Chapter 4 - The House of Cards Collapses
Victoria turned on her high heels and stormed toward the front door without looking back.
""Victoria, please! Don't do this!"" Terrence cried, crawling across the floor to grab the hem of her red dress. ""Think about the contracts! Think about our future!""
""Get your filthy hands off my daughter,"" Richard Sterling bellowed, his voice commanding and terrifying. He stepped between Terrence and Victoria, looking down at his would-be son-in-law with unmitigated contempt. ""If you ever come within fifty feet of my family or my company again, Coleman, I will unleash every regulatory auditor and private investigator I employ to bury your shell corporations six feet under.""
Richard paused, looked back at me, and inclined his head respectfully. ""Ms. Vance, I apologize that you had to endure this filth. When you return to Phoenix, my office will reach out. I believe our logistics networks have far more profitable synergy without these leeches involved.""
""I would welcome that conversation, Mr. Sterling,"" I replied with a gracious nod. ""Have a safe flight home.""
With that, Richard and Victoria exited the mansion, the heavy oak doors slamming shut behind them with a definitive boom that sounded like the final gavel of judgment.
The remaining relatives began grabbing their coats in hurried, uncomfortable silence. Nobody wanted to be associated with the radioactive fallout currently radiating from Terrence and Lorraine Coleman.
Within five minutes, the bustling Christmas gathering of thirty elite guests had dwindled to zero. Only Terrence, sitting pitifully on the floor, Lorraine, slumped against the antique credenza, and my children and I remained.
""You ruined me,"" Terrence choked out, raising his head. His eyes were bloodshot, his face stained with tears and sweat. ""You came here... to destroy my life.""
""No, Terrence,"" I said quietly, gesturing for my children to step back toward the open foyer. ""You invited me. You sent that message because you thought you could parade your wealthy fiancée in front of a broken, impoverished ex-wife to boost your fragile ego. You wanted to humiliate me one last time to satisfy your sick superiority complex.""
""I didn't know!"" he screamed, his voice cracking. ""How was I supposed to know you had quadruplets?! You never told me!""
""I tried to tell you eight years ago, Terrence! You walked out while the ultrasound picture was lying on the kitchen table!""
""They don't even look like me!"" he lied defensively, his desperation turning irrational. ""You slept around! They could belong to anyone!""
Mason, who had remained quiet beside me, suddenly stepped forward. Despite being only eight years old, he possessed a quiet, fearless dignity that took my breath away. He looked down at the man sobbing on the floor.
""Mom told us our father was lost in a storm a long time ago,"" Mason said softly. ""I used to be sad that I didn't have a dad like the other boys at school. But seeing you today... I'm glad you got lost. You're not our father. You're just a stranger who looks like us.""
Wyatt and the girls joined Mason, standing shoulder to shoulder like an unbreakable wall.
""Let's go home, Mommy,"" Savannah said, tugging on my coat sleeve. ""It smells bad in here.""
May you like
I smiled down at my babies. ""Yes, sweetheart. Let's go home.""
As we turned to walk out toward the waiting helicopter, Terrence suddenly scrambled to his feet.
