Chapter 142: The Stepson

Chris didn’t like the idea.

Not even a little.

"You are not meeting Arthur alone," he said firmly.

Liliana crossed her arms. "Chris."

"No."

"I know what I’m doing."

"And I know what he’s capable of."

They were standing in the private study of St. Claire Mansion, surrounded by the people who knew exactly how dangerous the situation could become. Arthur Jones was no longer simply a distant family member. He was a powerful businessman with enormous resources, influence, and a past that might be connected to the deaths of Edward and Vanessa.

Liliana understood Chris’s fear.

But she also understood that Arthur would be watching them.

"If you stay beside me all night, he’ll know we’re suspicious," she said.

Chris’s jaw tightened.

"I don’t care."

"I do."

Liliana stepped closer and took his hand.

"Arthur needs to approach me naturally. If he thinks I’m harmless, he’ll lower his guard."

Chris stared at her for several seconds.

Finally, he sighed.

"Fine."

Liliana smiled.

"But you’re not actually going to leave me alone."

"No."

"Chris."

"It will happen during the dinner party. Everyone will be there. You’ll never be more than a few steps away from the family."

Victor raised a hand.

"I have another idea."

Everyone turned toward him.

"We need to hear what Arthur says."

Sarah immediately understood.

She reached into her handbag and placed a tube of lipstick on the table.

Liliana picked it up.

"Is this..."

"A recording device," Sarah said.

Liliana examined it carefully.

"It looks completely normal."

"That’s the point."

Victor explained that the device could record conversations from nearby without attracting attention. Liliana would keep it inside her purse, and Victor and Sarah would monitor the conversation from another location.

"We need to stay relatively close," Victor added. "The signal won’t be reliable if we’re too far away."

Matthew immediately had a solution.

"Then you two won’t attend as guests."

Victor raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"Disguise yourselves as event staff."

Sarah laughed.

"You want us to become servants?"

"Exactly."

Matthew looked toward Robin.

"Can you arrange it?"

Robin was already reaching for his phone.

"I’ll make sure they’re assigned to the service staff."

Victor smiled.

"Not bad."

"Event servants already carry communication devices," Sarah added. "They need to communicate with the kitchen and coordinate special requests from guests. Nobody will find it strange if we have microphones."

"Good," Matthew said. "Then that’s our advantage."

The plan was simple.

Appear normal. Act natural. Listen carefully.

And above all, never let Arthur know they suspected him.

That evening, CyberFront’s headquarters looked less like a corporate building and more like a royal palace.

The event was being held in the company’s private reception hall, a magnificent structure of glass, marble, and polished gold. Towering windows overlooked the city, where thousands of lights glittered beneath the night sky.

Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

An enormous staircase curved toward the second floor, lined with white flowers and gold-trimmed railings. Waiters moved silently between tables carrying champagne, elegant appetizers, and carefully arranged dishes.

Everywhere they looked were famous faces.

Business tycoons. Politicians. Celebrities. International investors. Bank executives. Former shareholders of Sterling Corporation. And people who had once stood beside Edward Sterling.

Chris arrived with Matthew and Amanda.

As soon as they entered the reception hall, several cameras turned toward them.

But before anyone could approach, a man walked toward them.

Arthur Jones.

He looked nothing like the young man Matthew remembered. He was older now, with neatly styled dark hair, sharp features, and an expression of effortless confidence. He wore a perfectly tailored black suit with a silver tie.

He didn’t look like the man who had once followed Edward around the Sterling estate.

He looked like a man who owned half the room.

"Chairman St. Claire."

Arthur extended his hand.

Matthew shook it.

"Arthur."

Arthur smiled.

"It’s good to finally welcome you to CyberFront."

Amanda greeted him next.

Chris followed.

Arthur’s eyes rested on him for a moment.

"Chris St. Claire."

"Mr. Jones."

Arthur smiled.

"I’ve heard a great deal about you."

"Hopefully nothing terrible."

Arthur laughed.

"Quite the opposite."

His tone was pleasant. Natural.

Then the doors opened again.

The Sterling family arrived.

The room changed immediately.

People turned. Conversations stopped but whispers spread from table to table.

The Sterling family had been absent from high society for twenty years. For two decades, they had lived quietly after the collapse of Sterling Corporation.

Many people had forgotten them. But tonight, they were impossible to ignore.

