Chapter 2 - The Altar Crumbles
"Security!" Eleanor shrieked, her composed socialite facade shattering completely. "Remove this woman immediately!"
"No one touches her!" Harrison roared. His voice thundered through the stone arches, carrying a lethal authority he had never used against his mother. He walked down the aisle, completely ignoring his furious bride.
Sloane grabbed his arm, her acrylic nails digging into his tuxedo jacket. "Harrison! You are humiliating me in front of the governor!"
He yanked his arm free without looking at her. He stopped three feet from Maya. His eyes darted frantically between the two boys—Leo and Finn—and little Lily. The resemblance wasn't just striking; it was undeniable.
"Maya," Harrison whispered, his voice cracking. "Wh... whose are they?"
Maya reached into her clutch and pulled out the gold-foiled, wax-sealed wedding invitation. She dropped it on the marble floor between them.
"Your mother sent me this," Maya said, her voice steady and loud enough for the front rows to hear. "With a handwritten note suggesting I come see what a 'proper' family looks like. So, I brought yours."
Harrison whipped his head around to glare at his mother. Eleanor looked like she might faint.
May you like
"They're yours, Harrison," Maya said softly, before turning around. "Come on, kids. We've seen enough."
She turned and walked out, leaving the Sterling empire in absolute ruins.
