The Sterling Unveiling: From Humiliation to Heir

I'm Ava Sterling, and my stepfather Richard had commandeered the Sterling ballroom for my stepsister Chloe' s lavish birthday.

She was just a scholarship student, but he doted on her, while I watched her expertly play the sweet, overwhelmed girl.

Mid-party, Richard tapped his champagne flute, and the mood shifted. My stepbrother Ethan put a proprietary arm around Chloe, and Richard announced she'd been viciously cyberbullied.

Then, Ethan turned and glared, fixing his gaze directly on me. Richard, in a disappointed tone, demanded I apologize to Chloe publicly, "Now."