Chapter 9 - CELESTE TALKS
Celeste contacted me before we could contact her.
The message arrived through an encrypted address.
ONE MEETING.
NO GRANT.
NO POLICE.
BRING ARTHUR.
Helen hated the idea.
Arthur insisted we listen.
The meeting took place through secure video.
Celeste appeared on screen from an unknown room.
No gold dress.
No makeup.
Hair pulled back.
She looked ten years older than the woman in the hotel lobby.
For several seconds we stared at each other.
Then she spoke.
“I’m sorry about the hotel.”
I almost laughed.
“That’s what you’re sorry about?”
She looked down.
“No.”
“Were you sleeping with my husband?”
“Yes.”
The honesty surprised me.
“For how long?”
“Eight months.”
“Did you know him before that?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“My whole life.”
Arthur leaned forward.
“What is Peter doing in Geneva?”
Celeste ignored him.
“Mara, Grant didn’t start this.”
“I know.”
Her eyes widened slightly.
“You opened the boxes.”
“Yes.”
“Then you know about Evelyn.”
“Yes.”
Celeste looked frightened.
That mattered.
“You’re afraid of my aunt.”
“She’s why I left.”
“Why?”
“Because Grant changed the plan.”
I stared at her.
“What plan?”
“Originally, he was supposed to marry you, stay married, and wait.”
“For Ellie?”
“For a child.”
My stomach twisted.
“So I was selected?”
Celeste winced.
“Yes.”
Arthur cursed under his breath.
I forced myself to remain still.
“Grant was assigned to marry me?”
“He met you intentionally.”
The room went silent.
Every insecurity I had refused to entertain became real in one sentence.
I wanted to cry.
I did not.
“Continue.”
Celeste swallowed.
“Richard Mercer believed the Kingsleys stole controlling shares that belonged to a consortium he and Peter helped build.”
Arthur interrupted.
“That claim was investigated.”
“I know.”
“It was false.”
“My father doesn’t believe that.”
“Your father believes many convenient things.”
Celeste ignored the insult.
“Evelyn told them the only way to recover control was through succession.”
“Bluebird.”
“Yes.”
“And Grant?”
“He was twenty-two when Evelyn recruited him.”
“Did he agree?”
“At first.”
“At first?”
Celeste took a breath.
“He was angry at the Kingsleys.”
“So he married me.”
“Yes.”
“Did he ever love me?”
Celeste’s face changed.
“I think so.”
That answer hurt more than no.
“You think?”
“He tried to leave the plan twice.”
“When?”
“After your father died.”
“And?”
“Evelyn threatened to expose everything.”
I stared at her.
“What else?”
“After Ellie was born.”
My chest tightened.
Celeste continued.
“Grant told Evelyn he would not take custody.”
“Then why did he build a custody case?”
“Because Evelyn convinced him you were going to remove him from Ellie’s life.”
“That’s absurd.”
“I know.”
“So he changed his mind?”
“No.”
Celeste looked directly into the camera.
“He started building the case because he wanted Evelyn to think he was still cooperating.”
Arthur leaned forward.
“Then why plant evidence?”
“Grant didn’t.”
“His mother did.”
“Vivian believed the plan.”
I felt dizzy.
“Are you telling me Grant was pretending to participate?”
“Partly.”
“That makes no sense.”
“It does if you know what happened three months ago.”
Celeste disappeared briefly from frame.
She returned holding a flash drive.
“Grant found the real Bluebird appendix.”
Arthur froze.
“What appendix?”
“The one Evelyn has been hiding for twenty-three years.”
“What does it say?”
Celeste looked at me.
“It says Ellie is not simply the beneficiary of the Kingsley voting shares.”
My pulse accelerated.
“What else?”
“She owns the evidence.”
“What evidence?”
“Evidence proving Evelyn Shaw stole nearly three hundred million dollars from both families.”
Arthur stood.
Celeste continued.
“Your father discovered it before he died.”
I stared at her.
“Why would he place evidence in my daughter’s trust?”
“Because he didn’t trust the adults.”
Arthur looked devastated.
Celeste’s eyes filled with tears.
“There’s one more thing.”
“What?”
“Grant learned Evelyn plans to trigger Bluebird before Ellie’s birthday.”
“How?”
Celeste shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
“Where is Grant now?”
She hesitated.
“You don’t know?”
“I haven’t spoken to him since the hotel.”
Suddenly someone pounded on Celeste’s door.
She turned.
Her face drained of color.
“Celeste?”
“Mara, listen.”
The pounding came again.
“If anything happens to me, Grant put a copy in Ellie’s rabbit.”
My heart stopped.
“What?”
May you like
“The stuffed rabbit.”
The video went black.
