Chapter 2 - The Ambush at the Door
The man entering the chapel was Arthur Vance, Rebecca’s personal attorney and an old rival of Julian’s late father. Vance adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, nodding curtly at Rebecca before fixing his gaze on Julian.
""Mr. Sterling,"" Vance announced smoothly, his tone polite yet predatory. ""As your fiancé stated, the supplemental terms were executed alongside your prenuptial agreement this morning. In exchange for the Sterling Enterprises debt restructuring underwritten by the Montgomery family, Miss Rebecca assumed joint guardian authority.""
Julian’s heart slammed against his ribs. The paperwork. An hour ago, amid the chaos of cufflinks, boutonnières, and last-minute vows, Rebecca’s assistant had brought in a stack of routine signature tabs for the ceremony license and financial filings. He had trusted her blindly.
""You slipped a custody rider into corporate filings?"" Julian sneered, anger vibrating in his chest. ""That is outright fraud. It won't stand five minutes in a family court.""
""Fraud is a harsh word, darling,"" Rebecca purred, taking two deliberate steps forward. ""Let's call it strategic prioritization. You spent the last three years drowning in your late wife’s medical debts and sinking your inheritance into failing tech ventures. My father saved you. All I asked in return was an undivided household.""
Lily peeked around Julian’s thigh, her lower lip quivering. ""Daddy... am I bad? Did I make you poor?""
The innocent question struck Julian like a hammer blow. He knelt once more, ignoring the two predators standing on the aisle runner. ""No, Lily bug. You are the only thing in this world that matters. Look at me. Nobody is taking you anywhere.""
""Touching,"" Vance muttered, glancing at his watch. ""However, pursuant to clause seven, failure to complete the ceremony today constitutes an immediate default on the ten-million-dollar Montgomery liquidity loan. By five o’clock today, Julian, Sterling Enterprises will be seized.""
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Rebecca offered her hand, her diamond ring catching the dim stained-glass light. ""Take my hand, Julian. Marry me, send the girl away to Switzerland for boarding school, and save your empire. Or walk out that door as a bankrupt nobody who can't even afford a roof for his child.""
Julian stared at her outstretched hand, then down at Lily's terrified face. Then, from the inner pocket of his tuxedo, his phone began to vibrate violently with an urgent emergency alert.
