Alex flew specialists in from everywhere.
Child psychiatrists from London.
Speech therapists from Boston.
Experts in trauma-induced mutism from private clinics across Europe.
They all said the same thing, gently, carefully:
“There’s nothing physically wrong.
Your son can speak.
But his mind has built a wall to protect itself.”
Ethan ran through the gardens.
He drew pictures with astonishing detail.
He played for hours with his wooden blocks.
But in every drawing, one thing was missing.
His mother.
It was as if his hand refused to draw what his heart couldn’t survive naming.
Not speaking was his shield.
And every silent day felt like punishment to Alex — a man who could buy companies, influence governments, and move markets with a single phone call… but couldn’t coax even one word from his own child.
The Party That Was a Lie
The gala that night was supposed to reassure the world.
Sterling Industries is stable.
The empire is strong.
Nothing has changed.
But standing there, gripping the microphone, Alex felt something inside him fracture.
He looked again at Ethan — small, silent, invisible among the glittering crowd — and realized he was done pretending.
He raised his glass.
“Thank you for coming,” he said, his voice steady, practiced.
The room quieted instantly.
When Alex Sterling spoke, people listened.
“I have an announcement,” he continued.
“And this one isn’t about business.”
A ripple of unease moved through the guests.
He paused.
Then he said it.
“Whoever can make my son speak again… will marry me.”
The silence that followed was unbearable.
Glasses froze mid-air.
Someone gasped.
A few people laughed nervously, expecting a punchline.
Alex didn’t smile.
“A legal contract will be prepared tomorrow,” he added coldly.
“The woman who gives my son his voice back will become my wife — and the lady of this house.”
Some women lowered their eyes.
Others began calculating.
Five billion.
A legacy.
A name.
Even if there was a broken child in the middle of it all.
The Woman No One Noticed
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