Semua Bab The Heir : Bab 1 - Bab 8

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,"

The morning sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Riley’s restored office at Sterling Tower. The space looked different now—gone were the expensive trinkets and designer furniture she’d once filled it with, replaced by blueprints, construction photos, and a large map of Manila’s flood-prone communities. Liam leaned against her desk, pointing at a section of the plan. “If we shift the building layout ten meters east, we can preserve those mangroves. They’ll act as a natural barrier against storm surges, and it’ll actually cut long-term maintenance costs by twenty percent.” Riley nodded, marking the change on her tablet. “Perfect. Let’s run it by the engineering team first thing. And make sure we involve the community leaders—they know the area better than any of our consultants.” A knock on the door made them look up. Robert Sterling stood there, his face etched with lines she hadn’t noticed before. He was dressed not in his usual tailored suit, but in a simple butto

The morning sun cast long shadows across the construction site in the coastal town of Port Ashton—the first of the three new Green City locations. Riley knelt in the dirt, running her fingers through the soil as a local farmer explained how they’d integrate agricultural plots into the neighborhood design.“These raised beds will let families grow their own food year-round,” Old Henry said, patting the earth firmly. “Even during heavy rains, the drainage system you designed will keep the roots dry.”Liam joined them, holding a tablet with blueprints. “We’ve already trained 50 workers from the area—all certified in green building techniques. They’ll be leading the construction here.”Riley stood up, brushing dirt from her jeans. “That’s exactly what we need. But we’ve got a new challenge—word’s spread fast, and communities from all over are reaching out. We can’t expand fast enough on our own.”Just then, her phone buzzed. It was a video call from Minister Chen, one of the government of

Three months after the Copenhagen summit, the Green City movement was surging forward. Sites were breaking ground across the country, and international partnerships were taking shape. Riley had been working around the clock to coordinate the expansion, and when Kael Vance reached out with an unexpected offer, she hesitated—but ultimately decided to give him a chance.THREE WEEKS EARLIERKael sat across from Riley in the Green City office, his expression humbled and sincere.“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since Copenhagen,” he said, pushing a folder across the table. “Vance Energy’s investigation uncovered things I never knew about—how far my executives went to protect our profits. I’ve stepped down as CEO, sold off our fossil fuel divisions, and want to use what’s left of the company to support your work.”Riley studied him carefully. “Why now? You were determined to stop us just months ago.”“Seeing what you built—what Bella’s building in the highlands—it opened my eyes,” he said