Chapter 1

“Happy birthday to my wife today. Helping her become the CEO of Sterling Group.”

My brows instantly furrowed.

Because the woman in the photo, intimately close with my brother-in-law, wasn’t my sister. Yet, she was wearing my sister’s clothes and jewelry, sitting on my sister’s husband, and even living in our family’s mansion.

Scrolling further down, I realized Mark had blocked my main account on SnapChat.

“Today, we got a new pet at home. My wife doesn’t like it, so I can only let the dog stay outside.”

In the photo, my sister Clara was covered in bruises, barely clothed, her hair completely shaved off. She was chained like a dog in a small doghouse by the entrance, looking utterly miserable.

Rage burned through me. How dare that good-for-nothing leech who married into our family turn my sister into a dog?!

…

I rushed back home. My car pulled up to the Sterling family mansion, and the sight before me made my breath catch. The once meticulously maintained garden was now overgrown with weeds, the villa’s exterior walls were peeling, and the yard was littered with trash. What truly chilled me to the bone was the tiny figure chained next to the doghouse by the entrance.

“Clara?”

I rushed closer, unable to believe my eyes. The figure huddled by the doghouse was my sister, the one I had cherished and protected like a precious gem.

She looked up, her eyes vacant and lifeless, her face covered in wounds. Even more terrifying, she didn’t show any surprise or joy at seeing me. Instead, she cowered back, a low whimper, like a dog’s bark, escaping her throat.

“Clara, it’s me, your brother, Alex!”

My voice trembled as I knelt before her. But she grew even more terrified, desperately trying to burrow into the doghouse, crawling with all fours.

“Don’t hit me… please… I’ll be good…”

She whimpered softly, her voice so hoarse it was barely recognizable. I saw her exposed arms and ankles were covered in bruises and scars. Some even looked like cigarette burns.

My sanity instantly shattered, consumed by fury.

“Who! Who did this!” I roared, standing up.

Just then, the mansion door opened. My brother-in-law Mark and his mother, Brenda, stepped out.

“Alex, you’re back?”

Mark wore a smile, but his tone was nonchalant.

I stared at them coldly: “What happened to my sister? Why is she chained out here?”

Mark’s face changed, then twisted into a sorrowful expression: “Alex, Clara… she’s developed a mental illness.”

Brenda chimed in, adding fuel to the fire: “Lately, Clara suddenly became unstable, going crazy all day, even trying to bite people! We had no choice but to…”

“Shut up!” I cut her off. “Don’t you think I know what Clara is like? What exactly did you do to her?!”

Seeing my fury, Mark’s expression immediately hardened: “Since you don’t believe me, then I’ll tell you the truth.” He pulled out his phone and played a video: “Take a look, this is what your sister is really like!”

In the video, a figure resembling my sister was entangled with several men in a hotel room.

“What is this?” I demanded, my voice icy.

Mark sneered: “That’s your sister’s true face! A chaotic private life, seducing men everywhere!” “As her husband, I’ve been tolerant enough. Anyone else would have divorced her long ago!” “Ever since I found out about this and proposed a divorce, she couldn’t handle it herself and went insane.”

Brenda, ever the instigator, added: “Our family is respectable! How can we tolerate a woman who tarnishes our good name?!”

“Your family?” I scoffed. “Your son married into the Sterling family, he even changed his surname, and you’re still talking about your family’s good name here?”

I knew my own sister. If Clara had ever done anything like that, I’d drop dead on the spot.

Just then, Clara finally spoke. She cautiously tugged at my pants. Her voice was so weak it was almost inaudible: “Brother… they… they drugged me… it wasn’t willing…”

“You little tramp, shut your mouth!”

Mark lunged forward to hit her, but I blocked him instantly.

“Dare to touch her? Just try me.” My eyes blazed with murderous intent.

Mark recoiled, intimidated by my glare, but his words remained venomous: “Alex, don’t let her fool you! She acted just like this when I caught her red-handed at the hotel that day!” “Everyone at the company knows she’s mentally unstable. The board has already voted to remove her from her position!”

I ignored him, kneeling to embrace my trembling sister, carefully examining her arms. A multitude of needle marks and old scars were clearly visible.

“What are these?”

I pointed to the needle marks. Mark stammered: “Those are… those are sedatives the doctor gave her…”

“Doctor? Which doctor?” I pressed.

“Just… the community clinic’s…”

My rationality completely snapped. I waved my hand towards the car outside the mansion. A dozen black-clad bodyguards immediately stormed in, apprehending Mark and Brenda.

