I pretended the accident had broken my bones, so I sat silently in my wheelchair and watched my fiancée laugh mockingly in front of everyone.

The news broke before the stock market closed.

The media went absolutely feral. The story of the billionaire CEO who faked his own paralysis to catch his traitorous family became a viral sensation overnight.

Chloe tried to run to the tabloids, spinning a story about how I was a manipulative monster who had emotionally abused her. But Vance was faster. He leaked the audio recordings Elena had managed to capture of Chloe mocking my disability, calling me a "dead weight" and planning her yacht purchases.

The court of public opinion destroyed her. She became a national pariah. Her socialite friends abandoned her, her mother’s country club memberships were revoked, and she was forced to move into a tiny apartment, hiding her face behind sunglasses whenever she bought groceries.

Robert and Marcus were denied bail, facing federal charges that carried minimum sentences of twenty years.

I returned to the estate that evening, walking through the front doors on my own two feet. The staff, who had been informed of the truth, lined the hallway, clapping softly.

But I was only looking for one person.

I found Elena in the library, dusting the shelves. When she saw me walk in, she smiled—a genuine, radiant smile.

“You had a good day at the office, Mr. Sterling?” she asked.

“The best in years,” I replied. I walked over to her and gently took the duster from her hand. “You’re fired, Elena.”

Her smile vanished, her eyes widening in sudden panic. “Sir? Did I do something wrong?”

“No,” I said softly. “But the woman who helped me save my empire shouldn't be cleaning my floors. I’ve read your file. I know you have a degree in business administration that you haven't been able to use because you’ve been taking care of your sick mother.”