CHAPTER 2 : THE FALL FROM GRACE

The marble floors of the Sterling Tower lobby had never felt so cold. Riley walked out of the elevator, her head held high, but her hands were shaking so badly she could barely hold her bag.

The whispers followed her like vultures.

"Did you see the news?"

"Stealing from her own father? Wow."

"Poor thing. Suspended immediately. Game over for her."

Riley bit her lip, forcing herself not to cry. Not here. Not in front of them. She pushed through the revolving doors and stepped out into the harsh Manila midday sun. The heat was suffocating, but it was nothing compared to the burning humiliation in her chest.

She hailed a taxi. As she slid into the backseat, the reality of what just happened finally crashed down on her.

Suspended.

Framed.

Ruined.

"Where to, Ma'am?" the driver asked.

Riley stared blankly at the passing cityscape. She couldn't go home to the Sterling mansion. She couldn't face the servants, or the silence of the house that never felt like a home anyway.

"Just drive around," she whispered. "Please."

 

Back in the boardroom, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Robert Sterling sat back down, rubbing his temples. The other directors were murmuring among themselves, looking uncomfortable.

"Robert," one of the older board members, Mr. Tan, spoke up. "This is... unfortunate. But perhaps we should wait for the investigation to finish before—"

"She is a liability!" Robert barked, slamming his hand on the table. "I will not have a thief running my company. Bella, you will take over Riley’s pending projects immediately."

Bella smiled, her eyes gleaming. "Of course, Father. I’ll make sure the Green City Initiative is handled... properly. I wouldn't want the poor to suffer because of Riley's mistakes."

"Good," Robert grunted, closing his eyes. "Kael, I want you to oversee the internal audit. Make sure nothing else is missing."

Kael, who had been silent the entire time, nodded slowly. "Consider it done, Father."

As the meeting adjourned, the directors filed out. Bella lingered, walking over to Kael.

"Well," Bella purred, checking her nails. "That was easier than I expected. The weak really do fall first, don't they?"

Kael looked at her, his expression unreadable. "You planted the evidence, didn't you?"

Bella laughed, a light, carefree sound. "Please. I just... gave the reporters a tip. The rest was just bad luck on Riley's part. She was always too soft for this world."

"Careful, Bella," Kael said, his voice dropping to a dangerous low whisper. "If you get sloppy, you won't just take Riley down. You’ll take the whole family with you. And I can't have that."

He walked past her, leaving Bella’s smile faltering for a split second before she composed herself.

 

Three hours later.

Riley was sitting on a bench at the Baywalk, watching the waves crash against the rocks. She had nowhere to go, no one to call. Her friends were mostly socialites who would believe the tabloids. Her mother was dead. And her father... her father thought she was a thief.

She pulled out her phone. There were dozens of missed calls and messages.

From Jenny: "Miss Riley, I’m so sorry. The IT team took your laptop. I don't know what to do."

From a reporter: "Miss Sterling, can you comment on the embezzlement charges?"

From an unknown number: "Gold digger."

She threw her phone back into her bag, burying her face in her hands.

"Rough day?"

Riley jumped. She looked up to see a man standing there, holding two cups of coffee. He wasn't wearing a suit. He wore a simple white shirt and jeans, his hair messy from the wind.

It was Liam.

Liam was a freelance architect she had met during a site visit for the Green City Initiative. He was brilliant, but he was also... normal. He didn't care about her last name.

"Liam," Riley breathed out, trying to wipe her eyes discreetly. "What are you doing here?"

"Working on a sketch," he said, gesturing to the skyline. "I saw you sitting here. You look like you need this."

He handed her a hot cup of coffee. Riley took it, the warmth seeping into her cold hands.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

Liam sat down next to her, not too close, but close enough to offer comfort. "I saw the news," he said softly.

Riley flinched. "Of course you did. The whole world knows now. Riley Sterling, the corrupt rich kid."

"I know you didn't do it," Liam said simply.

Riley looked at him, surprised. "You do?"

"I know you, Riley. I’ve seen you argue with contractors to pay the construction workers overtime. I’ve seen you give your lunch to the street kids near the site. You’re a lot of things, but you’re not a thief."

For the first time all day, Riley felt a tear slip down her cheek. "But my father thinks I am. And Bella... she did this. I know she did. But I have no proof."

Liam sighed, looking out at the sea. "The Sterling family is powerful. If Bella wants to bury you, she has the money and the connections to do it. You’re suspended, your reputation is mud, and you’re locked out of the system."

"So what do I do?" Riley asked, her voice breaking. "Just give up? Let her win?"

Liam turned to her, his eyes serious. "No. You fight back. But you can't do it from the inside anymore. You have to play by their rules."

"I have nothing," Riley said, shaking her head. "No access. No evidence."

"You have me," Liam said. "And you have the truth. If we can't find the evidence in the office, maybe we can find it out here. In the real world."

Riley looked at him, a spark of hope flickering in her chest. "How?"

"By winning," Liam said, a determined grin spreading across his face. "The Green City Initiative. It was your baby. If Bella is going to take it over, she’s going to cut corners to save money. She’s going to rush the construction. She’s going to make mistakes."

"And if she makes a mistake..." Riley whispered.

"Then we catch her," Liam finished. "We expose her. And we clear your name."

Riley took a deep breath, the cool sea air filling her lungs. She looked at the city skyline, at the Sterling Tower piercing the clouds. She had been cast out, but she wasn't defeated.

"Okay," Riley said, standing up. "Let's go to work."