Chapter 6 - THE DEAD WOMAN WALKS IN
The benefit began at eight.
At 8:43, Victoria Sterling entered.
The ballroom went silent.
Julian's mother was sixty-seven.
Elegant.
Silver-haired.
Alive.
Cameras exploded.
She embraced Claire first.
Claire stood rigid.
Then Julian.
“My beautiful boy.”
Julian didn't lift his arms.
“You tried to destroy my lungs.”
Victoria smiled for the cameras.
“Not here.”
“Especially here.”
That smile faltered.
Good.
I stood twenty feet away disguised as event medical staff.
Richard was somewhere inside.
We knew it.
The plan was simple.
Let Victoria speak.
Get her on record.
Keep Julian safe.
Simple plans rarely survive wealthy psychopaths.
Victoria took the stage.
She told a miraculous story about surviving the plane crash, memory loss, private recovery and fear.
People cried.
I wanted to throw something.
Then she announced Helix Meridian would merge with Sterling Global's medical logistics division.
Julian had never approved that.
But documents appeared on screen.
His signature.
Again.
Forgery.
He stood.
“No.”
Every camera turned.
Victoria smiled.
“Julian is unwell.”
There it was.
The narrative.
Sick.
Confused.
Unstable.
She intended to remove him publicly.
Two physicians approached.
I recognized one.
Mercer's colleague.
“Mr. Sterling, please come with us.”
I crossed the floor.
“No.”
Victoria saw me.
For the first time, fear entered her face.
“Maya Vance.”
“You've been reading my files.”
“You're trespassing.”
“Actually, I'm working.”
I showed my event badge.
Julian almost smiled.
Victoria ordered security forward.
Then Claire took the stage.
“No.”
Her mother turned.
Claire held up her phone.
“I've spent my whole life being told family means loyalty.”
Her voice shook.
“I finally understand that loyalty without truth is just obedience.”
She played a recording.
Victoria's voice.
Richard's voice.
Discussing Julian's prolonged incapacitation.
The ballroom erupted.
Victoria ran.
Richard appeared.
He grabbed Claire.
Julian moved toward them.
I grabbed Julian's arm.
“You can't sprint.”
“Watch me.”
“Absolutely not.”
Knox handled the sprinting.
Richard dragged Claire through the service corridor.
We followed.
He reached the roof.
Helicopter waiting.
Victoria was already aboard.
Richard shoved Claire toward it.
Then stopped.
Police flooded the roof entrance.
He had nowhere to go.
Victoria looked at him from inside the helicopter.
And ordered the pilot to lift off.
Without him.
Richard stared.
His face changed.
He finally understood.
He had never been family.
Just another tool.
The helicopter rose.
Richard released Claire.
Knox tackled him.
Victoria escaped.
But Richard Mercer didn't.
As police handcuffed him, he looked at me.
“You think you won?”
“No.”
I looked up at the disappearing helicopter.
“But I think she just lost you.”
Richard smiled.
“You still don't understand.”
“What?”
He leaned close.
“Victoria didn't choose your brother because of his blood.”
My stomach tightened.
“Then why?”
Richard whispered:
May you like
“She chose him because of yours.”
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