Chapter 2 - THE ACCOUNT THAT NEVER EXISTED
Alexander left the ballroom without finishing the toast.
Victoria followed.
“Alexander!”
He kept walking.
“Alexander Sterling, stop.”
He turned in the private corridor.
His mother stood ten feet away.
For seventy years, Victoria had mastered the art of looking composed under pressure.
Now her face had gone pale.
“What did you do with Sophia’s money?”
“Not here.”
“Where?”
“She’s listening.”
Alexander looked behind her.
Sophia was nowhere near them.
“Who?”
Victoria’s eyes flicked toward a security camera.
Interesting.
“You're worried about cameras?”
“I’m worried about scandal.”
“My daughter is hungry.”
“Lower your voice.”
“My daughter searched garbage for food.”
“I said lower your voice.”
Alexander stared.
The command was familiar.
He had heard it as a child.
Do not embarrass me.
Do not make a scene.
Do not let outsiders know family business.
He had obeyed for forty-two years.
“No.”
Victoria blinked.
Alexander took out his phone and called Martin Hale, Sterling Properties’ chief financial officer.
“Tell me.”
Martin sounded nervous.
“I pulled every transfer you labeled Sophia support.”
“And?”
“The money went to Sterling Family Services LLC.”
“I know.”
“That entity was dissolved two years before your divorce.”
Alexander stopped.
“What?”
“Someone continued using the name internally as a payment descriptor.”
“Where did the transfers actually land?”
“I’m tracing.”
“How much total?”
“Five thousand monthly for thirty-six months.”
Alexander did the calculation automatically.
“One hundred eighty thousand.”
“Yes.”
“Plus school and medical?”
Martin hesitated.
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“Another two hundred and sixteen thousand.”
Alexander closed his eyes.
Nearly four hundred thousand dollars.
“Find every destination.”
“I already brought forensic accounting in.”
“Good.”
He ended the call.
Victoria crossed her arms.
“You had no right to involve company finance.”
“Sterling Family Services used our treasury system.”
“That was your choice.”
“Where is the money?”
She looked away.
“Supporting Sophia.”
“She just told me otherwise.”
“Children misunderstand.”
“Lauren said the same.”
Victoria’s expression hardened.
“You spoke to her?”
“Yes.”
“After everything she did?”
Alexander laughed once.
“What did she do?”
“You know.”
“Tell me.”
“She left you.”
“According to you.”
“Alexander.”
“She took Sophia.”
“She had every intention of destroying you.”
“Did she?”
Victoria stared.
“You were working constantly. She complained. She threatened divorce.”
“That isn't abandoning me.”
“She was unsuitable for this family.”
There.
Not unfaithful.
Not dangerous.
Unsuitable.
“What did you tell Lauren?”
Victoria’s chin lifted.
“The truth.”
“What truth?”
“That you had decided the marriage could not continue.”
“I had not.”
“You would have.”
Alexander went still.
“What?”
Victoria realized too late.
“You were miserable.”
“So you decided for me.”
“I protected you.”
“You forged my decision.”
“I handled a crisis.”
“Did you forge the letter?”
Silence.
“Mom.”
She looked him in the eye.
“I had your best interests at heart.”
Alexander felt physically ill.
Behind him, ballroom music began again.
Someone had decided the gala should continue.
Of course.
Victoria said:
“Lauren was never equipped for your world.”
“This isn't about my world.”
“It is always about your world. You built an empire.”
“We built apartments.”
“You control billions.”
“And?”
“She didn't understand what came with that.”
“What came with it?”
“Expectations.”
Alexander stared.
“You mean you.”
Victoria’s face hardened.
Then elevator doors opened.
Lauren stepped out.
Alexander had not seen her in three years.
She looked thinner.
Tired.
Beautiful in a way that hurt.
Cheap winter coat.
Work shoes.
Hair pulled back.
She saw him.
Stopped.
Then saw Victoria.
Every muscle in her face changed.
“Where’s Sophia?”
Alexander pointed.
“With Rosa from hotel services.”
Lauren walked past him.
Victoria called:
“Lauren.”
She stopped.
Slowly turned.
“I have nothing to say to you.”
Victoria’s voice sharpened.
“You brought my granddaughter into a service corridor to steal food from my party.”
Alexander stepped between them.
“Enough.”
Lauren laughed.
“Your party?”
Victoria ignored him.
“She could have been hurt.”
Lauren walked closer.
“She was hungry.”
“That is not my fault.”
Lauren’s voice went quiet.
“No.”
She looked at Alexander.
“Apparently it was mine because I believed you.”
Then she walked away.
Alexander followed.
Sophia ran into Lauren’s arms.
“Mommy!”
Lauren dropped to her knees.
Held her.
Checked every inch of her face.
Then stared at the plate.
“You ate?”
Sophia nodded.
“Chicken. Potatoes. Two rolls.”
Lauren laughed through tears.
“Good.”
Alexander stood several feet away.
He did not touch either of them.
Lauren noticed.
“Thank you for staying.”
“I said I would.”
Awkward silence.
Then Sophia said:
“Daddy sends money.”
Lauren closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
“I didn’t know.”
“I know.”
Alexander crouched.
“Sophia, your mom and I need to talk about boring adult things.”
“Are you getting divorced again?”
Lauren almost smiled.
“We already are.”
“Oh.”
Sophia looked disappointed by bureaucracy.
Alexander said:
“Can I give you my phone number?”
Sophia looked at Lauren.
Lauren hesitated.
Then nodded.
Sophia handed him her small prepaid phone.
Alexander entered his number.
Then Lauren said:
“Not tonight.”
“What?”
“You don't get to suddenly become Dad again because you found her by accident.”
The words hurt.
He let them.
“You're right.”
Lauren looked surprised.
“I want answers first.”
“So do I.”
She hugged Sophia closer.
“Then find out where the money went.”
“I will.”
“And find out who signed your name on the no-contact agreement.”
Alexander stared.
“No-contact agreement?”
Lauren’s expression changed.
“You don't know?”
“No.”
She reached into her purse.
Pulled out an old photograph of a legal document.
Alexander read the first page.
MUTUAL NO-CONTACT AND CONFIDENTIAL FAMILY AGREEMENT.
His signature appeared at the bottom.
Perfect.
Except not his.
A second signature appeared beneath it.
Witness:
MARGARET VOSS, ESQ.
Alexander knew the name.
His mother's personal attorney.
He looked up.
Lauren said:
“Your mother told me if I violated it, she would use Sterling money to take Sophia away.”
His chest tightened.
“Why didn't you hire a lawyer?”
“I did.”
“What happened?”
“He told me the agreement was enforceable enough to bankrupt me fighting it.”
“Who?”
Lauren stared at him.
“Daniel Kline.”
Alexander’s stomach dropped.
Daniel Kline was outside counsel for Sterling Family Office.
His lawyer.
His mother's lawyer.
And apparently Lauren’s supposed independent adviser.
Not independent at all.
May you like
The lie had just acquired a legal department.
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