My fiancé chased his kept canary all the way to New York. Coincidentally, I was in New York, too. The young girl dropped to her knees in front of me, crying a river of tears. She told me that true love is the only truth. Truth? What a coincidence. I happened to have a few pieces of "truth" right in my hands. 01 My fiancé back in the States made a fool of himself again. To chase down his runaway canary, he locked down an entire private airport. It was a small airfield, and it was late at night. The Vance family’s PR team quickly squashed any media leaks before they could spread. Unfortunately for him, he was still too late. The canary flew to New York one step ahead of him. I originally couldn't have cared less. Cleaning up his mistresses was Preston Vance’s own problem. But when a stunningly beautiful Asian girl dropped to her knees in front of me, crying a river of picture-perfect tears, it naturally drew the stares of passersby. I stood at the top of the steps, frowning as I looked her up and down: "What was your name again? 'Miss Innocent' or something?" The girl froze, her tears hesitating on her lashes. She offered a stiff rebuttal: "It's Aria." I had a vague impression of this mistress who had been with Preston the longest. But that didn't mean she was worth remembering. Over the years, I knew Preston constantly surrounded himself with women because he resented our arranged engagement. But causing a scene right to my face. She was the first. My expression gradually shifted to impatience: "What do you want from me?" She really was a professional actress. The paused tears immediately started flowing again, dropping like broken strings of pearls. "Ms. Sterling, Preston loves me. Please, I'm begging you, let him go. Stop clinging to him." I raised an eyebrow. Clinging? I let out a cold laugh, looking down at her: "Ms. Montgomery, is that something a homewrecker should really be saying out loud?" "Preston and I knew each other long before you came along! You're the real third wheel here!" Her face twisted in sudden anger, and she lunged up the steps, trying to grab me. My bodyguards, naturally quick on their feet, intercepted her immediately. In the chaos, she twisted her ankle and tumbled down the concrete steps. Gasps erupted from the crowd. In the surging sea of people, I could see the flashes of paparazzi cameras hiding in the shadows. The company I held a controlling stake in was about to go public on the US stock market, and I couldn't afford any scandals right now. I scanned the area, and right on cue, I saw Preston wearing a black trench coat, shoving his way through the crowd. He had lost all of his usual aristocratic composure. His dark eyes were filled with panic and heartache. He took off his coat and draped it over Aria's exposed long legs. Then he pinched her chin, and kissed her fiercely. His eyes were burning with an intense, undeniable possessiveness. The man's voice was hoarse and restrained: "Run again, and I'll break your legs." Aria tilted her chin up stubbornly: "If I can't have all of you, I'd rather die." After their intense public display, they turned to look at me in perfect unison. Preston’s dark eyes were furious: "Serena Sterling, didn't I warn you not to mess with Aria? "You actually dared to push her. Who gave you the nerve?" My eyebrow twitched violently. Who was messing with who here? With her backer present, Aria looked triumphant: "Sister, you're a bit older, so maybe you don't understand. In today's society, the woman who isn't loved is the real mistress. "True love is the only truth." Her tone was incredibly provocative. What a perfect, dramatic scene straight out of a billionaire romance novel. The glass windows nearby reflected my face. With my long, straight black hair and cold, indifferent expression, I really did look like the evil second female lead trying to tear the star-crossed lovers apart. Beautiful, rich, and completely wicked. But I wasn't an idiot. And real life wasn't a movie. I smiled at her: "Truth? "What a coincidence. I happen to hold a few pieces of 'truth' right in my hands." The sharp, metallic clicks of guns cocking echoed from behind me. I ground my teeth. How dare they threaten me on American soil? Did these two morons forget that it's perfectly legal to carry firearms here? Aria shrank into Preston's arms like a terrified rabbit, looking pathetic. But no matter how tough Preston liked to talk, he wasn't going to argue with a bullet. "Preston, when you said you wanted to play around, I let it slide. But if you try to put your dirty laundry on the table, don't blame me for flipping the table over." I narrowed my eyes at him, my tone utterly merciless. He had been preparing to scoop Aria up and leave. Hearing my words, he let out a cold scoff: "Serena, do you honestly still think you're the untouchable sole heiress of the Sterling family? "Stop hiding out overseas and daydreaming. Next time we meet, you might have already been kicked off the board." The fact that the Sterling family had an illegitimate son was no longer a secret. It was currently the biggest gossip back in Chicago high society, and had even made the front page of the local financial journals. Preston left under the escort of his