“Because Arthur Sterling took everything from me, except you,” Isabel replied. She explained that twenty-six years ago, she was a maid in the Sterling estate. Arthur had just entered an arranged marriage with Victoria Montero, a socialite. Arthur and Isabel had fallen in love in secret. “He promised we would be a family,” Isabel whispered. “He even took that sunflower photo. But when Victoria found out, she gave him an ultimatum: his career and reputation, or us. He chose his career.”
Isabel explained that Arthur had given her money to disappear. She never told him she was pregnant, but later sent letters and photos—letters that were never answered.
Sophie decided to stay at the firm, driven by a mix of resentment and a need for the truth. However, Victoria Sterling sensed a threat. She began sabotaging Sophie’s work—deleting files to get her fired. Arthur, however, recognized the sabotage. “I know my wife,” he told Sophie. “And I know excellence. You aren’t responsible for these errors.”