Chapter 4 - The Counter-Strike
The next morning, the internet exploded—but not in the way Chloe had planned.
Instead of the slanderous articles about Ava, the top trending news across every platform was a high-definition video leaked from an anonymous source. It was the complete, unedited security footage from the Sterling Countryside Estate three weeks ago.
The world watched in horror as Chloe, dressed in her expensive emerald silk dress, screamed insults at a heavily pregnant woman, before deliberately driving her sharp heel into Ava's trembling hand. The audio was crystal clear, capturing Ava’s heartbreaking pleas for her baby and Chloe’s chilling, arrogant laughter.
Within an hour, the public outrage reached an unprecedented scale. #ArrestChloeVance became the number one trending topic globally. Activists, mothers' rights groups, and regular citizens demanded immediate justice. The brands that Chloe endorsed dropped her within minutes, and the Vance Logistics Group’s stock market value completely plummeted into oblivion.
In the middle of this chaos, a fleet of police cars pulled up outside Chloe’s luxury apartment building.
Chloe was in the middle of packing her bags to flee the country when her front door was brutally kicked open by law enforcement.
"Chloe Vance," the lead detective announced, holding up a warrant. "You are under arrest for felony aggravated assault, corporate defamation, and witness tampering. Hands behind your back."
"No! This is a setup! Lucas did this!" Chloe screamed, kicking and scratching as the officers forced her into handcuffs. "My father will sue all of you! You don't know who I am!"
"Your father just declared bankruptcy ten minutes ago, ma'am," the detective replied coldly, dragging her out into the hallway where a dozen paparazzi were already waiting, their cameras flashing rapidly to capture her ultimate humiliation.
At the same time, Lucas arrived at the Sterling family manor.
Rebecca Sterling sat in her grand living room, staring at the television screen displaying Chloe’s arrest. When she saw her son walk in, she stood up, her hands shaking with a mixture of rage and terror.
"Lucas... how could you do this to our family name?" she cried. "The Sterling reputation is ruined!"
May you like
"The Sterling name is fine, Mother," Lucas said, tossing a set of legal documents onto the coffee table. "But your time in this house is over. This manor belongs to the corporate office now. I’ve bought a small cottage in a remote northern village for you. You will move there tomorrow. Your monthly allowance will be fixed at a minimum wage standard. You wanted Ava to live like a beggar? Now you can see how far a humble budget goes."
Rebecca sank back onto the sofa, her face pale, realizing that her reign as the matriarch of the Sterling family had officially come to a brutal, permanent end.
