Chapter 9 - Raymond Stands UpThe silence in the auditorium was suffocating, heavy with shock and disgust.
Then, the scraping of a wooden chair broke the quiet.
Raymond Sterling stood up.
He did not look like a grieving father; he looked like an executioner. He adjusted his cuffs, leaned his silver-topped cane against his seat, and stepped into the center aisle. He turned slowly to face Daniel and Lorraine, who were now shrinking back against their chairs, surrounded by the horrified stares of the entire room.
"My name is Raymond Sterling," he said, his voice carrying a deep, resonant authority that commanded absolute silence. "I am the Senior Partner of Sterling, Vance & Associates, and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of this university."
A collective intake of breath swept through the faculty. Everyone knew the Sterling name, but few had connected Claire—who had insisted on using her married name, Vance, to keep her academic achievements separate from her family's wealth—to the billionaire philanthropist and legal titan.
"For the past three years," Raymond said, his eyes locking onto Daniel like a laser, "I have watched my daughter attempt to build a life with a parasite. I honored her request not to interfere, because she believed in the sanctity of her vows. But last night, you crossed a line that cannot be uncrossed."
May you like
He took a step toward them, his boots echoing on the hardwood floor.
"You did not just assault a student of this university," Raymond said, his voice dropping to a dangerous, vibrating growl. "You assaulted my daughter. And you did it to cover up the theft of proprietary technology owned by my venture capital firm."
