“Thirty-one percent of Sterling Global.”
Avery stared at him.
Sterling Global wasn’t merely a company.
It was banks.
Real estate.
Pharmaceutical holdings.
Private infrastructure.
Technology.
Transportation.
A financial empire valued in the tens of billions.
“Who controls the shares?”
“According to this—Arthur did.”
“Arthur is dead.”
“Which means control passes to the contingent beneficiary upon verified paternity.”
His gaze shifted toward Leo.
Avery followed it.
“No.”
Leo was looking out the rain-streaked window, unaware that half of Manhattan had just become infinitely more dangerous for him.
“He’s five years old,” Avery whispered.
“So you control the voting rights as his legal guardian.”
Avery felt physically sick.
Victoria hadn’t merely hated her.
She had needed Leo gone.
The original crime had never been only about bloodline.
It had been about control.
Julian opened another encrypted folder.
A video file appeared.
The date was three days before Arthur Sterling’s death.
Arthur appeared on screen seated behind his library desk.
He looked thinner than Avery remembered.
Older.
Frightened.
“Avery,” he began.
Her breath caught.
“If you are seeing this, then two things have happened.”
Arthur looked directly into the camera.
“My wife has finally lost control…”
He paused.
“…and you survived what this family did to you.”
Avery covered her mouth.
Arthur continued.
“I discovered the truth too late. By the time I understood what Victoria had done, you were already gone. Liam believed you dead. I wanted to tell him, but I had no proof you were alive.”
His jaw tightened.
“There is something else you must know.”
Avery leaned closer.
“Victoria did not create this conspiracy alone.”
Julian stopped breathing beside her.
Arthur reached toward the camera and held up a photograph.
A silver-haired man stood beside Victoria at some corporate dinner.
Avery recognized him immediately.
Conrad Vale.
Sterling Global’s chairman.
Liam’s godfather.
Arthur’s closest friend for almost forty years.
“If Leo survived,” Arthur said, “Conrad will come for him.”
Avery’s entire body went cold.
Arthur leaned closer to the camera.
“Do not trust the board. Do not trust Sterling security. And whatever you do…”
His eyes hardened.
“…do not let Conrad Vale gain control of my grandson.”
The video ended.
For several seconds, only rain hitting the SUV could be heard.
Then Julian looked at the navigation screen.
His expression sharpened.
“Avery.”
“What?”
“Our driver changed the route.”
She looked toward the front.
The partition was raised.
“Why?”
“He didn’t.”
Julian grabbed the door handle.
Locked.
The SUV accelerated.
Leo finally looked up.
“Mom?”
Avery pulled him against her.
Behind them, two black vehicles appeared through the rain.
Julian reached beneath his jacket.
And Avery suddenly understood.
Victoria Sterling had been arrested.
But the real war had just begun.
PART 7 — THE KING BEHIND THE QUEEN
“Driver!”
Julian slammed his fist against the partition.
No response.
The SUV shot through a red light.
Avery tightened her arms around Leo.
“Mom, what’s happening?”
“Nothing you need to worry about.”
Even Leo knew that was a lie.
Julian pulled out his phone.
“No signal.”
“Jammer?”
“Most likely.”
The two vehicles behind them drew closer.
Avery looked through the windshield.