Chapter 3 - THE EMAILS
Grace still had screenshots.
Thank God.
The original account had disappeared.
Address:
Looks legitimate.
My real executive account:
I had a private-family domain years earlier.
Sterlingprivate.com.
I stopped using it before Sophia was born.
One message:
Grace,
My lawyers advise that until paternity matters are fully settled, all communication should go through Family Management.
I do not want direct contact.
—A.
I stared.
“Not mine.”
Grace laughed without humor.
“I thought you’d say that.”
“I’m serious.”
“Another.”
Alexander,
We need to finalize the no-contact framework. Grace continues to make emotional requests.
Reply:
Pay whatever is legally necessary. I want distance.
Not mine.
Then:
Sophia should not be exposed to instability.
Not mine.
I looked at Grace.
“How many?”
“Hundreds.”
My mouth went dry.
“Hundreds?”
“She wrote pretending to be you for three years?”
Grace’s eyes narrowed.
“You keep saying she.”
Fair.
We did not yet know who.
“Who had access to this domain?”
I asked.
“Your mother’s office did.”
Grace shrugged.
“I don’t know.”
I did.
Sterling Family Management handled:
Household payroll.
Travel.
Security.
Trust administration.
Private residences.
My mother chaired it informally after my father died.
Officially?
A professional CFO.
May you like
But Victoria controlled culture.
And people.
