JULIET
It’s Monday morning.The main conference room is full, and everyone is buzzing.
No one knows what this is about. We usually only have company-wide meetings after the first of the year. So of course, everyone has their theories.
Corporate takeover announcement?
Caleb’s stepping down?
Sterling Cross has made a major acquisition?
I’m buzzing, too, and it’s not just because I’m one of the few in the know. I’ve been this way, practically flying, ever since Caleb told me he loved me. I’ve been smiling, ear-to-ear, even through all the meetings we’ve had since returning to the city: with Caleb’s lawyers, with investigators, and even the police and FBI. We’ve been through hours of them, but it doesn’t matter.
Now that we’re together, nothing can bring me down.
Mara leans over. “Any clues? I’m dying to know what’s going on. The design staff has a pool going, ten bucks on Caleb throttling Seb Wolfe right here in the middle of the room.”
I laugh. “Sorry, my lips are sealed.”
Caleb appears at the front of the room, back to his crisp suits and ties. It’s a world away from the rugged, upstate Caleb in his jeans and sweaty glory, but he looks just as devastating.
And today, he’s wearing casual confidence, looking like nothing in the world could ruffle him.
“Good morning, everyone,” he says, commanding attention as he glances over the crowd. “I’m sure you’re all wondering why I called this impromptu meeting, so I won’t hold you in suspense.”
His eyes finally find mine among the audience. His lips quirk into a little smile, just for me. “This information will soon be reported by the press, so I wanted you to hear it from me, first. A family secret that it’s high time was brought into the light.” He pauses. “Sterling Cross was built by my father, Jacob Sterling, Olivia’s father, Charles Cross, and a secret third partner named Roman Barretti, who has known ties to organized crime in the city.”
Gasps of surprise sound around me.
“My father ended the partnership before his death,” Caleb continues, “But for years, the Barretti family has been extorting money from this company. From my family. Well, that ends today.”
There’s the buzz of furious whispering around the room, and I don’t blame them. The Barretti name is infamous in New York City. Drugs, crime, even murder…
And from today, it will be forever tied to Sterling Cross.
David raises his hand. “Why reveal this now—without consulting your PR team?” he adds, clearly annoyed.
Caleb stands calmly. “I’m done with keeping these family secrets. Now is time to come clean, so we can move on with a clean slate.”
His eyes sweep over the group as he waits for the commotion to die down. They land on me. Another smile that makes my insides go soft.
Again, it disappears quickly. The last thing he wants is his employees thinking he’s making light of this situation. But I can’t help beaming with pride. It’s almost like I can see this weight, slipping from his shoulders.
He’s finally facing the truth—and instead of it making him appear weak, or diminished, he seems stronger than ever.
He motions for quiet. “I’ve spoken with the FBI, and as of ten minutes ago, they’ve raided the Barretti headquarters and taken Nero Barretti into custody. Right now, that’s all I can tell you, because everything’s still developing. But I wanted you to be the first to know, to be transparent and avoid speculation. I’ll be briefing PR this afternoon. Again, I thank you all for your loyalty. It means the most to both the Cross and the Sterling families.”
He steps away. Announcement over.
And what a bombshell it was.
People file out, many stopping to shake his hand as they go. It looks like his honesty made an impression, even if everyone is still buzzing with the scandal of it all. I know that the minute they get back to their desks, messages and DMs will be flying—and then it’s only a matter of seconds before the news spreads. Tabloids. Cable news. A story like this will be irresistible.
But it’s not just a scandalous story—it’s Caleb’s family. His life.
I follow him to his office. “How does it feel, now that the secret is out?” I ask, concerned.
He lets out a long breath. “I’m not sure just yet,” he admits, looking conflicted. “A part of me is relieved, but this is my family name. In the end… I can’t protect the past at the price of our future.”