Chapter 18: The Fortress
"Mr. Sterling," Marcus said, puffing out his chest to look intimidating, though he failed miserably. "I'm Maya's father. I'm just here to reunite with my family."
"You lost the right to that title three years ago," Richard said, his voice dangerously low. He snapped his fingers, and one of his attorneys handed him a thick manila folder. Richard tossed it onto the lobby desk.
"What's this?" Marcus asked, frowning.
"That is a termination of parental rights agreement, along with a permanent restraining order," Richard explained casually, adjusting his cuffs. "You will sign it today. In exchange, I will deposit fifty thousand dollars into your bank account, and you will never, ever come within a hundred miles of Sarah or Maya again."
Marcus looked offended. "You think you can buy my daughter from me? I'm her father!"
"I am offering you an out," Richard corrected him, stepping into Marcus's personal space. "Because if you don't sign it, my legal team will bury you. We will subpoena your financial records, track down the money you stole from your dying son's medical fund, and press federal charges for child abandonment and fraud. I will spend ten million dollars destroying your life just for making Sarah uncomfortable in my lobby."
Marcus paled. He looked at the folder, then at Richard's unblinking, icy stare.
"He's not my dad anyway," a small voice echoed.
Everyone turned. Maya had just stepped off the private elevator, her school backpack slung over one shoulder. She walked over to Sarah and took her mother's hand, staring up at Marcus with absolute indifference.
"A dad is someone who stays when the lights go out," Maya said, echoing the lessons she had taught Leo. She looked up at Richard, offering him a warm smile, before looking back at Marcus. "You didn't stay. So you can leave now."
Defeated by a seven-year-old’s undeniable logic and a billionaire's unlimited resources, Marcus snatched a pen from the desk, aggressively signed the paperwork, and stormed out through the revolving doors without looking back.
May you like
Richard placed a gentle hand on Sarah's shoulder. "Are you alright?"
Sarah looked down at her brave, brilliant daughter, then up at the man who had given them the world. "I've never been better, Richard. Our fortress is secure."
