Chapter 10 - THE STERLING INHERITANCE
"Who is this?" I demanded, gripping the phone so hard my knuckles turned white.
"My name is Nathan Sterling," the voice replied smoothly. "Grandson of Richard Sterling. The man your grandfather destroyed in 1986 to build the very estate you are currently sitting in."
The room seemed to grow ten degrees colder. Every piece of security, every legal victory I had secured over Daniel and Julian, suddenly felt like a child's game compared to the heavyweight predator now on the line.
"You bought the trust debt," I stated, keeping my voice steady despite the adrenaline spiking through my veins.
"Every single dollar of it," Nathan replied smoothly. "Your grandfather’s legal protections were airtight against ordinary husbands and petty swindlers, Lena. But debt covenants? Trust liabilities? Those don't care about family quitclaim deeds. Legally speaking, Ridgecrest Estates is now in technical default due to unserviced corporate bonds attached to the property."
"You can't foreclose without magistrate approval," I countered sharply. "My legal team—"
"Your legal team is currently reviewing a federal injunction filed by my firm thirty minutes ago," Nathan interrupted calmly. "By tomorrow morning at nine o'clock, the mortgage covenants dictate that ownership of the estate transfers directly to the Sterling Holdings Trust."
"You want the house," I said.
"I want justice," Nathan corrected coldly. "And then, perhaps, we can negotiate. Meet me at the St. Regis rooftop lounge tonight at eight. Alone. We’ll discuss terms."
The line went dead with a sharp click.
I stared at the phone in silence. Nathan Sterling wasn't like Daniel or Julian; he wasn't driven by petty arrogance or short-sighted greed. He was driven by generational vengeance.
May you like
I looked down at my bandaged hand. The second-degree burns were healing slowly, leaving pink, sensitive skin underneath. The pain was fading, but the fight had only just begun.
If Nathan Sterling wanted a war for Ridgecrest Estates, I was going to give him a battle he would never forget.
