Mary Hayes' POVThe federal courthouse in Manhattan felt like the most intimidating building I had ever entered, with its marble columns and security guards who looked at me like I was already a convicted criminal. I clutched my worn purse and walked through metal detectors, knowing that today's testimony would determine whether I spent the next five years in federal prison or received the reduced sentence that my lawyer had negotiated.Federal prosecutor Sarah Chen met me in a small conference room where my court-appointed attorney, David Martinez, was reviewing the testimony agreement one final time. The papers on the table represented my complete cooperation against Rose Miller and Victoria Sterling in exchange for a plea deal that would keep me out of prison if I provided truthful and comprehensive testimony."Mrs. Hayes, before we proceed with your testimony, I need to confirm that you understand the consequences of perjury or withholding information during your sworn statement.
Landon's POVThe call from FBI Agent Morrison reached me at the youth hockey center where I was cleaning equipment after the evening training session. My hands were still raw from scrubbing skates and organizing gear for kids whose parents could barely afford basic equipment, but when Agent Morrison explained that Catherine Walsh had escaped federal custody and was planning to kill Ophelia, I dropped everything."Mr. Hayes, we need every piece of information you have about the criminal network that connected Derek Thompson to Victoria Sterling and Rose Miller. Catherine Walsh has been coordinating their activities, and she's now implementing assassination protocols against the Sterling family."I sat heavily on the wooden bench in the equipment room, surrounded by the smell of hockey tape and the echoes of children's laughter from earlier in the day. This small, humble space had become my entire world after losing everything I had built as a professional athlete, but somehow it felt m
Rose POV"Victoria, the FBI arrest warrants include both our names. Catherine Walsh has thrown us under the bus while positioning herself as the mastermind who was using us as disposable weapons."I spoke into my secure phone from the federal safe house where Agent Morrison had placed me after I agreed to testify against Catherine Walsh's criminal organization. The reality of my situation was becoming clear - I had been used as a weapon against Ophelia Sterling while being set up to take the blame for crimes I hadn't fully understood."Rose, what do you mean Catherine has thrown us under the bus? She promised that federal investigators would focus on the Sterling family while we received immunity for our cooperation."Victoria's voice carried panic as she realized that her criminal alliance with Catherine Walsh was collapsing just like mine had collapsed when Derek Thompson warned me about trusting criminal organizations."Victoria, Catherine provided federal investigators with record
Tyler POV"Ophelia, Catherine Walsh has been arrested by federal agents, but she activated assassination protocols before her capture. Professional killers are moving against Sterling family members right now, and our security teams are engaged in active combat operations to protect everyone."I spoke urgently into my phone while coordinating defensive operations from the Sterling headquarters security center, but my main concern wasn't the immediate threat to our lives. My focus was on the woman I loved, who had just learned that her entire personality had been shaped by childhood trauma that I never knew existed."Tyler, I need to get the board to safety and ensure that Sterling organization operations continue despite the assassination attempts. Can your security teams protect the building while we complete the leadership transition?"Ophelia's voice carried the same calm determination I had heard in the boardroom when Victoria revealed her childhood psychological programming. She
Ophelia Sterling's POV"Victoria, thank you for finally telling me the truth about what happened when I was eight years old."I stood in the Sterling headquarters boardroom, looking at psychiatric files that contained the missing pieces of my childhood that had been locked away through memory suppression therapy. The board members watched me carefully, probably expecting an emotional breakdown or psychological collapse when confronted with evidence of childhood trauma.Instead, I felt clarity for the first time in my adult life."Board members, I want you to understand something important. Victoria believes that revealing my childhood programming proves I'm unfit for leadership. But what it actually proves is that I've spent my entire adult life overcoming systematic psychological manipulation that was designed to destroy me."I walked toward the presentation screen where Victoria had displayed psychiatric reports describing the conditioning I had endured as an eight-year-old child."
Victoria Sterling's POV"Board members, before this meeting concludes, I have critical information about Ophelia Sterling's psychological fitness for leadership that federal investigators discovered during their expanded examination of our family history."I stood before the Sterling organization board, holding the psychiatric files that would deliver my final devastating attack against Ophelia's inheritance claim. Even though I was facing federal charges and cooperation agreements, I still had one weapon left that could destroy my cousin's credibility permanently."Margaret, Charles, David - what I'm about to reveal will explain why Ophelia has consistently made poor decisions throughout her adult life and why placing her in control of Sterling organization would expose our business to continued manipulation and betrayal."I opened the sealed psychiatric file that Catherine Walsh had provided me months ago, containing medical records from when Ophelia was eight years old."In 1995, w