Chapter 8
Inside the Sterling compound, the atmosphere was a stark contrast to the panic of the Vance estate. The environment was meticulously controlled, bathed in soft, elegant warmth. Maya stepped out of the sprawling, marble-clad master bathroom, wrapped in a plush white robe. The pink frosting, the dirt, and the years of accumulated humiliation had been scrubbed away. Her fair, rosy skin glowed with a healthy, vibrant flush.
She walked into the adjoining dressing room, where a team of tailors and stylists, summoned by Julian, stood waiting.
"We brought a selection, Miss Sterling," a polite woman said, gesturing to a rack of exquisite, high-end garments. "Mr. Sterling said you preferred clean, sharp lines."
Maya bypassed the pastel dresses and floral prints. Her hand settled on a tailored, stunningly sharp pantsuit in a deep, rich crimson—a color that radiated power and demanded absolute attention.
Half an hour later, Maya descended the grand staircase. The transformation was breathtaking. She wore the crimson suit flawlessly, the jacket tailored to accentuate her elegant posture. Her dark hair was blown out into sleek, voluminous waves. Diamond studs rested in her ears, and the antique silver orchid ring was no longer hidden beneath her collar; it was proudly displayed on her right index finger. She looked exactly like what she was: the Queen of the Sterling empire.
Julian was waiting in the grand foyer, flanked by his top lieutenants. When he saw her, a genuine smile of immense pride broke across his weathered face.
"You look like your father, Alessia," Julian said softly.
"My name is Maya now," she replied, her American accent crisp and commanding. "Alessia died in the fire. Maya is the one who survived."
Julian nodded respectfully. "As you wish, Maya. Lily is resting in the nursery with a full security detail. She is completely safe."
"Good," Maya said, stepping down onto the marble floor. Her heels clicked with a rhythmic, authoritative tempo. She looked at the men gathered in the room. They were hardened killers, veterans of syndicate wars, yet they all lowered their heads slightly as she approached.
"What is the status of the Vance family?" Maya asked, her voice cool and strictly business.
"Richard has panicked," Julian reported, handing her a sleek, encrypted tablet. "He’s calling in his capos, fortifying his estate, and pulling his men from the docks to guard his perimeter. He is preparing for a siege."
Maya scrolled through the data, her eyes scanning the readouts with a natural, inherited intelligence. "He is pulling his men from the southern ports?"
"Yes," Julian confirmed. "He is leaving his most lucrative shipping lanes exposed to protect his own skin."
Maya stopped scrolling. She looked up at Julian, a sharp, dangerous smile playing on her lips. It was a smile that made the hardened lieutenants in the room shift nervously.
"Richard always was a coward," Maya said quietly. "He thinks we are going to attack his house. He thinks this is about revenge."
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"Is it not?" Julian asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Revenge is messy," Maya replied, handing the tablet back. "I don't want to destroy his house, Julian. I want to take his empire while he's locked inside it. Send your men to the southern ports. Seize the shipping lanes tonight. By the time Richard realizes we aren't coming for his front door, he won't have a business left to defend."
