Chapter 13 - Ghost of the Past – The Return of Victoria Sterling
In the glittering ballroom of the Hotel de Paris in Monaco, high-society elites swirled in black-tie attire for the annual Sovereign Charity Gala. Marcus Thorne stood near the balcony, a glass of dark scotch in hand, his presence intimidating enough to keep prospective corporate sycophants at bay.
Suddenly, the grand double doors at the top of the marble staircase swung open. The master of ceremonies stepped forward, his voice echoing through the acoustics of the hall.
“Announcing Lady Victoria Sterling of the Aegis Global Investment Group.”
Gasps rippled through the audience like a shockwave.
Marcus’s hand tightened around his crystal glass until the edge nearly cracked. Walking down the stairs in a backless sapphire gown was Victoria Sterling—the woman who had been his high-school sweetheart, his former corporate partner, and the woman declared dead in a helicopter crash off the coast of Capri five years ago.
She was radiant, composed, and wore a necklace displaying the silver viper emblem of the Aegis Syndicate.
“Hello, Marcus,” Victoria whispered as she glided past the stunned crowd, stopping inches from him. Her scent of midnight jasmine was exactly as he remembered, but her eyes held a chilling, distant calculated edge. “Did you really think I died in those deep blue waters?”
“Victoria,” Marcus said, his voice dropping into an icy register. “You orchestrated the fake crash. You joined the syndicate.”
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“I didn't join them, my love,” Victoria smiled, touching the lapel of his tuxedo with manicured fingers. “I lead their luxury acquisitions branch. Your innocent little wife thinks she destroyed the Rossi family, but Isabella was just a crude distraction to draw your focus away from Europe. While you were playing happy family in your fortress, Aegis acquired forty-nine percent of Thorne Industries’ offshore debt.”
Victoria leaned closer, her lips brushing his ear. “You have forty-eight hours to dissolve your marriage with Khloe and sign over controlling voting shares to me… or the syndicate will release the biological dossiers that will destroy the Vance family forever.”
