Chapter 9 - Rising From the Ashes
With Marcus legally obliterated and facing a ten-year sentence in federal prison, I focused on rebuilding what was mine.
I officially dissolved the remains of Marcus's tainted law practice and launched Sterling-Vance Financial Forensics, partnering with Victor. We took all the honest, high-net-worth clients who had fled Marcus's firm when the scandal broke. Because I had been the one to blow the whistle and return the embezzled funds to the clients, my reputation in the financial world soared. I wasn't just a victim; I was a hero.
The Sterling family was scattered to the wind. Eleanor was forced to move into a tiny, two-bedroom apartment in a bad part of town, taking a job as a receptionist at a dental office just to pay her utility bills. Julian was arrested for attempting to cash fraudulent checks and was currently sitting in county jail.
I bought back my father's original office building, standing in the massive glass-walled boardroom overlooking the Atlanta skyline. It felt surreal. For twelve years, I had been a ghost in my own life, constantly shrinking so others could shine.
Now, I owned the sky.
"We just closed the Peterson account," Victor said, walking into the boardroom holding two glasses of expensive scotch. He handed me one, his dark eyes warm and full of pride. "You're going to be on the cover of Forbes by next year at this rate."
"I don't want to be on the cover of Forbes," I said, clinking my glass against his. "I prefer operating in the shadows. It's much more dangerous there."
May you like
Victor chuckled, stepping closer. The professional boundary between us had been slowly fading over the past six months, replaced by a deep, undeniable mutual respect and something much warmer. "You are terrifying, Olivia. Remind me never to cross you."
"Just don't take me to the airport," I smiled, looking out at the city.
