Roman Sterling stepped out from behind the mahogany archway, his dark suit tailored to perfection, his eyes like flint.
The air in the long hallway turned arctic the instant his gaze fell upon the girl sobbing on the floor.
Roman: Victoria. Take your hand away from her.
Victoria froze mid-gesture, her face flushing crimson as she jerked her chin up, trying to recover her composure.
Victoria: Roman! Darling, thank goodness you're here. This thieving little maid was snooping in your private files!
Sadie: Mr. Sterling, I wasn't! I was just cleaning, I swear!
Roman: Silence, both of you.
Roman walked forward, his heavy dress shoes making hollow thuds against the pristine marble.
He bypassed Victoria entirely, not giving her a single glance, and knelt directly in front of the trembling maid.
Roman: Sadie. Look at me.
Sadie pulled her trembling hands away from her face, her lip quivering as she met his piercing stare.
A bright red mark had already begun blooming across her fair cheek.
Roman: Did she strike you?
Sadie: Mr. Sterling... I... I don't want any trouble, please.
Victoria: She was stealing your company bonds, Roman! She had her hands all over your personal drawer!
Roman reached down with one broad hand and gently grasped Sadie's elbow, lifting her to her feet with ease.
Roman: Stand behind me, Sadie.
Victoria: Roman, are you insane?! You're taking the word of a cleaning girl over your own fiancée?!
Roman: You are not my fiancée anymore, Victoria. Not since your family trust defaulted last night.
Victoria’s jaw dropped in absolute shock, her lips parting as the color drained completely from her cheeks.
Victoria: What did you say? The merger papers were finalized yesterday!
Roman: Your father forged the bank collateral. The auditors flagged the offshore account two hours ago.
Roman bent down slowly and picked up Sadie's cracked phone from the floor.
The screen lit up with an incoming call from an unlisted number.
Roman: And it appears your brother is running out of patience on this burner line.
Victoria lunged forward, her fingers clawing toward the phone in a sudden frenzy of panic.
Victoria: Give that to me! That has nothing to do with you!
Roman sidestepped her with effortless grace, pressing the speakerphone button as he lifted the phone to his ear.
Caller: Time is up, Sadie! Did you grab the bearer bonds from Sterling's wall safe or not?!
Roman stared directly into Victoria's wide, horrified eyes as his voice dropped to a lethal whisper.
Roman: Touch that boy, and I will bury your entire empire beneath six feet of dirt.
A stunned silence fell over the speaker before the line clicked dead.
Victoria backed up a step, her breathing erratic as her hands began to shake uncontrollably.
Victoria: Roman... listen to me. It's not what you think. Julian only needed a small bridge loan!
Roman: You used an innocent ten-year-old child as leverage against my estate?
Victoria: We were desperate! You cut off our credit line at the bank! You left us with nothing!
Roman stepped forward, the fury in his eyes burning hotter than an open furnace.
Roman: You don't take what is mine. And you sure as hell don't lay a hand on anyone under my roof.
Before Victoria could utter another lie, Roman swung his open hand, delivering a hard, cracking slap across her face.
The blow sent Victoria spinning backward onto the polished floor, knocking a crystal vase off its pedestal with a deafening crash.
She shrieked in outrage, scrambling on all fours across the cold floorboards.
Victoria: You hit me! You animal! I will call the police and take half your estate in the divorce settlement!
Roman: You won't get a single penny, Victoria. The prenup specifically voids every claim in the event of criminal felony.
Roman reached down, grabbed her by the wrist in an iron grip, and hauled her across the floor toward the entrance.
Victoria: Let go of me! Let go!
Roman: You are going straight to federal prison, and you will stay there until every debt is paid in full.
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