The Supreme Son in Law

Chapter 5

Ethan walked up the stairs.

He unlocked the apartment door.

Clara was sitting at the small kitchen table. The room was dark, lit only by the screen of her laptop. Piles of bank notices sat next to her hands.

When she heard the door, she stood up fast.

She walked over to Ethan. Her eyes were red. She checked his face and his shirt.

"Did anyone hurt you?" Clara asked. Her voice was barely a whisper. "Did Julian's men follow you?"

"No," Ethan said. "I'm fine, Clara."

"The landlord called," Clara said. Tears filled her eyes. "Julian told the bank to lock our accounts. The landlord wants us out by noon, bu—but we don't have anywhere to go."

Ethan put his hands on her shoulders.

"Look at me."

Clara looked up.

"Don't pack anything," Ethan said quietly. "Go to sleep. Tomorrow morning, whatever the family tells you to sign, do not sign it. Just wait."

Clara stared at him. She was exhausted. She didn't argue. She just nodded, turned off her laptop, and went into the bedroom.

——

At seven the next morning, rain hit the windows of the Sterling villa.

Old Madam sat on the sofa with a warm cup of tea. Uncle Felix and Aunt Beatrice sat across from her.

Derek sat by the window. He was checking his phone every few seconds. He had called Julian Mercer six times, but Julian's phone was still turned off. Derek had an uneasy feeling in his chest, but he kept it to himself.

A knock sounded at the front door.

The butler opened it.

A courier in a gray uniform handed over a thick black folder with a gold seal.

"From Sovereign Apex," the courier said. "For the head of the Sterling family."

Felix stood up. "Sovereign Apex? The group that bought Riverdale Municipal Bank last night?"

Old Madam opened the folder. She put on her glasses and read the first page.

Her hands started to shake.

"Sixty million dollars," Old Madam said. Her voice was tight. "A medical manufacturing contract. Sovereign Apex is investing sixty million in Riverdale."

Derek stood up immediately. "wtf? Sixty million?"

"Look at the requirement," Old Madam said, pointing at the page. "The partner must hold the local cellular medicine patents. Robert's patents."

She set the papers on the table.

"Clara's lab is bankrupt," Old Madam said coldly. "The bank is seizing her assets at noon. If the bank takes the patents, we lose this deal. Derek, you will handle this contract."

"I can go right now, Grandmother," Derek said, his eyes bright. "I have the business background. I'll get it done."

"Felix, call Clara," Old Madam said. "Tell her to bring the patent files here immediately."

Twenty minutes later, Clara walked in. Ethan followed behind her with his hands in his coat pockets.

Nobody offered them a seat.

Old Madam pushed a transfer contract across the glass table.

"Sign this, Clara," Old Madam said. "You are transferring your grandfather's patents to the main family company. Derek is taking them to Sovereign Apex this morning."

Clara looked at the document. Her face went pale.

"Grandfather gave those patents to me," Clara said. Her voice was quiet, but firm. "Derek has never worked in a lab Grandmother. He doesn't know the first thing about cellular medicine. He will fail the technical review."

"You don't have a choice, Clara," her uncle Felix said, leaning forward. "You owe five million dollars by noon. If the bank forecloses, the court auctions those patents to strangers. Signing them to Derek is the only way to keep them in the family."

"Your father left this family with nothing," Beatrice added coldly. "Do not be selfish. Sign the papers so Derek can save the company."

Derek picked up a pen and set it beside Clara's hand.

"Just sign it, Sis," Derek said. "Be realistic. You can't even pay rent right now."

Clara looked down at the pen. She felt completely trapped. The bank was coming and her grandfather's work was on the line.

She reached her hand toward the pen, planning to sign it.

But Ethan stepped up to the table.

He put his hand over Clara's fingers, keeping her from picking up the pen.

"Don't sign it," Ethan said.

Derek frowned, his voice sharp. "Ethan, stay out of this. You're not part of this family."

Ethan looked directly at Old Madam.

"Sovereign Apex didn't pick those patents by accident," Ethan said calmly. "They know who did the research. If Derek walks in with transferred papers, he walks out with nothing."

Derek scoffed. He reached down and snatched the patent folder off the table.

"Grandmother is the head of the family," Derek said. "The Sterling name is on these patents. I don't even need her signature."

Derek checked his watch and turned toward the door.

"I'm going to Sovereign Apex now," Derek said to Old Madam. "I'll have the contract by lunch."

The front door slammed shut behind him.

Clara stood by the table, tears running down her face.

"Ethan, why did you do that?" Clara whispered, her voice cracking. "He took the files anyway. Now he gets the contract, and Grandfather's work is gone."

Ethan stayed quiet.

A couple minutes later, on the glass table, Clara's phone started buzzing.

The screen showed a private number from the capital.

Old Madam looked at the phone. "Answer it, Clara, and put it on speaker."

Clara wiped her eyes and tapped the screen. She set the phone down.

"Hello?" Clara said.

A deep, calm voice came through the speaker:

"Is this Clara Sterling?"

"Yes," Clara said. "Who is calling?"

"My name is Dominic Cross. I am the Chairman of Sovereign Apex."

The living room went dead silent. Old Madam's hand froze above her teacup. Felix and Beatrice stared at the phone.

The man on the line spoke clearly:

"A man named Derek Sterling is in my lobby. He has your patent files. He says he is the new head of your company. Did you authorize this, Miss Sterling?"