Chapter 10 - THE EMPIRE BUILT ON A LIE
Arthur Sterling had spent his entire life believing his father was ruthless.
Cold.
Demanding.
Unforgiving.
But he never imagined the truth could be this dark.
The old file sat on his desk.
A simple brown folder.
Something that looked ordinary.
But inside it was the history of his family.
And the reason so many people had suffered.
Maya stood beside him.
She watched his face carefully.
She had seen Arthur angry.
She had seen him guilty.
But she had never seen him afraid.
“What is in that file?”
Arthur didn’t answer.
He turned another page.
His hands tightened.
Daniel stood across the room.
“Sir?”
Arthur finally spoke.
“My father didn’t just threaten Isabella.”
Maya waited.
“He paid people to destroy anyone who challenged him.”
The room became silent.
Daniel looked shocked.
“Destroy?”
Arthur nodded.
“Businesses.”
“Reputations.”
“Lives.”
Maya stared at the documents.
“And my mother?”
Arthur looked at her.
“Yes.”
“She was one of them.”
Maya stepped back.
Her heart hurt.
Not because she was surprised.
Because a part of her had hoped there was another explanation.
A better one.
Her mother deserved better.
Arthur continued reading.
“There was a payment made one week after Isabella disappeared.”
“To whom?”
Arthur looked at the name.
His face changed.
“No.”
Maya noticed.
“Who?”
Arthur slowly turned the paper around.
Maya read the name.
And her blood ran cold.
Richard Hale.
Victoria’s brother.
The same man who had been standing beside Victoria from the beginning.
Daniel immediately picked up his phone.
“I’ll find him.”
Arthur stopped him.
“No.”
“Why?”
Arthur looked at Maya.
“Because we need to know how much he knows.”
Maya shook her head.
“You mean we need proof.”
Arthur nodded.
“Yes.”
“For once, we do this the right way.”
Those words surprised her.
The old Arthur would have used power.
Money.
Influence.
But this Arthur was different.
He had finally realized that control could not fix everything.
That evening, Maya returned home.
But someone was already waiting.
She froze.
Richard Hale stood in the hallway.
“How did you get in?”
Richard smiled.
“Your building security is terrible.”
Maya immediately reached for her phone.
Richard noticed.
“Don’t.”
His voice became colder.
“You don’t want to make this worse.”
Maya stared at him.
“You threatened me.”
“No.”
“I warned you.”
“About what?”
Richard stepped closer.
“About digging into things that should stay buried.”
Maya’s eyes narrowed.
“You helped destroy my mother.”
Richard’s expression changed slightly.
Only for a second.
But Maya saw it.
“You know exactly what happened.”
Richard smiled.
“You’re smarter than people think.”
Maya recorded everything.
“What do you want?”
Richard looked at her.
“I want you to leave.”
“Leave?”
“Disappear.”
“Like my mother?”
For the first time…
Richard looked uncomfortable.
Maya noticed.
“You were there.”
Richard said nothing.
“You were there the night she left.”
Silence.
Then Richard whispered:
“You have no idea what your father’s family was capable of.”
Maya stepped closer.
“Tell me.”
Richard laughed.
“You think the truth will save you?”
“No.”
Maya looked directly at him.
“I think the truth will destroy you.”
Richard stared.
Then his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His expression changed.
He immediately walked away.
But Maya saw the name.
Victoria.
May you like
And she understood.
They were still working together.
