CHAPTER 1: THE TRUTH COMES OUT
No one dared to move.
The silence in the mansion became unbearable.
The billionaire father, Richard Sterling, slowly set his briefcase on the floor. His eyes never left his daughter.
"Emma."
His voice was low.
Dangerously low.
The little girl burst into tears and ran toward him.
"Dad!"
Richard dropped to one knee and wrapped his arms around her trembling body. The moment he touched her bruised hands, something inside him broke.
"Who did this to you?"
Emma hesitated.
Her small fingers tightened around his jacket.
Then she pointed toward her stepmother.
Victoria's face turned pale.
"Richard, she's confused—"
"Be quiet."
The words struck like thunder.
For the first time in years, Victoria looked afraid.
Richard carefully lifted Emma into his arms.
"Tell me everything."
The little girl sobbed as the truth spilled out.
How she had been forced to clean floors.
How her toys had been taken away.
How she had been denied meals when her father traveled for business.
How she had been locked in her room for hours whenever she cried.
Every word hit Richard harder than the last.
The servants lowered their heads.
Many of them had witnessed the cruelty.
None had dared to speak.
When Emma finished, Richard stood up.
His expression was colder than ice.
"Call every member of the household staff."
Within minutes, everyone gathered in the foyer.
Richard asked only one question.
"Is what my daughter said true?"
A terrified silence followed.
Then an elderly housekeeper stepped forward.
"Yes, sir."
Another servant nodded.
Then another.
And another.
One by one, they confirmed everything.
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Victoria's carefully constructed lies collapsed before her eyes.
And there was no escaping the truth.