“What are you doing! Let me go!” Mark struggled violently. Brenda shrieked: “Help! Someone’s attacking us!”

“Search the place! Turn this house upside down and find all the evidence!” I commanded coldly.

Mark thrashed: “How dare you! This is my house! Let me go!”

I punched him in the face: “You married into the Sterling family, live in the Sterling family’s house, and abuse the Sterling family’s heiress, and you have the nerve to call this your house?!”

Mark’s nose bled profusely, but he still yelled: “Alex Sterling, don’t go too far! Let me tell you, the Sterling Group isn’t yours to command anymore!” “The company has a new CEO, and your sister is nothing now!”

I sneered: “Oh really? Then I’d like to see who’s audacious enough to snatch my sister’s position.”

The bodyguards moved swiftly, thoroughly searching the entire mansion. I, meanwhile, held my sister, light as a scarecrow, and gently comforted her: “Clara, brother’s back. It’s okay now, everything will be alright.”

Clara trembled in my arms: “Brother… they’ll kill me… they said… if I told you the truth…”

“No one can hurt you, I promise.” I said firmly.

I took clean clothes from the car and helped her change, my heart aching. Her body was covered in injuries, some scabbed over, others fresh. Even more terrifying, her eyes were filled with pure dread. Even my softest words made her tremble.

“Clara, don’t be afraid. Brother will take you to the company and see who dared to bully you!” I whispered gently.

A flicker of confusion crossed her eyes, then she nodded slightly.

I instructed my head bodyguard: “Keep a close eye on them. I’ll deal with them when I get back!”

The bodyguard nodded: “Don’t worry, Mr. Sterling, they won’t get away.” “Also, organize all the evidence you find, especially those drugs and surveillance footage.”

Taking Clara to the Sterling Group headquarters building, I found the situation worse than I’d imagined. The receptionist looked at us with disdain: “Do you have an appointment? No appointment, no entry.”

I scoffed: “I am Alex Sterling, and this is Clara Sterling, the CEO of Sterling Group.”

The receptionist displayed a look of contempt: “I’m sorry, our company’s CEO is Ms. Victoria. I haven’t heard of anyone named Clara Sterling.”

Ms. Victoria? My brows furrowed instantly. I could understand if Mark, that bastard, wanted to usurp power and become CEO himself. But who was this Ms. Victoria, and where did she come from?

Several employees nearby were already whispering: “Look, isn’t that the boss’s husband’s mistress? I heard she’s a real party animal, went crazy from all the fun, and then her family locked her up.” “CEO? She’s really trying to flatter herself!” “Who’s that guy? Her brother? Daring to cause trouble?” “Oh, what do you even know? At the end of the day, isn’t being a mistress just for money? This might be just a new client she’s picked up.”

I glared at those employees, “Are your mouths filled with absolute garbage?!”

A security guard approached, blocking our way: “Sir, please don’t cause a disturbance here, or we’ll call the police.”

I took a deep breath, suppressing my anger, and told the receptionist: “Take me to the CEO’s office.”

The receptionist hesitated, perhaps seeing my strong aura, not daring to confront me directly. She made a phone call. “Ms. Victoria, two people claiming to be Alex Sterling and Clara Sterling want to see you… Alright, I’ll take them up now.”

Upon receiving the instructions, she gave a strange smile: “Very well, please follow me.”

The elevator went straight to the top floor. On what used to be my sister’s office door, a nameplate conspicuously displayed “CEO Victoria.” The office door opened, and a glamorous woman walked out, followed by a panting Mark, who must have escaped my bodyguards at home.

Victoria sized us up, a sneer playing on her lips: “You must be Alex Sterling, right? I’ve heard so much about you.”

I didn’t know how Mark had managed to get away from the bodyguards, but he now stood beside Victoria, looking utterly confident of victory. “Who are you? Why are you in my sister’s office?” I demanded coldly.

Victoria’s smile grew more smug: “I am Victoria, the CEO of Sterling Group, and this is a legitimate appointment.” She pulled a stack of documents from a drawer: “This is the appointment letter, unanimously passed by the board of directors. Your sister was dismissed due to mental issues, and now I’m managing Sterling Group.”

I scoffed: “Legitimate? Are you sure?”

Victoria raised an eyebrow: “Of course, all procedures were legal and compliant.” “Clara Sterling became mentally unstable and couldn’t perform her CEO duties, so the board voted for me to take over.” “These are legally binding documents. You can have your lawyer verify them.”