own bodyguards. My assistant stood by my side, her expression grim: "Ms. Sterling, the domestic headquarters just suspended all joint projects with us." I squinted into the distance: "Prepare to fly back to the States." Preston, did you really think that bastard could beat me? You backed the wrong side. 02 The Sterling and Vance families practically built their empires on the same boat decades ago. The Sterlings spent decades in heavy manufacturing. The Vances rode the wave of the economic boom. One manufactured, one exported. Together, they carved out an empire. But later, the Sterling family transitioned from factories to a massive corporate conglomerate, developing its own global brands. Our reliance on the Vance family grew smaller and smaller. But my engagement to Preston was settled by my grandmother's generation. The old lady was born in the post-war era. She was iron-willed, decisive, and had a thunderous personality. In her youth, she was a legendary female entrepreneur and the absolute authority of the Sterling family. Beatrice Sterling’s word was the absolute law in the Sterling family. Even after her death, no one dared to disobey her. Beatrice was steadfast her entire life, changing her own decision only once when I was eight years old. She changed the name of the company from Sterling Global to Serena Global. That day, she was as strict as ever, staring at me with her eagle-like eyes. She said seriously, word by word: "Serena, remember this. From now on, the 'Serena' in Serena Global is your name. "You must ensure that this empire always belongs to the Sterlings." Upon returning to the States, I went straight home. The mansion felt a bit emptier than it had when I left the country two years ago. My mother sat elegantly on the sofa, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, reading the newspaper. I poured myself a cup of tea and asked casually: "Did you clean everything out?" "Yes. The trash man and his trash belongings have all been thrown out." I frowned: "You didn't let him take half the assets, did you?" My mother looked up at me. "Do you think your mother signed a prenup for nothing?" Then she let out a long sigh: "Ah, back then I was so resentful. But now it proves your grandmother was an excellent judge of character. You are much more steady than I am." I smiled helplessly: "Did you hit them?" My mother's expression was somewhat proud: "Robert Cole, that little homewrecker, and their bastard son. I slapped all three of them." I gave her a thumbs-up. "Next Wednesday is the Sinclair family's golden anniversary gala. Go in my place." She suddenly turned dead serious: "We absolutely cannot lose that partnership with the Sinclairs." I swirled the tea in my cup, speaking lazily: "Of course." 03 The Sinclairs were an incredibly deep-rooted family in Chicago. The elder Sinclairs were generous, low-key, and had vast connections. So it wasn't surprising to see Preston at the golden anniversary gala. And standing right beside him was Aria. The radiant woman looked over at me, raising her red wine glass from afar and shooting me a provocative smile. I could barely make out her mouthed words: "I'm the winner, loser." I was slightly displeased. After all, the Vance family and I hadn't formally broken off the engagement yet. Preston blatantly bringing his mistress to a major high-society gala was a direct slap to my face. People around us were already waiting to see me become a laughingstock. Harper Sinclair appeared beside me, flashing a triumphant grin: "How is it, babe? I personally invited Aria here." I pinched her cheek: "Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" "How could I bear to kill you? I'm obviously giving you a chance to vent." She blinked her cunning eyes: "Do you know why Aria is acting so arrogant right now?" I replied calmly: "It's nothing more than her thinking she's secured her spot on the Vance family ship, and the Vances are backing my dad's illegitimate son." Robert Cole had put on a brilliant act all these years. My mother's health had always been poor. For years, he was the one managing the corporate affairs. Not only did he hide an illegitimate son older than me from everyone, but he also made the outside world believe he held the real power in Serena Global, even quietly placing his bastard son in the Vice President seat of a subsidiary. Preston was currently chatting happily with that illegitimate son, Jackson Cole. The people around them were subtly trying to suck up and join their circle. In contrast, my side was empty. No one dared to approach me. I had only been out of the country for two years, and these people had already forgotten who owned the Sterling name. Harper's face suddenly turned cold: "Today, I'm going to show these people who really deserves to sit at the table." She set down her wine glass and walked toward the center of the banquet with a bright smile: "Tonight, I specially invited Ms. Aria Montgomery to celebrate my grandparents' golden anniversary. I heard that before Ms. Montgomery got into acting, she graduated from Juilliard. Why don't you grace us with a dance?" Aria's face instantly froze. Asking a guest to perform for the room was tantamount to public humiliation. Harper