CHAPTER 2 — "The Secret the Sterling Family Had Hidden for Twenty Years."
Chloe stared at her father as if the world itself had stopped making sense.
"Dad..."
Her voice cracked.
"What are you doing?"
Arthur didn't answer.
His eyes never left Victoria.
Instead, he spoke softly.
"Would you please join me upstairs, Ms. Lawrence?"
Victoria glanced toward the frightened employees.
"No."
One word.
Calm.
Controlled.
"But thank you."
Arthur swallowed hard.
He knew exactly what that answer meant.
She wasn't here for a friendly visit.
She was inspecting.
And inspections never ended well.
Chloe finally burst out laughing.
"Oh my God."
She clapped sarcastically.
"So this is some kind of joke?"
She pointed toward Victoria.
"She's manipulating you!"
Arthur slowly turned toward his daughter.
For the first time...
There wasn't affection in his eyes.
Only fear.
"Chloe."
"Be quiet."
She blinked.
"Dad?"
"I said..."
His voice became dangerously cold.
"Be quiet."
The showroom staff exchanged nervous looks.
Nobody had ever heard Arthur speak to his daughter like that.
Ethan stepped forward.
"Mr. Sterling..."
"I'm sure there's some misunderstanding."
Arthur looked at him.
"And you are?"
"Ethan Calloway."
Arthur nodded once.
Then quietly asked,
"Do you own any shares in Lawrence & Co.?"
"No."
"Have you ever attended a board meeting?"
"No."
"Then I strongly suggest..."
Arthur's expression hardened.
"...that you remain silent."
Ethan immediately stepped back.
Victoria finally sighed.
"This has become embarrassing."
Arthur looked devastated.
"I accept full responsibility."
Chloe frowned.
"For what?"
Victoria slowly removed one black leather glove.
On her finger rested a simple platinum ring.
No diamonds.
No gemstones.
Only one tiny engraved symbol.
The original Lawrence family crest.
Arthur instantly lowered his head again.
Several senior employees gasped.
One elderly jeweler covered his mouth.
He recognized it.
He had seen that ring only once before.
Twenty-three years earlier.
During the funeral of the company's founder.
Victoria calmly looked around the showroom.
"I designed the customer service standards for this company."
Employees exchanged shocked glances.
"I wrote the hiring policies."
Another silence.
"I approved every managing director."
Arthur closed his eyes.
"And..."
Victoria looked directly into Chloe's trembling face.
"I personally signed your father's promotion."
The words hit like an explosion.
Chloe staggered backward.
"No..."
She whispered.
"No..."
Arthur finally spoke.
"There is something you were never told."
Chloe looked at him.
"What?"
Arthur's voice broke.
"Lawrence & Co. has never belonged to investors."
He slowly turned toward Victoria.
"It belongs..."
"...to her family."
Every customer stood frozen.
Someone quietly whispered,
"She's... the owner?"
Arthur corrected him.
"No."
His eyes filled with respect.
"She isn't just the owner."
"She is the Chairwoman."
The room erupted into horrified whispers.
Employees who had ignored Victoria moments earlier suddenly looked physically sick.
The receptionist began trembling.
One security guard quietly removed his earpiece.
No one knew where to look.
Except Chloe.
Who had suddenly realized...
She had publicly humiliated the woman who could fire every single person in the building—including her own father.
And Victoria still hadn't revealed the darkest secret.
Why she had stayed away...
May you like
...for six long years.
To be continued...
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