Chapter 6 - The Unraveling of the Lie
With Hattie behind bars awaiting trial and the Sedona property under liquidation, Michael was completely ruined. But the universe wasn't done balancing the scales just yet.
Driven by desperation, Michael spent his last few dollars taking a bus to the office of Julian’s wealthiest friend, Marcus Sterling—a wealthy investor who Michael believed might give him a loan out of pity.
When Michael arrived at the corporate offices of Sterling Investments, he was brought into the executive holding room. He sat nervously on the edge of a leather chair, rehearsing his plea.
The door opened, but it wasn't Marcus who walked in.
It was my younger brother, Ethan Vance-Sterling.
Ethan was 28 years old, a former Captain in the United States Marine Corps, and the Chief Operating Officer of our family’s real estate empire. He stood six-foot-two, with broad shoulders, sharp brown eyes, and an aura of absolute command.
Michael jumped up, confused. “Ethan? What... what are you doing here? I came to see Marcus!”
Ethan walked over to the desk, sat down, and folded his massive hands together. He looked at Michael the way a lion looks at a stray bug.
“Marcus is my junior partner, Michael,” Ethan said, his voice a low, rumbling growl. “And this entire firm belongs to the Vance-Sterling family. My sister’s family.”
Michael swallowed hard, his throat dry. “Ethan... please. You have to talk to Penelope. She’s taking everything from me! She’s taking my home, my family’s estate—”
BANG!
Ethan slammed his palm onto the desk, the loud sound ringing through the room like a gunshot. Michael jumped back, cowering.
“Your home?” Ethan stood up slowly, towering over Michael. “You lived in my sister’s penthouse for three years without paying a single dollar in rent. You drove cars purchased by our corporate accounts. You ate food bought with her sweat and intellect. And how did you repay her?”
Ethan stepped around the desk, closing the distance between them. Michael backed up until his spine hit the wall.
“You let your wretched mother insult our mother—a woman who raised us with honor, who worked twelve-hour days in Montana to give us a future. You let that vicious old woman put a dog chain around our mother’s neck. And then, you raised your hand against my sister.”
Ethan leaned in, his face inches from Michael’s trembling nose.
“Do you have any idea what I wanted to do to you the moment I saw that video?” Ethan whispered, his tone terrifyingly quiet. “If Penelope hadn't ordered me to let the law destroy you, you wouldn't be standing on your two feet right now.”
“I’m sorry... I’m so sorry...” Michael whimpered, tears streaming down his face, trembling uncontrollably.
“Sorry doesn't fix a broken soul, Michael,” Ethan said coldly. He pulled out a legal document and slapped it against Michael’s chest. “This is the final, uncontested divorce settlement. Penelope is generosity itself—she isn't suing you for civil damages, even though she could strip the clothes off your back. Sign it.”
Michael looked at the document. It granted Penelope a complete divorce, full retention of all pre-marital and marital assets, and required Michael to surrender all rights to any shared claims forever.
“If I sign this... what do I get?” Michael asked, his voice shaking.
Ethan smirked, opening the door to the hallway where two security guards were waiting.
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“You get to walk out of this building without going to hospital, Michael,” Ethan said coldly. “Now sign it, and get out of our sight forever.”
Hand shaking so violently he could barely hold the pen, Michael signed his name on the dotted line, officially ending our three-year marriage. He handed the paper back to Ethan, lowered his head in utter shame, and walked out into the rain, having traded his pride, his family, and his future for absolute nothingness.
