Chapter 8 - A Web of False Security
Victoria sat in the penthouse suite of the downtown Grand Carlton Hotel, a crystal glass of champagne resting between her manicured fingers. Across from her sat Marcus Vance—a sharp-featured, ruthless man in an bespoke charcoal suit, checking stock fluctuations on his phone.
"You're being overly cautious, Victoria," Marcus remarked, without looking up. "The Sterling board doesn't care who signs the documents as long as the dividend payouts remain stable. With Arthur gone and Luke an invalid vegetable, the conservatorship is practically ours."
"Something has changed, Marcus," Victoria said, staring out over the glittering city skyline. "The girl saw the injection. And ever since Harrison went dark, Luke looks at me differently."
"Harrison is an idiot who panicked," Marcus dismissed coldly. "I've already dispatched our private security team to handle loose ends. Luke is paralyzed from the waist down; his medical records are signed by three different specialists over the last year. Even if he suspected foul play, who would believe a bedridden man manipulated by a traumatized foster orphan?"
Victoria took a sip of her champagne, but the bitter taste lingered. "Thomas Cole was at the house. Julian Vance was there too."
Marcus paused, finally setting his phone down. His cold gray eyes locked onto his sister. "If Cole or Julian try to disrupt the signing at the gala, our security team will escort them out before they reach the stage. We control the venue, we control the guest list, and we control the private medical staff on standby. Luke will be wheeled onto that platform, he will sign the legal transfer under the guise of an honorary charitable endowment, and then he will be transferred to our specialized retreat in Switzerland."
"And if he refuses to sign?" Victoria asked quietly.
Marcus smiled, a chilling, devoid expression. "He has an adopted child now, doesn't he? A very fragile little girl who relies entirely on the Sterling foundation's goodwill. Luke has always been cursed with our late brother's fatal flaw: a bleeding heart. He will sign."
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Victoria looked down into her glass, watching the bubbles rise and burst. A flicker of doubt crossed her face, but she quickly smoothed it away with cold ambition. "Make sure the press coverage is extensive. I want the entire financial world to witness the seamless transition of the Sterling legacy."
"It's already done," Marcus replied, raising his glass in a silent, arrogant toast. "To the end of the Sterling line."
