Chapter 19 - The Sovereign Queen
One month later.
I stood on the private rooftop balcony of the Sterling Financial Tower, looking out over the sprawling skyline of New York City.
The morning sun was rising, casting a golden glow across the glass skyscrapers. Down below, thousands of employees were walking into the building—employees who were now working for a restructured, honest, and ethical Sterling Global Enterprises.
Agent Sterling—or rather, the real federal investigators who had supported me—had completely cleared my mother’s name. The public trust fund had been established in Helena Sterling’s memory, funding thousands of scholarships for underprivileged students across the country.
A soft breeze swept across the rooftop, blowing my hair back.
My personal assistant stepped out onto the balcony, holding a leather folder. "Miss Sterling, the international press conference is ready for you downstairs. Representatives from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg are waiting."
"Thank you, Sarah," I said, taking a deep breath of the cool morning air. "I’ll be down in two minutes."
I turned back to look at the glass reflection in the balcony door.
I was no longer the quiet, timid girl who had walked into Courtroom 14B while her mother and brother laughed at her. I was no longer the forgotten orphan forced to live in a basement.
May you like
I was Victoria Sterling.
I had faced down my toxic family, dismantled a fifty-billion-dollar corporate syndicate, and reclaimed my life, my name, and my legacy using nothing but intelligence, preparation, and unwavering resolve.
