UNMASKED: The Heiress' Cold Revenge

The King’s Rival

Chapter 3:

"Escort this woman out! She’s clearly had a mental break!"

Julian’s roar echoed through the vaulted ceiling of the ballroom, his face a frantic mask of crimson as the elite of the city watched the scene unfold in stunned silence.

The head of security, a man I had seen every morning at our penthouse for three years, stepped forward, his face devoid of emotions, acting like he had never seen me before. His grip tightened on my upper arm, his fingers digging into the flesh through the thin lace of my sleeve, threatening to cut through the first barrier.

I didn't flinch. I didn't cry. Instead, I looked Julian dead in the eye and laughed. It was a low, melodic sound that seemed to vibrate with the power of the storm brewing outside. It wasn't the sound of a broken woman; it was the sound of a predator who had finally been let off her leash.

"Why are you laughing?" He said, his teeth grinding against each other. "You think we would be fazed by your acts? You should have done better to conceal your humiliation and not tell some cheap, orchestrated lie."

"You think my father found me in a gutter, Julian? Do you really think I would lie just to save myself from an 'embarrassment' caused by a weakling like you?" I asked, my voice cold and clear, cutting through the murmurs of the crowd like a diamond through glass.

"You think the Vance family you are merging with is the real, obsolete power in this room? My Uncle, Arthur spent ten years pretending to be the patriarch while I stayed in the shadows, waiting for a man like you to show his true colors. It felt like this day was never going to come, I was sick and tired of having to put up with your shenanigans, your lies, your madness."

Murmurs rippled through the hall again.

" Is she trying to say that he isn't the sweet man he had always portrayed in public?"

" This is getting real serious."

"Bring out your phone and gather everything you can about Vance's heiress."

" Check if the Thorne's stocks are still on the rise or if they have fallen beneath?"

"But I am so happy that you got to show your true self to the world and not just myself, because the Blackwood trust doesn't recognize thieves who disguuse to be their business partners."

"You must be delusional," Sarah shrieked from the stage, her hand clutching Julian’s arm so hard her manicured nails left marks on the material. "Perhaps, you need me to remind you who you really are: you are nothing but a penniless orphan! My father took you in out of pity!" She continued, moving closer to me.

I turned my gaze to her, and she actually flinched. "Your father took in my inheritance, Sarah. We both know that your father isn't as charitable as taking in a homeless orphan. He knew what he was doing, he knew who I was. But not to worry, tonight, I am taking it back with force, if I have to. I will not be taking it alone, I will take my inheritance along with everything Julian thinks he owns."

I snatched my arm away from the guard with a sharp, calculated jerk. He was so surprised by my strength that he let go. I didn't wait for a second attempt. I turned on my heel and walked toward the grand exit, the heavy doors swinging open as if they were on command.

Standing in the foyer, leaning against a marble pillar with an air of bored lethality, was a man who made Julian look like a ordinary street thug.

Theo Sterling. The man popularly known as the Executioner of Wall Street.

He was dressed in a dark charcoal overcoat that emphasized the breadth of his shoulders, his eyes tracking my every movement with an intense, dark fascination.

"I must commend you, that was quite the performance, Chairwoman," Theo murmured, his voice a low, gravelly hum that seemed to settle deep within my chest. "I suppose you will be needing a ride to the private terminal since your husband..."

I shot him a deadly glare.

"...my bad. All I wanted to say is that Julian’s security has already been instructed to block your car from the valet."

"Why the sudden charity, Mr. Sterling? What are you even doing here?" I asked, stopping inches from him. He was taller than I remembered, his presence overwhelming. "You have spent the last half-decade trying to dismantle the Thorne Group. Why come to the rescue of the CEO’s wife? What do you want with me?"

"For starters, this is not charity, Elena. It's a long-overdue investment," he replied, pushing off the pillar and opening the door to a sleek, armored limousine. "And I have to be here since every elite is, remember?"

" Really?" I asked, being sarcastic.

"And for future reference, I have been waiting ten years for the real Vance heiress to wake up. You can decide to get in the car, or stay here and let Julian’s lawyers trap you in a deposition before the sun comes up. The choice is yours."

I looked back at the ballroom where Julian was currently being swarmed by frantic board members. I didn't hesitate. I stepped into the car. As the door shut with a heavy, vacuum-sealed thud, Theo leaned in, the scent of sandalwood and expensive tobacco filling my senses.

"Did you know I was the Vance heiress before today?" She suddenly asked.

"I have been searching for you since the day the Blackwood estate burned," he said, his voice dropping an octave. "I almost thought I had lost you forever but now that I have finally found you, Julian Thorne is the least of your worries. He lost a wife tonight. I plan on gaining a queen."