Chapter 3

Rihanna POV

Two years could change a person completely.

Two years ago, I was crying in the New York rain, bleeding emotionally, and watching my son get pulled away by a gold-digging snake.

Today, I was sitting in a massive, glass high-rise office in the middle of London, looking down at the city streets like a queen surveying her kingdom.

I had completely left my old life behind. Rihanna Taylor was dead, probably still resting at the bottom of the Hudson River in the minds of the public.

I was Victoria Taylor now. My long black hair was perfectly styled, my green eyes were sharp, and I was wearing a black designer business suit that cost more than my ex-husband used to spend on his entire monthly country club membership.

"The final reports just came in from Wall Street, Miss Victoria," my assistant, Sarah, said as she walked into my office. She laid a thick blue folder on my glass desk and tapped it with her pen. "You were completely right about them. The Sterling Group is absolutely drowning. They are bleeding cash faster than water flowing through a sieve."

I spun my leather chair around, a cold smile touching my lips. "Is that so?”

"Well, Valerie Duval has been living like a queen on the company’s dime," Sarah explained, sitting across from me and opening the folder. "She bought a massive penthouse in Manhattan, three luxury yachts, and she threw a wedding gala last year that cost them nearly five million dollars. On top of that, Edrian is completely clueless. Ever since his ex-wife died, his business strategies have been an absolute joke. He lost the European shipping contract, he messed up the real estate merger, and their stock has dropped by forty percent."

"Of course he messed it up," I muttered, leaning back in my chair and crossing my legs. "He never ran that company. I did. He was just the pretty face who smiled for the cameras while I stayed up until three in the morning fixing his sloppy math and writing his speeches. He thought he was a genius billionaire, but he was just a puppet. Now that the puppet master was gone, the strings were tangling."

"They certainly are," Sarah agreed, chuckling softly. "To cover up their massive losses, Edrian and his father, Arthur, took out some incredibly toxic high-interest loans from three different European banks. They thought they could hide the debt from their board members until the next fiscal quarter."

"They always were arrogant," I said, my voice dropping to a freezing tone. "Arthur Sterling nameis the most self absorbed prick I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. What about our plan, Sarah? Did the shell companies finish the job?"

"Yes, ma'am," Sarah said, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "Through the five offshore accounts and shell corporations we set up in the Cayman Islands and London, we quietly bought up every single cent of that toxic debt. As of two hours ago, Taylor Global owns exactly eighty percent of the Sterling Group’s total foundational debt. Victoria, you are officially their largest creditor. You literally own them."

A sudden wave of pure satisfaction rushed through my body. For two long years, I had to stay away from my little boy, Ted. I had to look at pictures of him from afar, watching him grow up through a spy lens while Valerie tried to play mommy.

Every single night, my heart ached for my son. But I forced myself to be patient. I told myself that a quick strike would only graze them. I needed a total execution.

"Perfect," I said, tapping my fingers on the desk. "It is time to pull the trap closed. Draft a formal legal ultimatum and send it directly to the Sterling Group board of directors. Do not send it to Edrian or Arthur privately. Send it to the entire board, so they can’t hide it."

"What do you want the ultimatum to say?" Sarah asked, pulling out her tablet to take notes.

"Tell them that Taylor Global is calling in the entire debt immediately," I stated firmly. "Give them zero room to negotiate. Tell them we want a mandatory, face-to-face emergency meeting at their main headquarters in Manhattan. If they do not agree to meet with us and discuss a total corporate takeover by Taylor Global, we will file for immediate liquidation of all their family assets. We will take their house, their cars, their offices, and leave them on the street."

"Should I include your name on the document?" Sarah asked, looking up at me.

"Of course not," I replied, shaking my head. "Just sign it as the Executive Office of Taylor Global. Let them sweat. Let them wonder who this mysterious person is. I want them to spend the next forty-eight hours losing their minds with fear."

"I will send it right now," Sarah said, standing up and rushing out of the office.

I turned my chair back around to face the big window, watching the gray London rain pour down against the glass. It reminded me so much of the night I was kicked out, but this time, I wasn't the one shivering and crying.

Checkmate Edrian. Let's see what you and your precious family have left