Chapter 5 - The Ashes of the Estate
By Friday evening, the story of the Sterling family collapse was the lead headline across every major financial newspaper in the country.
I sat on the terrace of my new Fulton Market loft, watching the sun set over the city.
A bottle of expensive French champagne sat in a silver bucket beside my chair, accompanied by two glasses.
Victoria Vance sat across from me, scrolling through her tablet with an expression of pure triumph.
"Grant’s lawyers filed for personal bankruptcy protection this afternoon," Victoria reported, taking a sip of champagne. "After paying back the two million to the Legacy Trust and settling his legal fees with the SEC, he has less than fifty thousand dollars left in his personal accounts. He’s moving into a one-bedroom apartment in Schaumburg."
"And Sienna?" I asked.
"She left for Florida yesterday morning," Victoria said. "Marcus Thorne fired her the moment the story broke to distance himself from the corporate espionage charges. Federal prosecutors are currently reviewing wiretap logs to decide whether to indict them both for conspiracy."
A soft chime echoed from my front door keypad.
The door clicked open, and Adrian Sterling walked into the loft, carrying a thick leather binder under his arm.
He was no longer wearing his corporate suit; he wore a comfortable cashmere sweater and tailored slacks, looking relaxed and surprisingly human.
"Am I interrupting the victory celebration?" Adrian asked smoothly, walking out onto the terrace.
"Never," Victoria smiled, standing up, gathering her tablet and coat. "In fact, I was just leaving. I’ll let the CEO and the Board Director review the Q3 projections."
Victoria gave me a warm hug, flashed a knowing smile at Adrian, and walked out, closing the door behind her.
Adrian sat in the chair opposite me, pouring himself a glass of champagne.
"You played a dangerous game yesterday, Evelyn," Adrian said softly, leaning back, looking at me through the crystal glass. "If I hadn't stepped up to take the CEO slot, Harrison might have collapsed the entire company out of spite."
"Harrison is a narcissist, Adrian," I replied, leaning back against my cushions. "Narcissists don't destroy their own monuments out of spite. They rebuild them under new names."
Adrian smiled—a warm, genuine expression that I had never seen on his face during all those cold years at the Sterling estate.
"He signed the transfer papers for your board seat an hour ago," Adrian revealed, handing me a blue document from his binder. "You are now officially the most powerful non-family shareholder in Sterling Development history."
I picked up the document, looking at my name printed in bold black ink beside the corporate seal.
Evelyn Benton. Executive Vice-Chair.
"How does it feel?" Adrian asked quietly.
I looked out over the skyline of Chicago—the bright lights of Michigan Avenue, the dark expanse of Lake Michigan, and the soaring glass towers where I had spent twenty-three years being treated as an invisible accessory.
"It feels like I finally woke up from a twenty-three-year sleep," I murmured.
Adrian reached across the small table, his fingers gently touching mine.
"You were never invisible to me, Evelyn," Adrian said softly, his voice dropping into an earnest, gentle register. "For twelve years, I watched you bear the weight of Grant's secrets. I watched you take the blame for his weakness while my parents treated you like a disappointment. I hated him for what he did to you."
I looked into Adrian's dark eyes, seeing a depth of emotion that was entirely absent in his brother.
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"Are you going to be a better CEO than your brother, Adrian?" I asked with a subtle, playful smile.
"I have a very strict Board Director overseeing my performance," Adrian laughed softly, squeezing my fingers gently. "I wouldn't dare disappoint her."
