Chapter 90

Richard tugged lightly at the collar of his tank top, exposing part of his chest. A few faint scratches were visible across his skin—the handiwork of a certain little cat who had gotten carried away earlier.

He placed a hand on Elena's knee.

"You really want me to leave?"

"...Yes!"

Elena's face was hot enough to fry an egg.

She stretched out one bare foot and gave his arm an experimental nudge.

"Go. The water's going to get cold."

Richard caught her ankle before she could pull away.

His palm was rough and warm against her skin. Elena instinctively tried to retract her foot, but he held it firmly, his thumb brushing once across the delicate top of it.

She drew in a small breath.

"Looks like..." Richard's gaze darkened slightly as it passed over her still-swollen lips. "Your stamina really is pretty good."

Elena bit her lower lip.

"Stop messing with me..."

Seeing that she was genuinely about to get annoyed, Richard finally gave a low laugh and released her.

"All right."

He stood and ruffled her slightly messy hair.

"I'll use the other bathroom."

Only after the frosted-glass door closed behind him and his steady footsteps faded away did Elena quietly exhale.

She sank into the warm bath, finally allowing every tense muscle in her body to relax.

By the time she finished bathing and returned to the primary bedroom in silk pajamas, Richard was already sitting against the headboard.

He had changed into sleepwear as well. His hair was still slightly damp, and a tablet rested in one hand.

At the sound of her footsteps, he looked over and patted the space beside him.

"Come here."

Elena climbed onto the bed and slipped beneath the covers.

Almost immediately, a warm, solid body moved in behind her.

Richard easily pulled her into his arms, settling her with her back against his chest.

Elena instinctively tensed.

"I have class tomorrow morning..."

"I know."

Richard kissed her lightly.

"I'll behave. Go to sleep."

Warmth filled the bedroom while the cold wind howled beyond the windows.

Curled safely in Richard's arms, Elena's eyelids gradually grew heavier. Surrounded by the faint clean scent of his body wash, she eventually drifted into a deep sleep.

The next morning, Elena received a message from one of Richard's assistants.

She read it carefully.

Just as she had suspected, there was more in Ryan Foster's past.

The school bullying case was ugly, but because of Ryan's age at the time, the nature of the conduct, and how the case had originally been handled, reopening it now was unlikely to put him behind bars.

The second incident they had uncovered was different.

Elena thought for a while before sending Richard a brief report.

Ryan had already been beaten so badly that he was practically finished anyway.

What Elena was about to do wasn't entirely aimed at him.

She had another objective.

That morning, Victoria Sterling received a phone call in the study of her private residence.

Two complex computational models filled her computer screens, dense streams of data intersecting across multiple projections.

She had spent months building the investment-return models herself.

"As soon as these two transfers go through, my allocations in the Series B tech companies and the overseas renewable-energy investment will be fully secured."

Victoria studied the final projection curve with quiet satisfaction.

If these investments succeeded, they would do more than generate substantial returns. They would establish her reputation in the investment world.

She wanted everyone—including the father who had always seemed to stand impossibly high above everyone else—to understand one thing.

She wasn't merely the daughter of Sterling Consortium's chairman.

She was the only person with both the qualifications and the ability to inherit that enormous business empire.

The agreements with the two tech startups had been finalized a week ago.

All that remained was final approval from the Sterling family trust's investment committee. Once that happened, the funds could be released.

Her phone vibrated.

Michael.

Victoria answered immediately.

"Have the signing notices from those two companies come through? My documents are ready."

There was a full three-second pause.

Then Michael's uneasy voice came through the phone.

"Miss Sterling... we have a problem."

Victoria frowned.

"What happened? Which department is holding up the approval?"

"It isn't being held up."

Michael drew a breath.

"Sterling Consortium's legal department issued formal clarification letters to both tech companies and the parties involved in the overseas renewable-energy investment. The letters were authorized directly through the chairman's office."

Victoria's expression changed.

"What did they say?"

"They explicitly state that your proposed investments are being made solely in your personal capacity, and that neither Sterling Consortium nor the Sterling family trust assumes any liability in connection with them or will provide institutional support, resources, or endorsement."

Michael hesitated before adding,

"These weren't routine legal notices. They were issued at the highest internal level."

His voice grew heavier.

"Miss Sterling, the Consortium has effectively told every party involved that your investment projects have no connection to Sterling Consortium."

Cold spread through Victoria's body.

"That's impossible."

The only reason those companies had been so eager to negotiate with her—and had been willing to offer her such attractive allocations—was because of the enormous institution standing behind the Sterling name.

Now the Consortium had effectively announced one thing to everyone involved:

Victoria Sterling was on her own.

No access to Sterling resources.

No institutional support.

No implied backing from her family.

Why would those companies and investment partners continue reserving such favorable allocations for her?

Months of work and every elegant projection in front of her suddenly looked meaningless.

"Why...?"

Victoria's face had gone pale, but fury burned in her eyes.

"Was this my father's decision, or did someone below him act without authorization? Have you heard anything from the trust committee? Was there a problem with one of the projects?"

"Miss Sterling, the instruction came directly from the chairman's office."

Michael sighed.

"As for the reason, I genuinely don't have access to information at that level."

Victoria questioned him repeatedly, but he had nothing more to give her.

"I'm not important enough to be told something like that," Michael finally said, sounding conflicted. "Maybe... you should ask the chairman yourself."

Victoria hesitated.

An uneasy feeling had already begun forming in her chest, especially when she remembered her previous meeting with her father.

And then another thought struck her.

Did Richard know about Ryan?

How would he know?

No.

Ryan had only tried to throw a cup of coffee at Elena, and he hadn't even managed to hurt her.

Unless—

Richard had discovered something else Ryan had done.

But how?

Even Victoria herself probably wouldn't have known Ryan if not for Charlotte.

Ryan wasn't important enough for his personal affairs to reach someone at Richard's level.

Unless someone among Victoria's own security detail or drivers had reported what happened that day.

If that was the case...

This was bad.

Victoria didn't have time to untangle the thoughts racing through her head.

She rushed out of the study, called for her driver, and headed straight for Sterling Consortium headquarters.