Lucia Sterling entered first. She wore an elegant dark gown, her silver hair styled perfectly. She walked with a calmness that made people instinctively move aside. Despite everything that had happened, her presence remained powerful. The former matriarch of the Sterling family had not lost her dignity.

Behind her came Robert, Gideon, Nathan, Emily, and the others.

Then Liliana entered.

She immediately heard the whispers.

"That’s Edward Sterling’s daughter."

"She’s a famous model now. Pity. Her parents would not see her success."

"Poor thing."

"I heard her parents were responsible for the family’s downfall."

"Yes. They made terrible business decisions."

"She lost everything because of them."

Liliana’s chest tightened. She had heard rumors before. But this one hurt.

Her parents had died twenty years ago. They had spent their lives protecting their family. And now strangers were blaming them for the collapse of Sterling Corporation.

Emily noticed Liliana’s expression. She quietly reached for her hand.

"Don’t listen to them."

Liliana squeezed her fingers.

"I’m fine."

She wasn’t. But tonight wasn’t about defending her parents. It was about finding the truth.

Chris watched her from across the room. Every instinct told him to walk toward her. But he didn’t.

That was part of the plan. Liliana needed to appear approachable. And Arthur needed to approach her without feeling watched.

So Chris remained with Matthew and Amanda while keeping Liliana within sight.

Arthur noticed the Sterling family. His expression didn’t change. He simply excused himself and walked toward them.

Lucia saw him coming. For a moment, everything seemed to stop.

Twenty years since she had last seen the son she had raised as her own.

Arthur stopped in front of her.

"Mother."

Lucia’s eyes glistened.

She had rehearsed this moment. But no rehearsal could prepare her for the reality of seeing him again.

"Arthur."

He smiled gently.

"You came."

Lucia reached for his hand.

"Of course I came."

Her voice trembled.

"I’ve waited a long time to see you."

Arthur lowered his gaze.

"I’m sorry."

Lucia’s eyes filled with tears.

"I missed you."

Arthur embraced her.

For several seconds, Lucia stood frozen in his arms. The son in front of her had once been a child she protected. A boy she raised despite knowing the painful truth of his birth.

A son born from her husband’s betrayal. And now that same boy stood before her as one of the most powerful men in the country.

Lucia gently touched his face.

"You’ve changed."

Arthur smiled.

"Twenty years changes a person."

"Why did you never come home?"

Arthur’s expression briefly darkened.

"I couldn’t."

"Because of Edward?"

A pause.

Arthur looked directly into her eyes.

"Because losing him destroyed something inside me."

Lucia’s heart clenched. For a moment, she almost believed him. Almost.

Then Arthur looked past her. His eyes landed on Liliana.

Liliana felt his gaze. Their eyes met.

Arthur stared at her for several seconds.

Then he smiled.

Lucia followed his gaze.

"That’s Liliana."

Arthur looked back at her.

"I know."

The words were quiet.

Liliana’s heartbeat quickened when Arthur approached her. She remained still.

He stopped in front of her.

"Liliana Sterling."

She smiled politely.

"Yes."

Arthur extended his hand.

"I’m Arthur Jones."

Liliana accepted it.

"It’s nice to meet you."

Arthur’s fingers remained around hers for a moment longer than necessary.

Then he smiled.

"I’ve been waiting twenty years to meet you."

Liliana’s smile remained in place. But inside, every alarm went off. She had never met Arthur before. So why had he been waiting for her?

Across the room, Chris noticed the change in Arthur’s expression. Victor and Sarah listened through the hidden device. And Liliana realized that the man standing before her might know far more about her than she had expected.

Arthur released her hand.

"Would you like to speak privately?"

Liliana glanced toward the crowded ballroom.

Then she smiled.

"Of course."

Arthur turned toward a quiet corridor. Liliana followed. Neither of them noticed Chris watching from across the room. His hands slowly tightened into fists. Something about Arthur’s smile bothered him. And he wasn’t the only one who felt it.

As Liliana disappeared around the corner with Arthur, Victor’s voice came quietly through Sarah’s hidden earpiece.

"Stay close."

Sarah nodded.

"Something is wrong."

Behind the closed doors of the private lounge, Arthur gestured for Liliana to sit.

Then he took the chair opposite her.

For the first time that evening, the polite smile disappeared from his face.

He looked directly into her eyes.

"Tell me, Liliana..."

His voice became quieter.

"...what have you been told about your parents’ deaths?"