Chapter 6 - Enter Julian Sterling: The Shadow Titan Who Always Believed In Me
Julian Sterling was the thirty-two-year-old founder of Sterling Vanguard
Capital—a private equity behemoth that controlled over thirty billion dollars in
global energy and aerospace assets. He was brilliant, reclusive, and wielded
immense power behind the scenes of New York’s highest circles.
He was also my late father’s protégé and the only man who had ever warned me
against marrying Flynn Vance four years ago.
When Flynn answered the video call, Julian’s sharp, aristocratic face appeared
on the screen, framed by the floor-to-ceiling windows of his private office
overlooking Central Park.
“Flynn,” Julian spoke, his deep baritone dripping with effortless authority. “I
hear you made quite an entrance at Mount Sinai Hospital yesterday.”
Flynn swallowed hard, trying to regain his executive posture. “Julian. This is a
private family matter. It doesn't concern Sterling Vanguard.”
“Everything concerning Mabel concerns me,” Julian replied coldly. “You see, when
your late father approached me six years ago to secure bridge funding for Vance
Global, I agreed on one singular condition: that fifty percent of the voting
equity be permanently assigned to Mabel’s trust.”
Flynn’s jaw dropped. “What?”
“You thought you were a self-made genius, Flynn,” Julian continued with a
mocking smirk. “In reality, you were merely an administrator managing Mabel’s
vision. And now that you have proven yourself completely unfit to lead—both as a
husband and as an executive—Sterling Vanguard is calling in its
two-hundred-million-dollar collateral note immediately.”
“Julian, wait! We can negotiate!” Flynn stammered, his face turning ghostly
pale. “The MagLev project will yield forty percent returns—”
“The MagLev project has already been transferred,” Julian interrupted smoothly.
“Mabel signed the exclusive licensing rights over to Sterling Vanguard an hour
ago. We are breaking ground next month—without Vance Global.”
Julian leaned closer to his camera, his eyes narrowing into cold steel.
“Enjoy your lunch, Flynn. Because by tomorrow morning, you won’t have enough
credit left to buy a hot dog on the corner.”
The screen went black.
May you like
Selena let out a horrified gasp, covering her mouth with her trembling hands,
while Flynn sat frozen in his chair, completely destroyed.
