Chapter 5 - Trapped in the Dark
"Get your hands off her!" Julian's voice thundered through the hallway.
He stormed into the room, shoving the bodyguards aside.
"Mother, have you completely lost your mind?!" Julian shouted, stepping in front of Chloe and Lily.
"I am protecting this family's legacy from a gold-digging maid!" Eleanor snapped back.
"This maid is the only person who kept my daughter safe from a monster!" Julian roared.
"Victoria is out on bail because of you!"
"Victoria is innocent until proven guilty!" Eleanor declared coldly.
"And as the chairman of Sterling Enterprises, I will not let a manic maid destroy our reputation!"
"I have already filed a temporary custody order."
"Until Lily undergoes a psychiatric evaluation by our family doctor, she comes with me."
Julian stepped up to his mother, his eyes burning with pure hatred.
"If you take my daughter, I will strip every asset from Sterling Enterprises and burn it to the ground," Julian promised in a lethal whisper.
Eleanor smirked, entirely unfazed.
"You can't, Julian."
"The board voted two hours ago."
"Due to your emotional instability following Clara's death, you have been temporarily suspended as CEO."
Julian’s breath stopped.
"You backstabbed your own son?" he gasped.
"I saved this family from your weakness," Eleanor replied smoothly.
"Guards, clear the room."
The bodyguards surged forward, physically tackling Julian to the carpet.
Chloe tried to fight back, but an officer slammed her hands behind her back and clicked the steel handcuffs onto her wrists.
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"Chloe! Daddy!" Lily screamed as Eleanor grabbed her small arm and dragged her down the back hallway.
"Chloe!!!" Lily's terrified voice echoed through the marble corridors as the double doors slammed shut.