Clara hid behind me, trembling constantly, murmuring softly: “No… it’s not like that… they’re lying…”

Mark sneered: “Clara, stop pretending. We have all your psychiatric diagnostic reports.” “Everyone in the company saw you having your fits.”

Victoria chimed in too: “Mr. Sterling, I understand your feelings as a brother, but facts are facts.” “Your sister needs treatment, not to continue in a position she can’t handle.”

I gently patted my sister’s hand, calming her, then pulled out my phone and dialed a number. “Immediately gather all Sterling Group board members. They must be here within five minutes, not a single one missing!”

Victoria and Mark exchanged a glance, their faces subtly changing. “Mr. Sterling, what is the meaning of this?” Victoria tried to maintain her composure.

I sneered: “Meaning? You’ll find out soon enough.”

Mark interjected: “Alex, don’t cause trouble. It will only make things more embarrassing for you.” “The board is all on our side. You can’t win.”

I ignored him, just staring at him coldly: “Mark, do you really think that just because I wasn’t here for three years, you could do whatever you wanted?” “You overestimate yourself.”

In less than five minutes, the board members arrived one by one. Seeing my sister and me, their eyes held clear hostility. Director Mr. Peterson was the first to speak: “Alex, you returned without warning. What’s the meaning of suddenly barging into the company?”

Another director chimed in: “That’s right. Sterling Group is running very well now. We don’t need you telling us what to do.”

I looked around the room. These people had all been my father’s trusted subordinates, yet now they had all betrayed us. “I want to know, why did you betray my sister? She is the legitimate heir of Sterling Group. By what right did you put this woman in the CEO’s position?” I demanded coldly.

The board members exchanged glances, finally, the most senior, Director Mr. Miller, spoke: “Clara Sterling is mentally unstable and no longer suitable to be CEO. This was a unanimous decision by the board.” “We have hospital diagnostic certificates and video recordings of her fits.” “As the board, we have a responsibility to protect the company’s interests and cannot let a mentally ill person continue to lead Sterling Group.”

Brenda, who had arrived at some point, stood by, fanning the flames: “See? Even the company staff know Clara’s gone crazy! It’s a fact, no one can change it!”

Mark seized the opportunity to attack: “Alex, you don’t understand company rules, so don’t come here to cause trouble. Sterling Group is now controlled by the board and Director Victoria. Everything is legal and compliant.”

Victoria pressed her advantage: “Mr. Sterling, I suggest you take your sister and leave. She needs proper rest, not to cause more disruption here.” “Look at her now, does she look like a normal person?”

My sister, the CEO of the prestigious Sterling Group, was being humiliated by these people! Clara trembled behind me, her eyes filled with dread.

“I’ll ask one last time: are you sure you want to side with them?” My voice was colder than ice.

Director Mr. Peterson sneered: “Alex, who do you think you are? You’re just an expatriate who returned from overseas. Sterling Group has already changed hands. Do you really think you’re still the undisputed ruler around here?” “Sterling Group is ours to command now. You’d better be sensible and leave with your crazy sister.” “If that’s too hard, I can even send you a two-hundred-dollar PayPal payment. Get your crazy sister some more male escorts, isn’t she into that kind of thing?”

Mr. Hayes also added: “Exactly. Don’t think that just because you had some success overseas, you can come back and boss us around.” “We’ve been working with your father for many years. How the company should operate is not for you to teach.” “I just never thought your father, such a respected figure, could raise two utterly disgraceful individuals like you.”

Director Mr. Miller was even more direct: “Security, get these troublemakers out of here!”

Just then, the conference room door was pushed open, and a middle-aged man walked in with several assistants.

“Mr. Thompson!”

The directors immediately stood up, their faces beaming with fawning smiles. Director Mr. Miller hastily introduced: “Alex, you probably haven’t met him, right? This is Mr. Thompson, the East Coast Regional President of Titan Enterprises. Thanks to Ms. Victoria, we’re discussing a major project with Titan.” “If your sister were still CEO, we probably wouldn’t have met Mr. Thompson in our lifetime.” “Mr. Thompson, I’m truly sorry you had to see this.”

Mr. Thompson surveyed the scene, frowning slightly. Mark, seeing this, quickly stepped forward: “Mr. Thompson, this is my brother-in-law. He just returned from overseas, doesn’t understand the company situation, and is causing trouble here.”

Victoria also chimed in: “That’s right, Mr. Thompson, he even wants to interfere with our cooperation with Titan. It’s truly outrageous.”

