Chapter 2

John, my dad's executive assistant, walked in with a team of security guards.

He had worked by my dad's side for decades and was always rock-solid.

Even when the company faced major crises, he never lost his cool.

But today, his face was terrifyingly grim.

He checked on me first, making sure I wasn't hurt.

Then, he turned his sharp gaze to Ethan.

"Mr. Vanderbilt, Mr. Sterling sent me to take the young lady home."

Seeing John, Ethan reluctantly lowered his hand, but his voice was still dripping with arrogance.

"Marcus Sterling didn't even bother to show up himself? He sent an assistant?"

John's voice remained perfectly calm.

"Mr. Sterling is on his way."

"Until he arrives, I am authorized to handle this on behalf of the Sterling family."

Ethan let out a harsh laugh.

"On behalf of the Sterlings?"

"John, don't overestimate your worth. At the end of the day, you're just an employee."

John didn't even blink.

"You may look down on me, Mr. Vanderbilt, but I am not speaking for myself today."

"Miss Chloe Sterling is the sole daughter and heir of the Sterling empire."

"The merger between our families was built on the mutual interests of our future heirs."

"But now, your public acknowledgment of a secret child has completely destroyed the foundation of this agreement."

Ethan's expression darkened.

"Don't try to threaten me with business talk."

"I just have a kid. I'm not asking Chloe to give up her position."

John continued smoothly, "The issue is not the title of 'Mrs. Vanderbilt.' The issue is the instability of the Vanderbilt family's future shares and succession rights."

"The Sterling family will not invest its resources into an heir who brings unpredictable domestic drama to the company."

That hit Ethan right where it hurt.

The one thing he cared about most was his succession.

And John was completely right.

Ethan sneered.

"Cut the corporate crap. This is just because Chloe refuses to accept Luna and my son."

He spoke as if he were making a massive sacrifice.

"Fine. I can promise you this."

"After we marry, Luna and the boy will never appear in front of Chloe. Is that enough for you?"

He actually looked at me, as if expecting me to thank him.

I found the whole thing utterly absurd.

He had ruined my engagement by bringing his mistress and child, and now he thought keeping them in a golden cage was a "compromise"?

John frowned.

"Mr. Vanderbilt, you still don't understand."

"What the Sterling family cannot accept is the inheritance risk this child represents."

Ethan's face went completely black.

"John, you've got a lot of nerve."

"Who the hell are you, an outsider, to judge my son?"

John lowered his eyes slightly.

"I am merely stating facts."

"If you insist on keeping things as they are, the Sterling family will officially re-evaluate all partnerships with the Vanderbilt Group."

With a roar of anger, Ethan slammed his champagne glass onto the marble floor.

Glass shattered everywhere.

The room fell into a terrified silence.

Ethan pointed a finger at John's face.

"Who do you think you are?"

"To come to my venue and threaten me?"

I stepped forward, blocking John, and looked straight at Ethan.

"His words are the Sterling family's words."

Ethan's eyes turned murderous as he glared at me.

"Chloe, are you really going to push me to the edge?"

I countered, "Am I the one pushing things to the edge here?"

At that moment, Luna suddenly dropped to her knees, holding her child.

The dramatic gesture caused a collective gasp to echo through the ballroom.

"Miss Sterling, please don't make things hard for Ethan."

"Don't let my baby and me ruin the merger between your families."

"I know I come from nothing. I can't compare to you."

"And I know Leo shouldn't have been born."

She wept, her shoulders shaking violently.

"If you really can't stand us, I will take my son and leave."

"I'll go far away, and we will never show our faces to either of you again."

The little boy, frightened by his mother's tears, began to wail.

"Mommy, I don't want to leave!"

"I want Daddy!"

Ethan immediately rushed to pull her up.

"Luna, what are you saying?"

"I told you, I will never let anyone hurt you or our son."

Luna clung to his chest, crying even harder.

"But Miss Sterling hates us."

"The Sterling family is so powerful. I'm so scared."

Hearing this, Ethan shot me a look of pure hatred, as if I were some monster trying to drive a mother and child to their graves.

I was sick of this pathetic drama. I didn't want to waste another second on them.

I turned to John.

"Let's go."

"There's nothing left to say."

John nodded and signaled his security guards to escort me out.

But we had only taken two steps when the heavy doors of the ballroom suddenly slammed shut from the outside.

A dozen beefy security guards in dark suits poured out from the side doors, completely blocking our exit.