Chapter 4 - The Silent Ally
Victoria looked down at the dead doctor with absolute indifference.
"Oh, my dear Avery, look what you have done," Victoria sighed with fake tragedy.
Security guards immediately flooded the small room, blocking all the exits.
"She poisoned Dr. Evans when he threatened to expose her affair," Victoria announced to the guards.
Avery dropped to her knees, frantically searching the carpet for the silver flash drive.
It was gone.
One of the guards grabbed her arms, pulling her roughly to her feet.
Before Victoria could order her arrest, a tall man in a dark suit stepped through the crowd.
It was Marcus Sterling, Liam’s estranged older brother who had been exiled to Europe five years ago.
Marcus waved a hand, and his own private security detail stepped between Avery and Victoria's guards.
"Let her go, Mother," Marcus said, his voice laced with venom.
Victoria's smile faltered, her eyes narrowing at her oldest son.
"This is family business, Marcus, stay out of it," she warned.
Marcus ignored her and pulled Avery out of the coat room, dragging her down the hall.
He pushed her into an empty guest suite and locked the door behind them.
Avery backed away, not trusting anyone in this twisted family.
Marcus reached into his pocket and pulled out the silver flash drive.
He had snatched it from the floor during the chaos.
"I have the proof you need to destroy her," Marcus said smoothly.
"But in exchange, you will sign over your twenty percent voting rights in Sterling Corp to me."
Avery stared at him in shock, realizing he was just using her to stage a corporate coup.
"And if I refuse?" Avery asked defiantly.
May you like
Marcus smiled coldly and turned on the suite's television to a live security feed of the nursery.
The crib was completely empty.
