CHAPTER 37: Follow the Money

Marcus arrived at the penthouse at midnight with a folder full of documents.

"I found where the money came from," he said, spreading papers across the dining table.

Alexander and I—both in pajamas—leaned in.

"A shell company," Marcus explained. "Registered in Delaware. Single investor. They wired James $100,000 last week."

"Who's the investor?" Alexander asked.

Marcus hesitated. "That's the problem. The ownership is buried under three layers of LLCs. It'll take time to uncover."

"Best guess?"

"Someone who wants to hurt you. Someone with deep pockets and a grudge."

I felt sick. "You think someone's funding James's lawsuit? As a weapon against Alexander?"

"I think it's possible." Marcus pulled out another document. "There's more. James hired a new lawyer. Top-tier. The kind that charges $1,500 an hour. There's no way he's paying for that himself."

Alexander's jaw clenched. "Richard Wolfe is good, but not that good. Who's the new attorney?"

"Margaret Chen."

The room went silent.

"Patricia's sister?" I asked.

"Patricia's rival," Marcus corrected. "They've hated each other for twenty years. If Margaret took this case, it's personal."

Alexander ran a hand through his hair. "This just got significantly more complicated."

"There's one more thing." Marcus pulled out a final paper. "James filed a motion to expedite the trial. Wants it heard in three months instead of six."

"Three months?" I touched my belly. "I'll be seven months pregnant."

"That's probably the point," Alexander said grimly. "Make you uncomfortable. Stress you out. Hope you push me to settle."

"I won't—"

"I know you won't." He squeezed my hand. "But they don't know that."

After Marcus left, we sat in silence.

"Who hates you enough to fund James's lawsuit?" I finally asked.

"Take your pick. I've destroyed competitors. Fired executives. Blocked mergers." He sighed. "When you're successful, you make enemies."

"Any specific enemies? Recently?"

He thought. "There's Thomas Brennan. CEO of Brennan Industries. I outbid him on a major contract six months ago. Cost him millions."

"Would he do this?"

"He's vindictive enough. But I can't prove anything yet."

I stood, pacing. "So someone is using your son as a weapon to destroy you. And we have no idea who or why."

"Not yet. But we'll find out."

"And in the meantime? What do we do?"

"We prepare for trial. Three months. We have three months to build an airtight case."

---

The next day, Patricia called an emergency meeting.

"Margaret Chen is a problem," she said bluntly. "She's vicious, smart, and she doesn't lose. Ever."

"What's her win rate?" Alexander asked.

"Ninety-three percent. And the seven percent she lost were technicalities, not actual defeats."

I felt my stomach drop. "So we're screwed."

"We're challenged. There's a difference." Patricia pulled out a new strategy document. "We need to be perfect. Every witness prepared. Every document verified. No surprises."

"What about the mystery investor?" Alexander asked.

"I have investigators on it. But Delaware LLCs are designed for anonymity. It could take weeks."

"We don't have weeks. Trial is in three months."

"Then we build our case assuming the worst—that whoever's funding this has unlimited resources and wants you destroyed."

---

That night, I couldn't eat dinner.

"You need to eat," Alexander urged. "The baby—"

"The baby is fine. I'm not." I pushed my plate away. "This is getting worse, not better. Mystery investors. Better lawyers. Expedited trials."

"I know."

"What if we lose, Alexander? What if they take everything?"

"Then we start over."

"With a newborn? With no money? With your reputation destroyed?"

"With each other." He knelt beside my chair. "Bella, I've built fortunes before. I can do it again. What I can't do is build another you. Another us. Another family."

"That's romantic, but not practical."

"Since when do you care about practical?"

"Since I became responsible for another human being!" My voice broke. "She deserves stability. Security. Not parents who are broke and disgraced."

"She deserves parents who love each other and fight for what's right. That's us."

"Is it? Or are we just stubborn and stupid?"

He pulled me into his arms. "Maybe both. But I'd rather be stubborn and stupid together than safe and miserable apart."

Despite everything, I smiled against his chest. "You're impossible."

"You married me anyway."

"Temporary insanity."

"Permanent insanity now. No returns."

I pulled back to look at him. "Promise me something."

"Anything."

"Promise that no matter what happens—if we lose everything—you won't regret choosing me."

His eyes were intense. "I could never regret you. Never."

"Even if it costs you Sterling Corporation?"

"Even if it costs me everything I own. You and Luna are my everything now. The company is just a company."

Luna kicked, as if agreeing.

"She likes when you talk to her," I said.

"Smart girl. Already knows who the favorite parent is."

"You're her favorite because you haven't tried to make her eat vegetables yet."

"Wait until she's born. I'll be making airplane noises with broccoli just like every other dad."

The image made me laugh. Alexander Sterling, billionaire CEO, making airplane noises.

"I love you," I said suddenly.

"I love you too." He kissed me. "Now eat. You're growing my daughter. You need strength."

I picked at my food. "What if the mystery investor is someone we know?"

"Like who?"

"I don't know. Someone close. Someone who—" I stopped.

"What?"

"You don't think... Catherine?"

"My mother? No. Absolutely not."

"But she has the money. And she was against us initially—"

"She's testifying for us, Bella. She wouldn't fund James's case while agreeing to testify against him."

"Unless it's a strategy. Appear to support us while secretly—"

"Stop." His voice was firm. "My mother may be many things, but she's not duplicitous. If she's on our side, she means it."

I wanted to believe him. But paranoia was creeping in.

Someone with money and access was trying to destroy us.

And we had no idea who.

Or what they'd do next.