asked coldly: "What's wrong? Is Ms. Montgomery unwilling? Or do you think our Sinclair family isn't worthy?" The elder Sinclairs looked over as well. This caused Preston, who was about to step in, to halt his movements. Gritting her teeth, Aria performed a short routine. Because she hadn't practiced in so long, she nearly tripped and fell several times in the middle of it. Harper walked up and patted her shoulder: "Asking you to dance was doing you a favor. Too bad your skills are so awful it ruined the mood." Aria's eyes turned red with anger, and she ran out crying. As she passed me, she didn't forget to drop a harsh threat: "Serena Sterling, I'm not going to let you get away with this. Your days of being happy are numbered." And from beginning to end, I didn't even grant her a single direct glance. Harper returned to my side, fishing for credit: "How was that? Satisfying?" I nodded honestly. "So... about that European market expansion project?" Her eyes sparkled. I smiled fondly: "It was always yours. But are you sure you can keep your brother in check?" "Relax. You've been abroad for two years, do you think I was just sitting around? When Grandpa called Mason home to handle this project, that idiot was probably still panting in some random woman's bed. He made Grandpa so mad he almost ended up in the hospital, which let me swoop in and steal the deal. "If Mason is useless, the Sinclairs will naturally have someone else step up for him." The woman's face was painted with inevitable ambition. I looked across the room at Preston, who was clinking glasses with Mason while absentmindedly glancing toward the exit, and I let out a mocking laugh. My fiancé... your taste is consistently terrible. 04 Shortly after the banquet ended, a video of a drunk Preston kissing Aria was sent to my phone. The exclusive private VIP lounge was mostly empty. They were surrounded by just a handful of Preston’s rich, trust-fund frat brothers. The lighting was dim and hazy. Aria's eyes were still slightly red, making the seductive look in her eyes even more pitiful. "Preston, who do you really like? Serena or me?" Preston lay back on the black leather sofa, his collar undone, his arm wrapped around the woman's slender waist as he narrowed his eyes: "Who the hell is Serena Sterling? Does she even deserve to be compared to you?" With that, they started making out as if no one else was in the room. Was this a direct warning right to my face? Who gave these trust-fund idiots the nerve? My gaze landed on the table in front of Preston. Printed on it was a logo I was intimately familiar with. I made a phone call: "Kill the main breaker for the entire lounge. And lock the doors." The manager on the other end answered nervously: "Ms. Sterling, there are still VIPs inside. Mr. Vance is still here." "If he wasn't there, why would I tell you to cut the power?" The manager shut his mouth. "If he dares to come smash up the place tomorrow, call the police immediately, and contact the corporate legal department." I heard that Preston and his little mistress spent the entire night playing a real-life "escape room." When he finally saw the lounge's logo and realized what had happened, he was so furious he kicked the doors several times. Preston hated me even more after that. He called me the very next day to drop a threat: "Serena Sterling, you just wait. The entire Sterling family is going to pay the price for your stupidity." 05 Speaking of which, Preston and I did try legitimately dating for two months. On the day of our engagement, he was so happy he almost forgot himself. Even every time he saw me, there was a bit more tenderness in his eyes. Of course, it wasn't because he loved me so much. But because he felt like he had finally won once. Preston and I were born in the same year. When we were born, the Sterling and Vance families were still in their honeymoon phase. But as the sole son and daughter of both families, we inevitably got compared. From who walked first, to who talked first, to our grades, and extracurriculars, both families were secretly competing. And I completely crushed him every time. I was even better at throwing a punch than he was. But Preston's parents had a surprisingly great attitude about it. Every time they saw me, they still liked me very much. Until one time in the courtyard, when no one else was around. Mrs. Vance held my hand, smiling warmly: "My future daughter-in-law is so capable. You'll definitely be able to help Preston run the company well in the future." After she said that, she let out a faux-sympathetic sigh: "It's just a pity your mother's health was poor since childhood. She had a girl and couldn't have any more." It was only then that I realized that the Vance family's ultimate trump card was simply the fact that their family heir had male anatomy. This was a concept my brain, born into the Sterling family, couldn't comprehend. After all, my mother had aborted two male fetuses just for my sake. When Preston grew up, he naturally inherited his parents' ideology. He wanted a bird in a cage, a submissive housewife. He believed that in a marriage, a wife was naturally supposed to submit. So he was happy to marry me. He could only win in marriage, and he