The Poor Daughter They Ignored Was Actually A Billionaire Chapter 01
The call from my mother came in while I was signing a twenty-million-dollar cancer-drug patent licensing deal.
She didn’t ask how I was.
She never did.
“Your sister is getting married this weekend. You need to come home.”
Then she added, “Wear something decent. The Sterlings are old money. Don’t embarrass Sabrina.”
The line went dead.
I looked at the contract on my desk.
Twenty million dollars.
That was just the licensing fee.
It did not include royalties.
It did not include the equity I still held in Arclight Therapeutics.
And it definitely did not include what my company was worth after our latest funding round.
One point eight billion dollars.
My phone buzzed again.
The Bennett family group chat.
I had kept it muted for months.
My older brother Elliot had tagged me.
“Elena, seriously. Buy a real dress for once. Sabrina’s marrying Julian Sterling. Everyone at that wedding matters.”
A message from Ethan Cole came right after.
Ethan had grown up next door to us.
Once, I thought he was my closest friend.
“It’s been ten years since high school. If you’d worked half as hard as Sabrina, maybe you wouldn’t still be answering phones at some tiny clinic in Boston.”
Melanie Reed, my former best friend, joined in.
“Don’t be mean. Elena’s doing her best.”
Then another message.
“Sabrina’s marrying into one of the richest pharmaceutical families on the East Coast. Elena, if money is tight, just come home. Maybe Julian can get you a receptionist job at Sterling Pharma.”
I leaned back in my chair.
Sterling Pharma.
That was almost funny.
Richard Sterling, the chairman of Sterling Pharmaceuticals, had been trying to get thirty minutes on my calendar for three months.
His company had poured more than a billion dollars into a new cancer program.
It was stalled.
They needed one patent.
Mine.
My assistant, Emma, had declined them three times.
The group chat kept lighting up.
Sabrina finally appeared.
“Guys, stop. She’s my sister.”
A second later, a Venmo notification popped up.
Sabrina Bennett sent you $0.01.
Memo:
For your flight home ❤️
I stared at the screen.
One cent.
Elliot sent a voice message almost immediately.
“Elena, don’t actually take that. Sabrina has a wedding to pay for.”
Ethan:
“Seriously. She makes good money, but that doesn’t mean you get to use her.”
Melanie:
“Can everyone calm down? Elena probably didn’t mean to accept it.”
I had not even touched the payment.
I sent Sabrina one cent back.
Memo:
Returned.
The chat went silent.
For maybe five seconds.
Then Elliot exploded.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
Ethan:
“A penny is still a gesture.”
Melanie:
“Sabrina was trying to be kind. You didn’t have to humiliate her.”
Sabrina sent a voice memo.
Her voice was soft.
Careful.
The same voice she had used since we were children whenever she wanted to hurt me without looking cruel.
“Elena, please don’t be upset. I just worry about you.”
“I know Boston is expensive.”
“And I already talked to Julian. Sterling Pharma requires degrees for most office jobs, but maybe they can make an exception and let you work reception.”
She paused.
“Please don’t take that the wrong way.”
I took a sip of coffee.
At eighteen, those messages would have kept me awake all night.
At twenty-eight, I felt nothing.
Another knock sounded at my office door.
Emma stepped in.
“Dr. Bennett?”
I looked up.
“Richard Sterling’s office called again.”
She held her tablet against her chest.
“He says he’ll meet anywhere. Any time. He only wants thirty minutes.”
I glanced at the family chat.
Sabrina had just sent another message.
“Can’t wait to see everyone at the wedding! ❤️”
I smiled.
“Don’t decline him this time.”
Emma blinked.
“You’ll meet him?”
“Tell Mr. Sterling I’ll be in Newport this weekend.”
She nodded.
Then she hesitated.
“Should I tell him why?”
“No.”
I picked up my pen and signed the last page of the licensing agreement.
“Let him find out at the wedding.”