Chapter 16 - The Man Who Pulled The StringsThe old study remained silent.
Nobody moved.
The confession from Marcus changed everything.
Victoria had spent twenty years convincing herself she was not responsible.
She had told herself that she was protecting the family.
Protecting the company.
Protecting her children.
But now.
Standing inside the room where her husband left his final message.
There was nowhere left to hide.
Ethan looked at Marcus.
“You killed my father.”
Marcus did not answer.
And that was the answer.
Ethan stepped forward.
“You killed him.”
Marcus looked at him calmly.
“Your father was going to destroy everything.”
Ethan’s eyes filled with anger.
“He was exposing criminals.”
Marcus shook his head.
“He was exposing people who built the world you live in.”
“That world paid for your education.”
“Your house.”
“Your lifestyle.”
Ethan stared at him.
“You think money excuses murder?”
Marcus smiled.
“You are still young.”
“No.”
“You are still naive.”
The words reminded Ethan of Victoria.
The same arrogance.
The same belief that wealth created the right to decide.
“You both believe you are above everyone.”
Marcus looked toward Victoria.
“No.”
“I believed she was.”
Victoria looked at him.
“What?”
Marcus walked closer.
“You think you controlled me?”
A cold smile appeared.
“You never understood the game.”
The room became tense.
Ethan looked confused.
“What are you talking about?”
Marcus opened his briefcase.
Inside were files.
More files.
More evidence.
He placed them on the desk.
“Victoria was never the mastermind.”
Everyone froze.
Ethan looked at his mother.
Then back at Marcus.
“Then who was?”
Marcus slowly smiled.
“Your grandfather.”
Silence.
The name itself felt impossible.
Ethan’s grandfather had been dead for fifteen years.
The founder of Sterling Industries.
The man everyone remembered as a legend.
Marcus continued.
“He built the empire.”
“He created the system.”
“He taught Victoria one important lesson.”
“What lesson?”
Marcus looked at Ethan.
“Power is more important than people.”
Victoria’s face changed.
Because she remembered.
Her father.
The pressure.
The expectations.
The years of being forced to become ruthless.
Ethan noticed.
“Is this true?”
Victoria looked away.
That was enough.
Clara whispered.
“So all of this…”
“Started before us.”
Charles nodded.
May you like
“The Sterling family was never destroyed by one person.”
“It was destroyed by generations of people choosing power.”
