Chapter 227
Chapter 227:
Seraphina let out a wail. She doubled over, clutching her belly.
“My baby! The stress! She’s hurting the baby p>
It was a bad performance. Overacted.
But Beatrice bought it. Or pretended to.
“You monster!” Beatrice screamed. She raised her cane to strike Skye.
Before the cane could descend, a hand caught it.
It wasn’t Liam. It wasn’t Alistair.
It was Director Liu, the oldest and most conservative member of the Sterling board and a key creditor to Kensington Global. He held the cane firmly, his face a mask of stone.
“That is enough, Mrs. Kensington,” Liu said. “You will not strike the Chairwoman of Sterling Corp p>
Beatrice stared at him, stunned. “Chairwoman? She is a girl! She is nothing p>
“She is our leader,” Liu said. He released the cane with a shove that made Beatrice stumble.
Skye turned her back on them. She looked at her executives.
“Gentlemen,” Skye said. “The air in here is suddenly quite stale. Shall we p>
Director Liu nodded. He signaled to the others.
Twelve of the most powerful men in New York finance turned their backs on the Kensingtons. They formed a wall around Skye and began to walk toward the exit.
Liam stood there, watching them go. He looked at the room. People were whispering behind their hands. They weren’t looking at Seraphina with sympathy anymore. They were looking at her like she was a circus freak. And they were looking at him like he was the ringmaster of a failing show.
Seraphina continued to moan, sinking to the floor.
“The baby… the baby p>
Skye paused at the door. She looked back over her shoulder.
𝖵𝘦ri𝗳𝗂е𝗱 𝖼𝘰ո𝘵𝖾𝗇𝘁 𝗼𝗇 𝘣𝖾𝗅n𝘰𝘃𝖾𝘭ѕ.𝘤о𝘮
“Stop acting, Seraphina,” Skye said. “The scene is over p>
She walked out into the night.
The heavy oak doors of the Manor slammed shut, muffling the chaos inside, but the ringing in Liam’s ears didn’t stop. It was a high-pitched whine, like a pressure vessel about to burst.
Inside the hall, Beatrice was trying to salvage the wreck. She had scrambled up to the podium, ignoring the murmurs, and grabbed the microphone.
“This is a conspiracy!” Beatrice’s voice boomed, distorted by feedback. “Skye Sterling is trying to sabotage our family! But we are Kensingtons! We do not break p>
Liam watched from the floor as Seraphina pulled herself up, realizing no one was rushing to help her “medical emergency.” She looked at him, her eyes pleading.
“Liam, help me,” she whimpered.
Liam looked at her. Really looked at her. For the first time in months, the fog of duty and guilt lifted just enough for him to see the reality. She was not a fragile flower. She was a millstone around his neck.
“Get up,” Liam hissed. “You’re embarrassing me p>
“I’m carrying your son!” Seraphina cried, grabbing his lapel.
“You’re carrying my ruin.” Liam ripped his jacket from her grip.
On the stage, Beatrice was still ranting. “And that woman… that harlot… she has bewitched the Sterling board! But they will come back! They know where the real power lies p>