Chapter 8 - The Empire Crumbles
The Sterling name became toxic overnight.
As the Times published the contents of the backup drives, the fallout spread from corporate boardrooms to the state capitol. Two senators resigned in disgrace. The Sterling Corporation's stock plummeted to pennies before trading was halted entirely.
The media dubbed me "The Bride of Justice." Talk shows begged for interviews, publishers offered seven-figure book deals, but I turned them all down. I wasn't doing this for fame. I did it for survival, and I did it for justice.
One evening, my father found me on the back porch, staring up at the stars. He sat beside me and handed me a glass of iced tea.
"You did good, kid," he said quietly.
"It feels surreal," I admitted, wrapping my hands around the cold glass. "A year ago, I thought I was planning the happiest day of my life. Now, I'm the reason a dynasty fell."
"They fell because they were rotten," my dad corrected firmly. "You just kicked the door in. I've never been prouder of you than the moment you walked out in that ruined dress. You showed them they couldn't break you."
May you like
I smiled, finally feeling the heavy weight in my chest begin to lift. "I think it's time to throw that dress away."
"No," he grinned. "I think it belongs in a museum."
