Chapter 6 - The Sterling Retaliation
True to Julian’s prediction, Victoria Sterling was not a woman who would slink away quietly into the night. Her eviction from Vance Manor was not merely an embarrassment; it was a mortal wound to her family's social standing.
By midday the following morning, the tabloids and high-society gossip blogs had exploded with scandalous headlines:
**"BILLIONAIRE TYCOON JULIAN VANCE DUMPS OIL HEIRESS WEEKS BEFORE WEDDING!"**
**"INSIDE SOURCES CLAIM VANCE MISTREATED FIANCÉE OVER A DISPUTE WITH MANOR STAFF!"**
Victoria had gone straight to her father, Marcus Sterling, a ruthless corporate raider with vast political connections. By three in the afternoon, the Sterling PR machine had launched an aggressive smear campaign. They painted Victoria as a victim of Julian’s erratic, controlling behavior, claiming she had fled the manor in fear after discovering Julian was harboring "unstable, criminal elements" among his domestic staff.
Worse, Marcus Sterling retaliated economically. At 4:00 PM, Julian received a frantic call from his Chief Operating Officer: Sterling Logistics had abruptly terminated their exclusive maritime transport contracts with Vance Global, effectively stranding fifty million dollars worth of high-end manufacturing components at the Port of Baltimore.
In the executive penthouse of Vance Tower, Julian sat behind his massive obsidian desk, staring at the financial monitors as Vance Global's stock dipped three percent.
Miller entered the office, his expression grave. "Mr. Vance, Marcus Sterling just called a press conference for tomorrow evening at the Metropolitan Charity Gala. He intends to publicly announce the severing of all business ties and release a formal statement accusing you of breach of contract and slander against his daughter."
Julian didn't look up from his screen. "Let him bark. What did Hayes say about my mother?"
"Mrs. Vance is resting comfortably at the estate. Her vitals are stable, but the doctor advised absolute bed rest." Miller paused, hesitating. "And... the maid, Clara. Her arm is not fractured, thankfully. Severe deep-tissue contusion. Hayes wrapped it and gave her pain medication. But sir... there’s something else."
Julian looked up sharply. "What is it?"
"Clara Bennett came to the office. She's downstairs in the lobby. She said she needs to speak with you privately regarding Marcus Sterling."
Julian frowned, leaning back in his leather chair. "Send her up immediately."
Moments later, Clara stepped into the executive office. She wasn't wearing her maid's uniform today. Instead, she wore a simple, elegant navy blue knit sweater that concealed the heavy bandage on her arm, paired with dark trousers. Despite the simplicity of her clothes, she carried herself with a poise that felt remarkably out of place for someone who supposedly worked minimum-wage domestic labor.
"Clara," Julian said, rising from his desk and walking over to greet her. "You should be resting at the estate. Hayes told you to keep off your feet."
"I'm fine, Mr. Vance," Clara said quietly, looking around the glass-walled office before meeting his gaze directly. "I saw the news. I saw what Victoria and her father are doing to your company’s stock."
Julian gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "Petty theatrics from a dying oil dynasty. I can handle Marcus Sterling."
"You can handle him in the market, yes," Clara replied, her voice firm, step-for-step with his intensity. "But he’s going to use the press gala tomorrow night to ruin your public credibility before you can even launch your counter-offensive. Unless... you strike first."
Julian tilted his head, intrigued. "And how do you propose I do that, Clara?"
Clara reached into her small leather satchel with her uninjured hand and pulled out an encrypted external hard drive, placing it gently on Julian's obsidian desk.
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"Because," Clara said softly, "my name isn't just Clara Bennett. And I didn't come to Vance Manor by accident."
***
