Chapter 3 - THE CORPORATE ENEMYAt ten o'clock, I arrived at Mitchell Investments, but my mind wasn't on the $250 million acquisition we had just finalized. My COO, James, walked into my office carrying a stack of portfolio reviews, but stopped when he saw the dark circles under my eyes. "Rob, you look like you haven't slept. Is this about the acquisition?"
"No," I replied, spinning my desk chair to face the Manhattan skyline. "James, tell me everything you know about the Sterling Group. Specifically, their founder, Arthur Sterling."
James blinked in surprise. "Arthur Sterling? He’s one of the most powerful real estate tycoons in the country. But he’s been reclusive lately. Ever since his daughter and son-in-law died in that tragic yacht explosion off the coast of Nice six years ago, he’s poured all his energy into corporate acquisitions. Why do you ask?"
"Just doing some background research," I lied smoothly. But the gears in my head were turning with terrifying speed. Arthur Sterling. A multi-billionaire empire. A tragic yacht explosion in the Mediterranean that wiped out his entire immediate family—including a young granddaughter whose body was never recovered. The timeline matched. Lily’s age matched. And the elite French background explained the lullaby. If Lily was Arthur Sterling’s granddaughter, someone had tried to murder her, failed, and dumped her in America—while someone inside the Sterling inner circle covered it up.
