Part 4: The Phantom Mother
My position in the Sterling household was cemented. I was given absolute authority. But the war was far from over.
A week later, Roman’s uncle, Victor Sterling—a cunning, ruthless board member—arrived at the estate. He had brought a team of corporate lawyers to execute a surprise “guardianship audit.”
“According to the family trust regulations,” Victor sneered, sitting in the living room, “the primary heir must be raised in a complete, stable family environment. Roman is unmarried, his ex-partner is missing, and the child is being raised by a high-school dropout. This violates the morality clauses. I am moving to strip Roman of his executive voting shares.”
Vanessa Croft stepped gracefully into the room, playing her trump card.
“Uncle Victor is right, Roman,” Vanessa said sweetly. “Leo needs a mother figure. I am willing to step in. I can move in today and we can finalize a marriage of convenience to satisfy the board and secure your shares.”
It was a masterclass in manipulation. Vanessa had engineered the entire crisis just to force Roman into marrying her to save his company.
I stood at the top of the stairs, holding Leo.
“The scary lady is back… the lady who made my real mommy cry and go away…”
Leo’s inner voice hit me like a lightning bolt.
Vanessa hadn’t just taken advantage of the missing mother. She was the reason the mother was missing.
That night, at 2:00 AM, my personal cell phone rang. It was an unknown, encrypted number.
I answered it. “Hello?”
“Is this Harper?” a woman’s voice asked, trembling and fragile.
“Who is this?”
“I am Clara. Leo’s mother.”
My breath caught. “Where are you? Roman said you abandoned him.”
“I didn’t abandon my baby!” Clara sobbed through the static. “I was forced out! Vanessa Croft sent me a package three days after I gave birth. It contained doctored photos of Roman having an affair. But worse, it contained a fabricated audit report. She framed me for embezzling millions from a charity fund I managed. She told me if I didn’t disappear and leave the baby, she would hand the files to the FBI and I would go to federal prison. I had no money. I was terrified. I ran to protect myself so I could eventually fight back.”
“Why didn’t you tell Roman?” I asked urgently.
“Because the package was signed with the Sterling corporate seal. I thought Roman approved it. I thought he was trying to get rid of me to marry Vanessa.”
“He didn’t,” I said fiercely. “He has been looking for you. He is devastated.”
“Harper, please,” Clara begged. “I saw the news articles about you saving that baby at the gala. I know you protect children. Keep my son safe from Vanessa. I am gathering the evidence to prove the embezzlement files were forged by her shell company. I just need a little more time.”
I hung up the phone. My blood was boiling.
I wasn’t going to give Vanessa more time.
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