marco asked.
May you like
Alexander walked over to the bed, gently smoothing Lauren’s hair back from her forehead. He looked down at Sophia, who looked up at him with trusting blue-gray eyes.
"My mother wants a public war," Alexander said, a fierce, lethal smile touching his lips. "Give her one."
