Chapter 10 - The Sovereign Heir
The steps of the city's police precinct were swarming with reporters. Arthur Sterling stood at a podium, dabbing his eyes with a silk handkerchief.
"...a tragic accident," Arthur wept to the cameras. "My beautiful Evangeline... taken from me twice."
"You're a terrible actor, Arthur!"
The voice rang out over the sirens. The crowd of reporters parted in shock as Elena and Sebastian walked up the steps. They were battered, covered in soot and blood, looking like two demons rising from hell.
Arthur’s face went chalk-white. He stumbled backward, dropping the microphone.
"This man," Elena yelled, holding up a waterproof bag containing the ledgers and the arson report, "is a murderer! He burned down the Hamptons estate twenty years ago, and he tried to burn me alive tonight to cover it up!"
Sebastian handed a stack of flash drives to the nearest stunned journalists. "Financial records, offshore accounts, and the DNA test proving she is the rightful heir. Arthur Sterling is finished."
The police, hearing the confession and seeing the evidence, moved in immediately. Arthur screamed and thrashed, cursing them both as he was handcuffed and shoved into the back of a squad car. The flashbulbs popped like strobe lights, capturing the fall of a titan.
Three Months Later.
The crystal chandelier of the Sterling Manor shone brightly, but this time, there were no secrets hiding in the shadows.
Elena stood at the head of the grand hall, wearing a bespoke ivory suit. She was no longer a maid in a grey uniform. She was the CEO and absolute majority shareholder of Sterling Enterprises. She had fired the corrupt board, liquidated Arthur’s toxic assets, and established a massive charitable foundation in Maria’s name.
The ballroom was empty, save for one person.
Sebastian walked in, holding two glasses of champagne. He handed her one. His burns had healed, leaving faint, rugged scars on his hands. He had voluntarily surrendered his adopted title, choosing to build his own venture capital firm from scratch.
"You look good on a throne," Sebastian said, clinking his glass against hers.
"It's a lonely throne," Elena replied, looking up at him, a soft, teasing smile playing on her lips. "I could use a partner. If you're looking for a job."
Sebastian set his glass down. He stepped into her space, the electric chemistry between them just as volatile as the night they met. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close.
May you like
"I don't want a job, Evangeline," Sebastian murmured, leaning down to press his lips against hers. "I just want you."
Elena kissed him back, the ghosts of the past finally burned away. The scullery maid was gone forever, and the Queen of the Sterling Empire had finally claimed her crown.
