Chapter 73: Royal??
Miles sat at his desk, the room dim except for the warm glow of his table lamp. Outside, the sounds of the neighborhood were distant—peaceful. The envelope lay open before him, the letter inside carrying the weight of silence and time.
He took a deep breath and began to read.
Dear Grandchild Miles,
If you are reading this, it means you are an adult now, and I have still not returned.
My sudden disappearance may have brought confusion or even pain to the family, but I had no choice. Staying would’ve caused more trouble—not just for me, but for Edward, Elena, and especially for you.
There are things you were never told. Things your father, I’m sure, kept hidden to protect you.
To understand my decision, you must first understand the truth about our family.
The Sterling family is not what it seems.
A century ago, we were more than just a prominent family—we were royalty. The land we stand on today was once ruled by a Sterling king. But our king, your ancestor, wasn’t a man of ego. He was a visionary.
When he saw that the world was shifting—moving away from monarchs and into the age of democracy—he made a choice that changed everything.
Instead of resisting the change, he embraced it. Quietly, and with great precision, he dismantled the empire’s political power and converted it all—estates, gold, influence—into business. Trade routes became shipping companies. Armories became manufacturing plants. Private lands turned into cities and real estate.
By the time the monarchy faded from the eyes of the world, the Sterling family had already stepped into the world as something new—hidden, but stronger.