“Julian has managed the shipping division well,” Nathaniel said.

“But that is your decision, Valerie.”

“The company is yours.”

I looked down at the first page of the document.

The text was dense, filled with legal terms and references to trusts established in 1954.

“Julian stays,” I said.

Miranda gasped, taking a step forward.

“You would let him work for you?” she asked.

“He is a Sterling.”

“He is the only one who actually knows how the ships run,” I said.

“And he did not know about the fraud.”

“Is that true, Julian?” I asked him directly.

Julian nodded slowly.

“I didn’t know,” Julian said.

“I suspected my mother was hiding something about the estate, but I didn’t know about you.”

“I will work under your direction,” Julian said.

“If you will have me.”

“We will see how you perform,” I said.

I pressed the nib of the pen to the paper.

The blue ink flowed smoothly, leaving my name at the bottom of the first sheet: *Valerie Sterling Cross*.

It felt strange to write those names together.