only needed to win in marriage. Unfortunately, by the second month after our engagement, he couldn't control himself. At a yacht party, he was kissing a girl on each arm. I only used one slap to make him see reality clearly. Then I had someone throw him into the ocean. I remember that day was Christmas. The seawater was freezing, the winter night bitterly cold. He was in the hospital for a full week. Preston's parents came to our door to cause a scene. My mother refused to even see them. She only asked me one sentence: "As long as you want, the engagement can be canceled at any time." I laughed lightly and comforted her: "As long as I want, I have ten thousand ways to make them actively cancel the engagement. "But not right now." The Vance family was no longer suitable as an ally, but their foundation was still there. "But don't worry, Mom. This kind of man is not entering the Sterling family's door." And since then, Preston completely hated me. Now that the conflict had intensified again, I figured it was time for the Vance family to make their move. 06 The public opinion attacks against Serena Global came faster than I imagined. Firing the first shot was the video of me pushing Aria down the steps in New York. Aria was a rising star; she had plenty of fans willing to charge the front lines for her. In less than a day, it pushed me to the top trending spots on all major social media platforms. Under every related video, there were long essays detailing the epic romance between the billionaire heir and the beautiful starlet, from childhood sweethearts to star-crossed lovers. The so-called "childhood sweethearts" was nothing more than Aria's childhood dance troupe performing at the Vance estate. A blurry video where you couldn't even clearly see eyes, noses, or mouths was dug up as "proof," paired with emotional background music, making it look almost real. As for the descriptions of me, they claimed I was morally bankrupt. Soon, the news of my US-controlled company preparing to go public was also pushed into the spotlight. Financial media and bloggers intentionally or unintentionally hinted that the Sterling family was suspected of transferring assets offshore. The Sterling family was branded as unpatriotic. The stock plummeted for three days. I scrolled through the vicious comments on a stock trading app, calmly sipping my tea. At the other end of the table, the wealthy wives sat close together, occasionally covering their mouths to laugh at something Aria said to amuse them. This was a gathering hosted by Mrs. Davis. I never liked these types of gatherings that revolved around cheating husbands, kids studying abroad, comparing whose husband came home for dinner more often, and who had hidden more secret funds. But my mother wasn't feeling well, so I could only take her place. One wife, egged on by the others, came over with malicious intent: "Oh, Serena, I heard the Sterling family stock dropped quite a bit. If you're short on funds, don't hide it in your heart. Tell us, maybe everyone can help you think of a solution." I set down my teacup and smiled faintly: "It's true that the Sterling family stock market evaporated tens of billions these past few days. I just wonder if Mrs. Davis's secret slush fund is enough to cover it?" Mrs. Davis's face was completely embarrassed. The other wives, who didn't know much about the stock market, were all startled. Another woman spoke up: "Is your Sterling family going to go bankrupt? What about my husband's contract with you guys?" "Mrs. King, please relax. Your husband was just doing a three-way battle at a hotel recently. He's not worried, so you shouldn't be either." Mrs. King's face turned black as well: "Young girls nowadays are just so sharp-tongued and impulsive. Not like my son studying in the US. He's mature and steady, just waiting to graduate from Harvard and come back to take over the family business." I spun the teacup, speaking with a faint smile: "Your son is indeed a handsome young man. And his boyfriend is quite dashing as well. The last time I saw them in New York, I was kind enough to remind them that HIV is still quite serious in the States." Mrs. Wright clutched her heart and frantically started dialing her phone. Aria let out a cold laugh: "What's the use of only being good with your mouth? You're offending so many powerful wives. Are you complaining that the Sterling family isn't dying fast enough? "Serena Sterling, Preston is mine now, and the Sterling family is finished. I really want to see what you'll use to prop up your stupidity and arrogance when you lose everything you used to rely on." Preston walked into the courtyard wearing a black coat. He lovingly took Aria's outstretched hand and put it into his pocket. He completely ignored my existence as his fiancée. Was it just because of catching him cheating a few years ago and slapping him a few times? He was holding a grudge for this long? I thought to myself, completely unbothered. While keeping my eyes on the notification sent to my phone. In fifteen days, Serena Global would hold an emergency board of directors meeting.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "439674", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel