THE SERVANT HUSBAND IS THE QUADRILLIONAIRE HEIR

Chapter 4

MICHAEL'S POV

Dr. Peterson's face broke into a triumphant grin as Director Harrison burst through the doors. 

"Director Harrison! Perfect timing. This woman just assaulted me, and this deadbeat—" he pointed at me "—owes us nearly a hundred thousand dollars. I need you to call security and have them both arrested immediately."

But instead of the backup Peterson expected, Director Harrison's reaction was the exact opposite.

 His face went from flushed panic to absolute terror as his eyes found Victoria Sterling.

Without hesitation, he dropped into a deep bow, his voice trembling with nervousness. 

"Ms. Sterling, I am deeply sorry for this inexcusable situation. Please accept my most sincere apologies."

Then, to my complete shock, he turned to me and bowed just as deeply.

 "Mr. Thompson, I cannot express how sorry I am for the treatment you've received at our facility. This is absolutely unacceptable."

Dr. Peterson's mouth fell open.

 "Director, what are you doing? This man is a nobody! He can't even pay his bills!"

Harrison straightened up, ignoring Peterson completely.

 "Mr. Thompson, please allow me to immediately transfer your mother to our most luxurious VIP suite. She'll receive the finest care available, with our top medical team attending to her personally."

My head was spinning.

 First Victoria Sterling, now the hospital director himself was treating me like royalty. 

"Who... who exactly are you?" I whispered to Victoria.

"Explanations will come later," she replied calmly.

 "Right now, your mother needs immediate attention."

I nodded, my priorities snapping back into focus. 

"Yes, please. Get her to emergency care right now. Save her life first."

"Of course," Harrison said, frantically waving over a team of nurses.

 "Prep the trauma bay immediately! I want our best surgeons on this case!"

The lobby had fallen silent except for whispered conversations breaking out everywhere.

 I caught fragments:

 "Who is that guy?" 

"Did you see how the director bowed to him?"

 "What kind of connections does he have?"

Dr. Peterson stepped forward, still confused by the sudden shift in dynamics.

 "Director Harrison, I don't understand what's happening here, but this man has eighty-seven thousand dollars in unpaid medical bills. Hospital policy clearly states—"

CRACK!

Director Harrison's hand connected with Peterson's face in a sharp slap that echoed through the lobby. Peterson staggered backward, his cheek already turning red.

"How dare you!" Harrison roared. "You're fired, effective immediately!"

"What? You can't fire me! I've been here for fifteen years!"

"Security!" Harrison barked. 

Two guards immediately appeared at his side.

 "Escort Dr. Peterson to the police station. He's being charged with accepting bribes and extortion."

Peterson's face went white. 

"You can't prove anything!"

"Your offshore accounts say otherwise," Victoria Sterling interjected coolly.

 "I've already forwarded the evidence to the district attorney."

"This is impossible!" Peterson screamed as the guards grabbed his arms.

 "I have connections! I know people!"

"Not anymore," Harrison said coldly.

 "Your medical license will be permanently revoked. You'll never practice medicine again."

The guards began dragging Peterson toward the exit as he continued to protest and beg. "Please! I have a family! I'll pay everything back!"

But Harrison had already turned away, focused entirely on ensuring Mom's care. 

Within minutes, she was being wheeled toward the elevator by a team of the hospital's finest doctors and nurses.

As the chaos settled and Mom disappeared into the elevator, I finally felt like I could breathe again. 

She was going to be okay.

 That's all that mattered.

I turned to Victoria Sterling, who had been watching everything with the calm detachment of someone used to wielding absolute power.

"Now," I said, my voice still shaky from everything that had happened, "I need to know who you are. And more importantly, who you think I am."

Victoria's expression softened slightly.

"You were born into one of the most powerful families on earth, Michael. The Sterling Dynasty has controlled global commerce, politics, and military affairs for over two centuries."

"Sterling? But my name is Thompson."

"That was the name given to you by your adoptive mother. Your real name is Michael Sterling." She paused, studying my reaction. 

"When you were just one year old, our family was targeted by enemies who sought to destroy us completely. In a single night, they nearly succeeded."

My chest tightened.

 "What happened to my parents?"

"They died defending the family, fighting to their last breath to protect what generations had built. You disappeared during the chaos. We searched for you for years, assuming you had been killed alongside them."

The weight of her words hit me like a physical blow. 

I had parents. Real parents who had loved me enough to die for their family.

"Who killed them?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Victoria's expression hardened.

 "Knowing that now would serve no purpose except to put you in danger. When the time is right, when you're ready, all will be revealed."

"I want to know now."

"Michael, your grandfather single-handedly rebuilt everything from ashes. The Sterling Dynasty is now worth hundreds of billions of dollars. Our influence spans every continent, every major industry. Even heads of state seek our approval before making important decisions."

 Her eyes bored into mine.

 "You are the sole heir to all of it. But with that power comes enemies who would kill you without hesitation if they knew you were alive."

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed. Sarah's name appeared on the screen, and my stomach dropped. 

With everything that had happened, I'd completely forgotten about Derek's taunts from earlier.

"Hello?"

"Where the hell are you?" Sarah's voice was sharp with irritation. "I've been calling for hours."

"I'm at the hospital. My mother—"

"I don't care about your mother right now, Michael. Today is Grandma Fletcher's birthday banquet. The entire family will be there, and you know how important this is."

My jaw clenched. After everything I'd just been through, she was worried about a party?

"Sarah, my mother nearly died today. She's in emergency surgery right now."

"That's unfortunate, but it doesn't change our obligations. Our branch of the family is already on thin ice with the main family. This banquet is our chance to make a good impression, maybe even secure some business opportunities."

I closed my eyes, feeling the familiar weight of being treated like an accessory to her family's ambitions.

"You need to be at the Grandview Hotel ballroom in thirty minutes," she growled.