Chapter 5
A sharp knock on the penthouse door pulled Alexander from his dark thoughts. He set his scotch down and walked over, peering through the peephole. It wasn't room service. It was Dr. Aris, a trusted private physician, followed closely by Thomas, Alexander’s ruthless corporate attorney. Both men wore dark suits and grim expressions.
Alexander opened the door and ushered them inside.
"Alex, I got here as fast as I could," Thomas said, setting his leather briefcase on a side table. He caught sight of Sophia sitting at the dining table in her oversized robe and stopped dead in his tracks. "My God. Is that...?"
"Yes, it's Sophia," Alexander said, his voice tight. He turned to the doctor. "Dr. Aris, she's eating now, but I need you to give her a full physical examination. I need documentation of every bruise, every sign of malnutrition, every single thing my mother did to her."
"Of course, Mr. Sterling," Dr. Aris said gently. He picked up his medical bag and walked over to the dining table, offering Sophia a warm, grandfatherly smile. "Hello there, Sophia. My name is Dr. Aris. I'm just going to listen to your heart for a minute, okay?"
While the doctor worked, Alexander pulled Thomas into the adjoining study, shutting the heavy oak doors behind them. The soundproofing instantly cut off the noise from the main room.
"I want her destroyed, Thomas," Alexander ordered, leaning over the study desk. "I want Victoria's bank accounts frozen, her credit cards cancelled, and her assets seized. She claimed she was paying sixty thousand a year for Sophia's boarding school. I want to know exactly where my five thousand dollars a month has been going."
Thomas opened his briefcase, his fair face serious. "Alex, when you called me from the lobby, I immediately ran a preliminary trace on the trust accounts. Victoria hasn't paid a dime in tuition in over two years."
"Where did the money go?" Alexander demanded, gripping the edge of the desk.
"It was routed through a series of shell companies in the Caymans," Thomas explained, pulling out a stack of financial documents. "But the final destination wasn't an offshore haven. It was a domestic account belonging to a private security firm. A firm owned by Richard Vance."
Alexander felt the blood turn to ice in his veins. His rosy skin went completely pale.
"Richard Vance?" Alexander whispered. "My father's old partner? The man we ousted from the board ten years ago for embezzlement?"
"The very same," Thomas nodded grimly. "Alex, Victoria didn't just neglect your daughter. She was paying your family's worst enemy five thousand dollars a month. And based on what you told me about Sophia's condition... I think she was paying Richard to keep the child hidden."
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Before Alexander could process this massive betrayal, the study doors flew open. Dr. Aris stood in the doorway, his face pale with shock.
"Mr. Sterling," the doctor said, his voice trembling slightly. "You need to come out here. There are cigarette burns on your daughter's back."
