Chapter 9: The Debt of an Heir

The quiet in the penthouse after Julian’s departure was absolute. Theo didn't move from the window for a long time. His eyes remained fixed on the street below where the flashes of cameras were finally beginning to thin out.

"He believes he just found his insurance policy," Theo said, his voice cutting through the silence.  

"Sarah has given him a reason for the board to stay patient. A Thorne heir is a powerful symbol of stability in their world."

Elena sat back in the heavy velvet chair, her face still pale. "Tell me about it." 

"A symbol is only powerful if it has a solid foundation. It is just so unfortunate that Julian built his future on a sinkhole. Let's see how far his heir can take him." 

"Has he always been this stupid or is it that he is just naive?" Theo asked, showing his curiosity.

"Julian is just being Julian," she responded. " Behind all that charade, he is nothing but a pathetic, and entitled cry baby. Sarah is the perfect match for him." 

She reached for the laptop Theo had left on the table. With a few keystrokes, she pulled up the live feed of the financial markets. The Thorne Group’s stock was already beginning to stutter as rumors of the leaked debt began to circulate in the private forums of the city’s biggest lenders.

"Without any iota of doubt, the Vances will be the first to turn," Elena continued, her voice devoid of emotion. "Sarah’s father is a greedy man. He wanted a merger with a billionaire, not a charity case. When he sees that sonogram, he won’t see a grandchild. He will see a liability, forcing his daughter to pull out of this fruitless investment."

Theo turned around, his expression unreadable. "And what about you, Elena? These past few days must have been tough for you: you were publicly humiliated and divorced and now, you just watched your husband embrace another woman’s pregnancy on national television. Most people would be breaking the furniture."

"Most people married for love," Elena replied, looking up at him. "I married for a contract. My only regret is that I didn't bankrupt him a year sooner."

" And please, try to get comfortable with addressing him as my ex-husband."

Before Theo could respond, the intercom buzzed again. This time, it was Marcus. "Mr. Sterling, the morning editions are hitting the digital presses like a tsunami. The headline isn't talking about the reconciliation like we had planned. It is talking about the 'Thorne Miracle Baby.' But the secondary headline is worse: 'Thorne Group Credit Rating Plummets Amidst Fraud Allegations.'"

"Julian's misfortune is starting," Theo muttered. He looked at Elena, a strange glint in his silver-gray eyes.

"Whether his misfortune starts now or later, I have nothing to lose. Rather, I have everything to gain from this." Elena said.

 "By tomorrow, Julian will be at your feet, begging for the Blackwood funds to clear his name. I am sure the Vance's won't think twice before severing all ties with him. Not even if he tries to use the baby to guilt them or you into a settlement."

"Let him try," Elena said, standing up. She felt a cold, sharp clarity settling over her. "He thinks Sarah is his anchor. He doesn't realize she is the weight that’s going to drag him to the bottom of the ocean."

" Besides, he wouldn't dare drag me into his madness with Sarah. It has nothing to do with me and if he keeps insisting, wanting me to be a part, I will request that a pregnancy test be carried out on Sarah at the family's hospital."

" You sound so sure when you talk about Sarah's pregnancy being a fake." Theo commented.

"I know Sarah, Theo. She is not dumb, she is one of the most mischievous women I have met. That pregnancy is just so she could gain attention. Nothing more."

She walked toward the guest suite, pausing at the door. "Theo?"

"Yes?"

"Make sure the press knows that I have filed for a financial separation of assets effective immediately. I want the world to know that while he was chasing a mirage, chasing a child that never existed, he lost every cent of the Blackwood fortune and that of the Vances."

As she closed the door, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the hallway mirror. The penniless, weak and unfortunate orphan she once was was dead. The woman left in her was someone Julian Thorne wasn't prepared to face. She was now a woman who knew that in the world of high finance, an heir without an empire was just another mouth to feed.

A woman who was tired of being bossed around.