Chapter 4 - THE SECRET RICHARD REFUSED TO BURY COMPLETELY
Richard Sterling knew Liam might not be his biological son.
That was the first truth Victoria admitted.
Not easily.
Not cleanly.
Thirty-six years earlier, Victoria had been engaged to Richard.
Their relationship was already under pressure.
The Sterling family controlled nearly every aspect of Richard’s future.
Where he worked.
Where they would live.
When they would marry.
Julian was different.
Younger.
Restless.
Less obedient to Charles Sterling.
Victoria and Julian became close.
“How close?” Liam asked.
Victoria looked at him.
“Close enough.”
Liam stood and walked toward the window.
Avery did not touch him.
Victoria continued.
One night, shortly before the wedding, Victoria slept with Julian.
Once.
She discovered she was pregnant several weeks later.
The dates made paternity uncertain.
Richard found out before the wedding.
“What did he do?” Avery asked.
“He married me.”
Liam turned.
“Why?”
“Because he loved me.”
Victoria’s voice broke slightly.
“And because he loved you before you were born.”
That did not fit the ruthless inheritance story Avery expected.
Victoria explained that Richard refused paternity testing.
He told his father:
The child is mine because I choose him.
Charles Sterling disagreed.
For him, bloodline determined succession.
Julian wanted no test either.
Not from cowardice, Victoria insisted.
Because if he proved to be Liam’s biological father, he believed Charles would force Richard aside and restructure the family’s holdings around him.
“Why would Grandpa prefer Julian?”
“He didn’t.”
Victoria looked toward Liam.
“He preferred certainty.”
Richard and Julian eventually made a private agreement.
Richard would raise Liam.
Julian would never claim him.
In return, Richard promised Liam would never be financially disadvantaged because adults had created uncertainty before his birth.
Avery frowned.
“Then why keep the documents?”
Victoria’s mouth tightened.
“Richard didn’t trust everyone to honor that promise after he died.”
“Who?”
Victoria did not answer.
Liam did.
“My mother.”
Victoria looked wounded.
Liam continued.
“You just told my wife our son gets the name but not the fortune.”
“That has nothing to do with this.”
“It has everything to do with this.”
Victoria stood.
“You don’t understand what Richard protected you from.”
“Then explain it.”
Victoria stared at him.
“Your inheritance was protected only because nobody forced the paternity question.”
Avery looked between them.
“And Leo changes that?”
Victoria’s expression hardened.
“Leo creates another generation.”
“And?”
“Another generation creates another beneficiary.”
May you like
She looked at the burgundy case.
“And somebody has already challenged whether Liam had the right to pass anything to him.”
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