Chapter 2
CHAPTER 2 — The Sterling Bloodline
The absolute silence in the dining room was so thick you could hear the faint,
rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock in the hallway.
Beatrice dropped her silver fork,
the sharp metallic clang echoing loudly against her fine china plate,
her mouth hanging open in complete horror.
She recognized Arthur Sterling instantly from every prominent business magazine and high-society gala she had ever dreamed of attending.
"Mr.
Sterling,"
Ethan stammered pathetically,
his voice cracking like a terrified child's,
as he desperately tried to smooth down his expensive suit jacket.
"I...
I don't understand,
what an incredible honor it is to have you in our humble home,
but why are you here?"
Arthur Sterling did not look at Ethan,
nor did he acknowledge the trembling woman sitting at the table.
He walked directly over to me,
his eyes filling with an intense,
blazing fury as they landed on the dark purple bruise blooming across my left cheek.
He gently reached out,
his calloused hand lightly touching my jaw,
his voice shaking with raw,
protective anger.
"Who did this to you,
my sweet girl?"
he asked softly,
though the question was meant for the entire room to hear.
I looked straight at Ethan,
whose eyes were practically popping out of his skull,
his mind struggling to connect the pieces.
"Maya...
what is the meaning of this?"
Ethan whispered,
his voice full of sudden,
sickening dread.
"My name isn't just Maya,
Ethan,"
I said clearly,
stepping up beside my grandfather,
letting my posture reflect the powerful lineage I had hidden for so long.
"I am Maya Sterling,
the sole heiress to the Sterling fortune,
the woman who owns every single square inch of the ground you are standing on."
Beatrice let out a strangled,
choking gasp,
clutching her chest as if she were having a heart attack.
"No,
that's impossible,"
she whimpered,
her fake aristocratic voice shaking.
"You're just a nobody accountant with no family,
Ethan rescued you from poverty!"
"I chose to live simply,
Beatrice,
because I wanted to find a man who loved me for who I was,
not for my grandfather's billions,"
I explained coldly,
staring down at her.
"Instead,
I found a pathetic,
weak dynamic of gold-diggers who thought they could abuse me because they thought I was helpless."
Jonathan Vance,
the federal prosecutor,
stepped forward then,
snapping open his heavy briefcase with a loud click.
"Ethan,
Beatrice,
as of exactly five minutes ago,
all bank accounts associated with your names have been completely frozen,"
he announced calmly.
"Furthermore,
we have a fully signed warrant to seize all personal property inside this residence pending a massive federal investigation."
Ethan shook his head frantically,
tears of pure panic finally spilling over his eyes,
realizing his entire life was vanishing.
"You can't do this,
Maya,
please,
I love you,
it was just a stupid mistake last night,
we can talk about this!"
"The talking is officially over,
Ethan,"
I replied,
May you like
taking my seat at the head of the table,
ready to watch them drown.
