Chapter 304

The Sterling family's downfall became the talk of the town overnight.

Netizens mocked them as the ultimate cautionary tale for white-collar crime, suggesting they deserved an award for their spectacular failure at covering their tracks.

Margaret Sterling was arrested for conspiracy to commit murder and hiring a hitman. Though it wasn’t enough for the death penalty, she faced at least two decades behind bars. At fifty, she’d likely spend the rest of her life in prison.

Richard Sterling suffered a massive heart attack amid the chaos and was rushed to the ICU. The delay in medical attention caused severe brain damage from oxygen deprivation.

"Ms. Sterling, you should prepare yourself," the doctor said gravely. "There’s a high chance your father will remain in a vegetative state."

Victoria Sterling stood frozen outside the hospital room, her face drained of color as if struck by lightning.

The Sterling Corporation was drowning in debt. Creditors and suppliers hounded Victoria day and night, forcing her to hide in a hotel, too terrified to return home.

Between her mother’s legal fees and her father’s medical bills, Victoria had nearly exhausted her savings, getting a bitter taste of poverty for the first time. But things only worsened.

Two days later, an assistant from Rosalind Couture tracked her down.

Victoria had abandoned the borrowed gown in her frantic escape from the gala. When she finally remembered and went to retrieve it, she found the once-pristine dress trampled beyond recognition, covered in dirt and footprints.

"Five times the compensation?!" Victoria shrieked, clutching the invoice with shaking hands. Her eyes burned with fury. "Six million dollars for a ruined dress? This is daylight robbery!"

"Six million is nothing for our clientele," the assistant replied coolly. "Our patrons regularly spend tens of millions on couture. If you couldn’t afford it, you shouldn’t have borrowed it in the first place."

"You—how dare you speak to me like that! I’ll sue you!" Victoria’s voice cracked with rage, her face twisted in fury.

"Go ahead," the assistant said with a dismissive smirk. "But pay the amount within two weeks, or we’ll take legal action."

With that, she walked away, leaving Victoria trembling in humiliation.

Victoria collapsed into a chair, covering her face as silent sobs wracked her body. Soon, the dam broke, and she wept uncontrollably.

When the tears finally dried, she wiped her face with shaky hands, straightened her shoulders, and drove straight to Cliffside Manor.

Her last hope was Penelope Whitmore.

This mess was partly Penelope’s fault—she couldn’t just abandon her now!

Meanwhile, the Blackwood family sat around the dining table in tense silence.

Reginald Blackwood’s health had stabilized, and his complexion had regained its healthy glow. The stubborn old man had refused to stay in the hospital, opting to recuperate at his Moonlight Cove estate instead.

The entire family was present tonight, including Nathan Blackwood.

But the atmosphere was so thick with tension it could choke a person.

Normally, Penelope would flaunt her affection for Leonard Blackwood at the table, feeding him bites of food just to provoke Nathan.

Tonight, however, the couple ate in stony silence. Leonard’s expression was stormy, while Penelope picked at her food with no appetite.

Cassandra Blackwood, on the other hand, ate heartily, savoring every bite.

"Must you eat so much?" Penelope snapped, her frustration boiling over. "Look at your face—it’s round enough as it is! No man will want you if you keep this up!"

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "I’ll eat as much as I want. And unlike some people, I don’t need a man to validate me."

She turned to her parents with a shrug. "Honestly, you’re overreacting. Sure, it’s a mess now, but better to deal with it early. A little pain now saves a lifetime of regret."