Chapter 104: The Sovereign Revealed

"Yes, President Sterling," Secretary Evelyn responded respectfully, stepping forward.

Facing the crowded classroom, she cleared her throat and introduced clearly: "This is Victoria Sterling, the absolute majority controlling shareholder of Capital University and the Chief Executive Officer of the Sterling Group."

The entire lecture hall plunged into an absolute, breathless silence for several long seconds.

Every single student stared blankly, their eyes wide as saucers fixed directly upon Victoria Sterling.

This stunning woman... is legendary CEO Victoria Sterling herself?!

Hahahaha—!

After a brief, stunned silence, Ben Wanli suddenly snapped back to reality and burst into a harsh, mocking laugh.

He clutched his stomach, laughing so hysterically that actual tears welled up in the corners of his eyes.

"You’re... you’re CEO Victoria Sterling?!" Ben Wanli pointed a trembling finger directly at Victoria, wheezing with laughter. "You, a random nouveau riche mistress, have the sheer audacity to stand up here and impersonate President Sterling?!"

"Do you even have the foggiest idea who CEO Victoria Sterling actually is?! How dare you brazenly stand here and commit identity fraud!"

How utterly, hilariously ridiculous!

In rumors and financial magazines across the global corporate world, CEO Victoria Sterling was routinely portrayed as a cold, ruthless, terrifyingly tyrannical business despot. How could anyone fitting that mythic description possess a face and physical presence this breathtakingly gorgeous?

Furthermore, everyone knew that Victoria Sterling harbored zero romantic interest in men. How on earth could she possibly be keeping a male partner—let alone an ordinary undergraduate student like Julian Vance?

Consequently, Ben Wanli remained completely, unshakably certain of his delusion: This woman is a fraud.

Ben Wanli wiped a tear of laughter from his eye and sneered, "If anyone here is foolish enough to actually believe she is CEO Victoria Sterling, you might as well believe that I am Donald Trump, the president of the United States!"

Standing nearby, Secretary Evelyn pressed two fingers against her forehead and let out a silent sigh of profound disbelief.

In all her years serving as executive secretary, she had never once encountered a living human being possessing the staggering suicidal stupidity required to speak to President Sterling with that level of disrespectful arrogance.

Ben Wanli was actively sprinting down a one-way highway toward total self-destruction, with zero possibility of making a U-turn.

"Ben Wanli!"

Principal Smith stepped forward, his face turning the color of ash as he roared in absolute terror, "That is President Victoria Sterling! The genuine, absolute CEO of the Sterling Group and our university’s primary benefactor!"

"What...?"

"She... she really is President Sterling?!"

Ben Wanli’s face drained of every drop of color in a single microsecond, turning as white as a corpse.

All the arrogant bravado he possessed evaporated into thin air instantly.

She actually is President Sterling... He had genuinely mistaken the sovereign ruler of the corporate world for a random nouveau riche gold-digger...

No... wait! How on earth could a legendary figure of President Sterling’s astronomical status possibly lower herself to get involved with Julian Vance?!

An absolute tidal wave of shock and terror swept through the student body like an earthquake:

"Holy mother of god...! The legendary CEO Victoria Sterling herself?! I actually got to witness CEO Victoria Sterling in the flesh right here on our campus?!"

"So CEO Victoria Sterling isn’t some terrifying ’Extinction Master’ corporate women after all, but a jaw-droppingly gorgeous goddess! Wow... I am endlessly envious of CEO Victoria Sterling—she possesses infinite wealth, supreme corporate power, and world-class beauty!"

"What I want to know is: how on earth did Julian Vance manage to catch President Sterling’s eye and even become her boyfriend?!"

Every single eye in the lecture hall immediately snapped back to Julian Vance.

Envy, awe, and burning jealousy swirled together in complex proportions across the room.

Off to the side, Leo Vance clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles cracked. He had vaguely suspected that this mysterious woman possessed an extraordinary background, but he never in his wildest nightmares imagined she was Victoria Sterling herself!

Damn it all to hell!

How on earth could Julian have lucked into a monumental opportunity like this?!

Leo’s eyes hardened into venomous slits. He vowed to himself that he would find a way to tear down everything Julian had built. Julian belonged in the gutter, living a miserable life of insults and poverty!

Meanwhile, Julian’s heart was hammering rapidly against his ribs.

Victoria had actually stood up in front of the entire university and officially confirmed their relationship to the public.

Does she really... value me this deeply in her life?

---------

Victoria’s freezing, predatory gaze locked directly onto Ben Wanli.

She parted her bright crimson lips slightly, her voice dropping to a low, sub-zero temperature: "Do you still happen to have any lingering questions regarding my relationship with my Julian?"

Ben wangli:"..."

Ben Wanli shook his head so frantically it looked like his neck might snap.

He frantically wiped the cold torrents of sweat pouring down his forehead, his legs trembling so violently he could barely keep his balance on the floor.

He had just spent the last ten minutes screaming insults and mocking the lover of the most powerful corporate titan in the nation. He was quite literally tired of living.

"Ben Wanli, correct?"

Victoria stated coldly, her voice carrying absolute executioner’s authority. "You’re fired."You were fired from the university.

"No... no, President Sterling, you cannot fire me!" Ben Wanli shrieked defensively, panic overriding his terror as he stepped back.

"Although I questioned and slandered Julian Vance earlier, I have already publicly acknowledged and ceased the discussion. My actions haven’t inflicted any permanent, irreversible legal damage upon Julian’s academic standing! This minor infraction does not meet the legal criteria for expulsion or termination under university bylaws! At worst, it warrants a minor disciplinary warning!"

He had spent years climbing and working hard just to secure his enrollment at Capital University. He absolutely could not afford to be expelled in disgrace!

"Oh?"

Victoria let out a soft, mocking chuckle, turning her dark eyes toward the podium. "Principal Smith... as the majority controlling shareholder of this institution, do I possess the executive authority to immediately expel a student proven to possess abysmal moral character?"

"Of course you do, President Sterling!" Principal Smith replied instantly without a second of hesitation.