The quiet penthouse grew so still you could hear a pin drop. Evelyn leaned closer to the bright laptop screen, her breath caught in her throat. Julian stood right beside her, his arm wrapped around her waist, his body stiff as iron as he stared at Arthur Sterling on the video.

Arthur took a long breath on the screen. He adjusted his simple glasses and looked straight into the camera, his warm eyes full of serious emotion.

"I know what everyone in this city believes," Arthur spoke softly through the speakers. "The newspapers said the Vance family stole my company. People said Julian's father ruined my life and took my...