Chapter 1 - The Woman at the Door
Dominic stared at me for several seconds.
“What did you just do?”
I took the glass of water Victoria had finally ordered the maid to bring me.
“I made a phone call.”
“To whom?”
I smiled.
“You’ll know soon.”
Brooke laughed from the sofa.
“Oh, stop trying to scare everyone.”
I ignored her.
My attention returned to Leo.
He was still hiding beneath the glass coffee table.
Every time somebody moved too quickly, his shoulders jerked.
That reaction told me more than any confession could.
I lowered myself to the floor again.
This time I stayed several feet away.
“I’m not going to touch you, sweetheart.”
Leo stared through his fingers.
“It’s Mommy.”
His lips trembled.
For one second, I thought he might remember.
Then Victoria clicked her tongue.
“Don’t encourage this nonsense.”
I turned slowly.
“Do not speak to him.”
She blinked.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
Dominic stood.
“Clara, you’ve been gone two years.”
“You cannot walk in here and suddenly act like you understand everything.”
I looked at him.
“You’re right.”
His face relaxed slightly.
Then I continued.
“That’s why nobody in this house is leaving until I understand exactly what happened.”
Brooke stood.
“You don’t own us.”
“No.”
I looked around at the mansion.
“But I do own this house.”
Silence.
Dominic frowned.
“The house is marital property.”
“Read the deed.”
The first flicker of uncertainty crossed his face.
Before he could answer, the doorbell rang.
Three times.
The housekeeper opened the door.
Eleanor Price entered carrying two leather cases.
Behind her came a younger attorney, a private security specialist, and Dr. Naomi Keller, the pediatrician Leo had seen since infancy.
Dominic went pale.
“What the hell is this?”
Eleanor removed her coat.
“My name is Eleanor Price.”
“I represent Clara Sterling personally and Sterling International Holdings in corporate matters.”
She looked directly at Dominic.
“And as of twelve minutes ago, I also represent Mrs. Sterling in emergency family proceedings.”
Victoria stood.
“You brought lawyers into my son’s home?”
Eleanor glanced at me.
I answered.
“This is my home.”
Then Naomi saw Leo beneath the table.
Her entire expression changed.
She crouched slowly.
“Leo?”
My son recoiled.
The doctor looked at me.
Then at Dominic.
“What happened to him?”
Dominic opened his mouth.
I raised one hand.
“Not yet.”
I looked at Eleanor.
“Show him.”
She opened the first leather case.
Inside were six folders.
One carried Dominic’s name.
One carried Brooke’s.
One carried Victoria’s.
And the largest carried the name of the company I had spent two years saving.
Eleanor placed it on the table.
“Mr. Sterling,” she said calmly.
“Before anyone leaves this room, there are several things you need to understand.”
Dominic swallowed.
“What things?”
May you like
Eleanor opened the folder.
“The first is that your wife did not return from Singapore empty-handed.”
