Chapter 3 - The Ghost of Beverly Hills
The sun rose, painting the loft in harsh, unforgiving light. I drank bitter black coffee while Marcus printed out reams of data.
"The real Victoria Sterling had a severe medical condition," Marcus explained, pinning photos to a corkboard. "She was treated at a private clinic in Switzerland. Guess who worked at that clinic as an administrative assistant twelve years ago? Mary-Ann Hodges."
The puzzle pieces were clicking into a terrifying picture. "So, Mary-Ann realized her patient had no living relatives, unlimited wealth, and looked somewhat similar to her. When Victoria died... Mary-Ann simply took her place."
"Exactly," Marcus said. "She moved back to the States, hid behind the 'reclusive billionaire' persona, and hired a small army of private security to keep everyone away. But Julian is a financial shark. He married her for her money. He probably started digging into her accounts, looking for a way to get a bigger cut."
"And he dug too deep," I realized, feeling sick. "He found the rot underneath the gold."
"She couldn't just kill him," Marcus muttered, pacing the room. "Julian is a public figure. A sudden death would spark an autopsy, an investigation. His assets would be frozen. She needs him alive just long enough to quietly sign over all his remaining patents and offshore accounts to her shell companies."
"And the memory pills he mentioned in the video?"
"Chemical lobotomy," Marcus said grimly. "She's breaking his mind. Once he signs the papers, she'll probably stage a tragic, untraceable overdose. The grieving widow will inherit everything, and Mary-Ann Hodges will disappear forever."
Suddenly, Lily whimpered from the couch. She was clutching the empty, ripped stuffed bear.
"Mama," she cried softly. "Daddy said the bad lady wants me too."
I froze. I looked at Marcus. "Why would she want Lily?"
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Marcus’s eyes widened. "Julian's estate. If Julian dies, a portion of his wealth automatically goes to his next of kin. Lily is his only biological child. As long as Lily is alive, Mary-Ann can't get all the money."
My heart stopped. They hadn't come to my apartment just to get the bear. They had come to eliminate the last obstacle to the Sterling fortune. They had come for my daughter.