Director Mr. Hayes added fuel to the fire: “Mr. Thompson, we hope you can help us uphold justice. If this kind of person continues to cause trouble, it will be detrimental to the entire business community.” “The contract we’re about to sign with you, it concerns hundreds of millions in profit.”

Mr. Thompson’s gaze swept across the room, finally landing on me, his expression complex. Then, to everyone’s surprise, he walked directly up to me and bowed ninety degrees: “Mr. Sterling, you’re back! Titan Enterprises is at your disposal anytime!”

The entire conference room fell silent. Everyone’s faces shifted from smugness to shock, then to utter dread.

I scoffed softly: “Mr. Thompson, thank you for your hard work. It seems you’ve done a great job expanding Titan’s business in the East Coast region.”

Mr. Thompson respectfully replied: “It’s all thanks to your guidance, Mr. Sterling. I only came to discuss this cooperation today because I knew Sterling Group was your family company.”

At his words, the entire room was even more stunned. Mr. Hayes stammered: “Mr. Thompson, you… you know Alex Sterling?”

Mr. Thompson gave him a contemptuous look: “Titan Enterprises is Mr. Sterling’s property. I’m just an employee.” “In the three years Mr. Sterling was overseas, he acquired seventeen multinational corporations, quadrupling his assets.” “Titan is just one of many subsidiaries Mr. Sterling owns.”

This news dropped like a bomb, stunning everyone present. Titan Enterprises was a giant in the domestic business world, with a market value of hundreds of billions. And it belonged to Alex Sterling? They had thought Alex Sterling had lost real power after passing on Sterling Group to Clara. But who would have thought that he didn’t care about Sterling Group at all; it was just a place for his sister to work and have fun!

Victoria’s face turned pale, her legs weak, barely able to stand. Mark was too terrified to speak, cold sweat beading on his forehead. The directors exchanged bewildered glances, finally realizing the immense trouble they had caused.

I looked around, speaking calmly: “Today, I announce the termination of all of Victoria’s positions within Sterling Group and the freezing of all assets held by Mark and Victoria that are related to Sterling Group.” “All employees hired by Victoria and Mark will go through standard dismissal procedures!” “Furthermore, the board of directors is hereby dissolved and will be re-formed. Everyone involved in this incident will pay for their actions.”

The directors snapped out of their daze, falling to their knees, begging for mercy: “Mr. Sterling, we were forced!” “Mark threatened us, saying he’d cut off our financial resources if we didn’t cooperate!” “He had videos of your sister and hospital certificates! We truly believed she had mental problems!” “We were also thinking about the company. Ms. Clara’s condition really wasn’t good…”

Mr. Thompson scoffed: “What a bunch of spineless opportunists, just swaying whichever way the wind blows.” “Mr. Sterling was so good to you all. If he hadn’t protected you back then, you would have been purged from the board long ago.” “Now, you repay kindness with betrayal, and aided and abetted these wrongdoers!”

I looked at those spineless opportunists with cold eyes, no longer bothering with them. Just then, several bodyguards entered the conference room with police officers and investigators.

The investigators held a stack of documents and several USB drives: “Mr. Sterling, we found these in the mansion.” “Surveillance footage shows Mark and Brenda routinely abusing Ms. Sterling, injecting her with unknown drugs, and the original fake video files.” “This is the list of drugs they injected into Ms. Sterling; most are psychiatric medications and sedatives. Long-term use can lead to mental confusion and cognitive impairment.” “Additionally, we found extensive evidence of company asset embezzlement. Mark transferred most of Sterling Group’s funds into private accounts.” “These are the forged hospital diagnostic reports. We’ve already contacted the hospital and confirmed they are fake.”

With overwhelming evidence, Mark, Victoria, and Brenda’s faces were beyond pale. Victoria was the first to break down. She knelt on the floor, crying out: “It’s not my fault! It’s all Mark! He was the one who promised me the CEO position! He was the one who said he’d marry me!” “He said as long as I cooperated with him, once he controlled Sterling Group, he’d divorce Clara and marry me!” “I just followed his instructions; all decisions were controlled by him behind the scenes!”

Brenda, hearing this, immediately cursed: “You tramp! You vixen! Seducing my son wasn’t enough, now you want to blame him too?!” “Do you think I don’t know all the dirty things you two were doing behind our backs?” “My son wouldn’t have done such things if you hadn’t charmed him!”

Mark’s face turned ashen as he faced accusations from both sides. Suddenly, he lunged at me: “Alex Sterling, don’t you get cocky! I’ll kill you!”

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