Arthur Sterling collapsed back into his leather chair. He looked at his son—the heir he had spent thirty years grooming to take over his empire—and then at James Vance, the quiet young man in the corduroy jacket who had just dismantled his family's legacy without raising his voice.
"What do you want, Mr. Vance?" Arthur asked, his voice suddenly sounding old, broken, and tired.
James stood up from the glass table. He buttoned his brown corduroy jacket, looking down at the three of them.
"I want Sterling Holdings to liquidate its holdings in Aegis by 8:00 AM tomorrow," James said calmly. "I want Vanessa’s employment contract terminated immediately, along with a full public retraction of the fraud charges filed against me six months ago."
He turned his head, looking directly at Vanessa.
"And I want you out of my sight," James repeated softly, throwing her own words back at her with absolute, icy perfection.
Vanessa buried her face in her hands, letting out a choked, silent sob as she sank onto the