Chapter 6 - The Uninvited Guest
As I approached the center circle of investors, Julian was mid-sentence, gesturing animatedly with his champagne glass.
“—and so, with the acquisition of the Westchester properties, Sterling Enterprises will be expanding our luxury portfolio by nearly forty percent in the next fiscal quarter—”
“A fascinating projection, Julian,” my voice cut through the air, cool, clear, and sharp as a razor. “Assuming, of course, that you actually own those properties.”
The group of executives turned in surprise.
Julian’s laughter died in his throat. He spun around, his eyes widening in absolute shock as he looked at me. His gaze traveled from my bold crimson lipstick down the length of my backless black dress to Eleanor’s diamond choker.
He had never seen me look like this. For a second, he looked genuinely disoriented, as if a ghost had walked into the room.
“Clara?” Julian stammered, stepping away from Chloe, his self-assured mask slipping for a fraction of a second before he quickly recovered. “What... what are you doing here? I thought you were at home taking care of—”
“Your mother?” I interrupted smoothly, stepping directly into the center of the circle. I glanced at Chloe, who was staring at me with a mixture of annoyance and disdain. “Oh, don't let me interrupt you and your... PR consultant, Julian. Please, continue telling everyone how you built this empire.”
Chloe sneered softly, taking a half-step forward. “Look, lady, this is a private corporate event for high-level partners. If you’re here to cause a domestic scene because your husband works late, maybe you should go back to your kitchen.”
The investors shifted uncomfortably, exchanging uneasy glances.
Julian quickly grabbed my elbow, his grip tightening with a sudden, vicious pressure as he tried to pull me toward a side hallway. “Clara, you’ve clearly had too much to drink. You’re making a fool of yourself. We’re discussing a multi-million dollar expansion with the board.”
I didn't flinch. I pulled my arm back with such sudden, commanding force that Julian stumbled slightly.
“Touch me again, Julian, and I will have security remove you from your own party,” I said, my voice carrying clearly across the surrounding crowd. Conversations at neighboring tables began to die down as people turned to watch.
Julian’s face flushed a dark, furious red. “Have you lost your mind?! I am the CEO of Sterling Enterprises! I run this company! You are nothing but my wife!”
“You were the CEO, Julian,” another deep, authoritative voice rang out from behind me.
Arthur Vance stepped out from the crowd, flanked by two uniformed officers from the NYPD Financial Crimes Division and a process server holding a thick stack of legal documents.
Julian froze. He recognized Arthur instantly. “Arthur? What the hell is the meaning of this? This is a private celebration!”
May you like
“It was a celebration, Mr. Sterling,” Arthur said calmly, stepping forward and handing a thick blue folder directly to Julian. “As of 5:00 PM today, the New York Supreme Court issued an emergency temporary restraining order freezing all corporate and personal assets under your name, pending an investigation into systemic bank fraud, grand larceny, and corporate forgery.”
A collective gasp echoed across the ballroom. The whispers among the two hundred elite guests grew into a deafening buzz.
