I looked down at Cora sleeping peacefully against my heart. I took one deep breath, raised my chin, and met Julian’s arrogant gaze.
“You’re right,” I said quietly. “I won’t make a scene.”
I turned on my heel, walked downstairs, and stepped out into the afternoon air. I didn’t cry. My heart felt as solid and sharp as diamond. I reached into my purse, pulled out my phone, and dialed Evelyn—my family’s senior estate attorney and the lead trustee of the Sterling Trust.
“Evelyn,” I said, my voice steady as stone. “Activate the asset recovery protocol. Issue an immediate eviction order for the Richmond estate and freeze all subsidiary corporate accounts tied to Julian Vance.”
On the other end of the line, Evelyn didn’t hesitate. “I’ve been waiting for this call for six years, Clara. Everything will be served by tomorrow afternoon.”
