Chapter 13 - the woman with lily’s eyes
Ruth was taken upstairs and examined by a doctor.
She had been frightened and left without water for several hours, but she had not suffered a serious injury.
The hidden archive was sealed as a crime scene.
Federal investigators arrived before evening.
The wedding guests learned that the ceremony had been canceled. News stations reported financial fraud, forged identities and an attempted theft of the Vale family trust.
They did not yet know about the children’s files.
Adrian gathered Lily, Ruth, Margaret and Celeste in the library.
Celeste was still under guard.
Adrian placed the photograph on the table.
“Who is this woman?”
Ruth touched the image.
“Her name is Elena Arden.”
“Claire’s sister?” Lily asked.
“Her older twin.”
“Twins do not usually have different ages,” Margaret said.
“They were born eleven minutes apart. Elena never allowed Claire to forget it.”
“Why did no one mention her?” Adrian asked.
“Because Elena was removed from the family when they were young,” Ruth said. “Their mother died. Their father owed money to dangerous people. Elena was placed with one family. Claire was placed with another.”
“Through this archive?” Lily asked.
Ruth nodded.
“They found each other again as adults.”
“Which one gave birth to Lily?” Adrian asked.
“That is where the records conflict.”
Ruth explained that Claire arrived at the Vale mansion pregnant. She claimed the baby was hers and asked Evelyn for protection.
Elena appeared shortly before the birth.
The sisters argued constantly.
Claire believed Elena worked for Victor Marrow.
Elena claimed she had infiltrated his network to find children taken through the archive.
“On the night Lily was born,” Ruth continued, “I was sent out of the room. When I returned, Claire was gone. Elena was holding the baby.”
“The photograph,” Lily said.
“Yes.”
“Did Elena say whose baby I was?”
“She said Claire had delivered safely and left to draw danger away from the mansion.”
“But you did not believe her,” Adrian said.
“I found blood on Elena’s coat and two passports in her bag.”
Lily’s voice became quiet.
“Did she hurt Claire?”
“I don’t know.”
“What happened to Elena?”
“Evelyn hid her in the west wing for several weeks. Then Elena disappeared too.”
Margaret walked toward the window.
“Thomas believed one sister had killed the other.”
“Which one?” Adrian asked.
“He never knew.”
Celeste spoke from beside the door.
“My father knew.”
Everyone turned.
“He helped Elena leave the country,” she said. “Years later, a woman contacted him using Claire’s name.”
“Where?” Adrian asked.
“Switzerland. Then Prague. Then somewhere in Canada.”
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Because I needed to know which sister she was.”
“And do you?”
Celeste looked at Lily.
“No.”
Adrian’s hands tightened.
“You planned to steal my trust.”
“I planned to access the sealed account containing Victor’s original files.”
“You intended to have me declared unstable.”
“That conversation was staged for Julian.”
“You threatened my daughter.”
“I warned her.”
“You tracked her.”
“Julian tracked the camcorder. I followed the signal because I knew he would.”
Adrian shook his head.
“You lied every day for two years.”
“Yes.”
“Did you ever intend to marry me?”
Celeste’s eyes lowered.
“At first, the marriage was the easiest way into the trust.”
“And later?”
She looked at him but did not answer.
Adrian turned away.
The silence was answer enough, but it changed nothing.
Celeste had still manipulated him.
She had still used Lily.
Whatever feelings had developed could not erase the choices she had made.
Adrian faced the officers.
“Take her.”
Celeste did not resist.
As she reached the library door, Lily called her name.
Celeste looked back.
“Did you know Mom would die that night?”
“No,” she said. “Evelyn was the first person who ever tried to save me.”
“Then why didn’t you save her?”
Celeste’s composure finally broke.
“Because I was seventeen, and I was afraid.”
She was led away.
Ruth watched the door close.
“She is telling the truth about that.”
Adrian looked at Ruth.
May you like
“How can you be certain?”
“Because I was the one who told Celeste to run.”
