The Godfather's Love Has Expired Chapter 7

When the plane landed in Europe, I looked out at the ancient castles.

It felt like a lifetime had passed.

My father was waiting for me.

The Godfather of the Sterling family looked older. His hair was white at the temples.

His eyes reddened the moment he saw me.

Years ago, when the family moved operations to Europe, I had refused to go.

I stayed in the US for Julian. I even cut ties with my father.

We hadn't spoken in six years.

"Dad..."

I choked back tears and hugged him.

"I'm sorry. I was so stupid. I abandoned you for that bastard."

My father held me tight.

He didn't scold me.

"You're home. That's all that matters."

I cried in his arms.

I finally understood.

Family is the only true harbor.

I had been blind, treating a man who divorced me seven times as my home.

In the car, my father handed me a file.

"I've acquired 17% of the Costello Group's shares."

I shook my head.

"You don't have to take revenge for me."

"I want to handle my own grudges."

"It's not revenge," my father said seriously.

"It's a welcome-home gift. You're taking over the family business."

Three years later.

"Miss Sterling, here is the Q3 financial report. Net profit is up 65%."

My assistant handed me the documents.

I stood in front of a floor-to-ceiling window in a custom suit, looking down at the financial district.

In three years, I had gone from the bottom to the top.

I was now the head of the Sterling family.

Family assets had tripled. Forbes called me the "Queen of Commerce."

Meanwhile, the Costello Group was failing.

Julian was drowning in falling stock prices and lost territory.

He had never stopped looking for me.

One day, he saw me on a global news broadcast representing the Sterling family.

Julian stared at the 85-inch screen on his wall.

The woman on the screen was wearing Jimmy Choo heels and a sharp Max Mara blazer.

When the camera zoomed in on her hand signing a document, the wedding ring he had made for her was gone.

"Book a flight to Geneva. Now," he ordered.

He grabbed his jacket, knocking over a cup of coffee. The dark liquid stained the report of his quarterly losses.

"No. Get the private jet ready."

His assistant tried to stop him.

"But sir, you have a meeting with the bankers in thirty minutes..."

"Get out of my way!"

Julian's roar shook the office.

He stared at the screen as I shook hands with a diplomat.

"Tell finance to raise the interest rate on the equity pledged to the bank by another two points. I don't care what it costs."

As his Gulfstream G650 tore through the sky, I was sitting in the executive lounge of the Four Seasons Hotel.

I received a special package.

Inside the bubble wrap were seven gold-stamped marriage certificates and seven dark red divorce certificates.

A note from Chloe was tucked inside:

He said if he found all of these, you'd come back.

I pressed the service bell.

I smiled at the waiter.

"Please put these through the shredder."