THE REJECTED SON-IN-LAW

lood and mould fil

, Lex Andrews knelt on the concrete floor. Richard Sterling towered over him like

our roof, and give us nothing in return?" h

said nothing. Speaki

grabbed his hair, y

king for work,

el sound. "Work? You? My sist

stairs. A woman's heel

The voice was cold, detached. "Some of

way, backlit by the light from above. Tall. Sharp busines

wi

hia Andrews now, though

me manners," Richard said, releasing

d not even look at Lex. "He has no man

as he passed. "Clean yourself u

their foots

slam. Everything was

a scream. His face pulsed. The familiar ache in his chest, however, was worse than

ccident. The be

this. Nothi

s father's last words: "Survive, Lex

ested every step. He had washed the blood from his fac

lth he would never understand. Marble floors. Crystal chandelie

in on their

lanced at him. "Take this to the

ook, but he steadied them. He c

d sat Gerald Sterling, patriarch of the Sterling family, owner of Sterling Industries. Beside him, his wife Patricia, drip

e far end was his. Th

ld said without look

tray down, distributing pla

shrill. "You should be grateful we all

, ma

r mother." She waved him away like

he sat, pain exploded in hi

red to him for half

Riverside project," Gerald

all business, no warmth. "We should have the contracts sign

ou make me pr

emembered when someone said those word

ancing at Lex with open contempt, "Soph

smiled. "Let us not ruin d

them except Sophia,

late. Plain rice. N

phia, I have arranged a dinner meeting for you tomorrow ni

on. The same family that destroyed his fat

" Sophia's for

Gerald smiled. "He is wealthy, powerful

n hung in the

married," Soph

looking. "Darling, that does not count. We

nder the table. His na

sider it,"

k harder than R

s glass. "To new

unities," the

tallising in his chest. For three years, he

st to his erasure, somethi

, it final

his pocket. A text f

is ready. S

hovered ove

at was all i