“Mr. Carter, this changes everything,” the lawyer announced, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife.

Vivien’s smile disappeared, replaced by a look of shock. She tried to protest, but the lawyer silenced her with a raised hand. “James left Lucian the controlling interest in the company, and his personal estate,” he declared.

The room erupted into chaos. Khloe and Elias, who had been silent observers, sprang into action, their voices a cacophony of disbelief and indignation. But I tuned them out, my focus solely on Vivien. Her carefully constructed world was crumbling, and for the first time, she had nothing to say.