Chapter 2 - The Woman Wearing the Emerald
Miriam moved in front of Lily.
Celeste held the elevator doors open with one hand.
Up close, the emerald brooch seemed even larger. A thin golden crown surrounded the green stone, while three tiny diamonds hung beneath it like tears.
“You should not be here,” Celeste said.
“That is not your decision,” Miriam replied.
“Everything that happens inside this hotel is my decision tonight.”
Celeste’s gaze settled on Lily.
“You have your mother’s eyes.”
“Do you know where she is?” Lily asked.
Miriam reached for her, but Celeste answered first.
“Your mother was a thief.”
“She was not.”
“She stole from sick children, disaster victims, and families who had nothing. Then she disappeared before she could be arrested.”
Lily’s eyes filled with tears.
“My mommy helped people.”
“That is what she wanted you to believe.”
Miriam’s voice hardened.
“You forged the records.”
Celeste laughed softly.
“Be careful. Accusing the president of the Royal Heritage Foundation without evidence could have consequences.”
“The evidence is in this building.”
Celeste’s smile disappeared again.
For one second, all three of them stood in silence.
Then Celeste looked at the hairpins.
“Are you certain?”
Miriam realized she had said too much.
The elevator doors began to close.
Celeste stepped out before they met.
Two members of gala security appeared behind her.
“Escort Mrs. Bell from the hotel,” Celeste ordered. “The child may remain until I determine where she belongs.”
Lily grabbed Miriam’s hand.
“No.”
Miriam pulled the leather bag from her shoulder and gave it to Lily.
“Find Adrian.”
“I am not leaving you.”
“Listen to me. Your mother did not send you here to hide.”
The security officers took Miriam by the arms.
She did not fight them.
Instead, she bent toward Lily and spoke rapidly.
“The fourth pin opens with the lullaby. The others open in order. Do not trust the police. Do not trust Lucien. If Adrian recognizes the crest, show him the photograph.”
“What photograph?”
“You will understand.”
The guards pulled Miriam away.
Lily ran after them, but Celeste caught her wrist.
“Let me go.”
Celeste looked at the nearest security camera, then released Lily carefully.
“No one is holding you.”
“You took Miriam.”
“She entered a private event without permission.”
“She had an invitation.”
Celeste took the cream envelope from Lily’s hand.
When she saw Elena’s name, anger passed across her face.
“This invitation became invalid the day Elena betrayed this family.”
She tore it in half.
Lily stared at the pieces.
Her fear changed into something stronger.
She picked them up from the floor, placed them inside Miriam’s leather bag, and walked toward the main ballroom.
Celeste followed.
“Where do you think you are going?”
“To find the man who kneels.”
Celeste stopped.
For the first time, Lily saw uncertainty in her eyes.
The ballroom doors opened.
Music, laughter, and warm light filled the corridor.
Hundreds of guests stood beneath the chandeliers. A small orchestra played beside the marble staircase. At the front of the room, Adrian Ashbourne spoke with a group of government officials.
Lily recognized him from news photographs.
He looked younger than Miriam had described, though his eyes seemed tired. He wore a black tuxedo with no royal medals, no family crest, and no sign that he had once been called Prince Adrian.
Lily started toward him.
Celeste caught up.
“You will not speak to him.”
“My mother said I should.”
“Your mother lost the right to give instructions.”
Lily tried to move around her.
Celeste raised her voice.
“Security.”
Conversations stopped.
Guests turned.
Celeste pointed toward Lily’s worn dress and muddy shoes.
“This child entered through the service corridor. She has been stealing from the guests.”
“I did not steal anything.”
Celeste opened Miriam’s leather bag.
Inside were several old letters, a wooden music box, a photograph wrapped in cloth, and a small velvet pouch.
Celeste removed the pouch and emptied it onto a table.
Two antique coins fell out.
Several guests murmured.
Lily had never seen the coins before.
“Those are not mine.”
Celeste lifted one of them.
“This was donated to the foundation’s royal collection.”
“You put it there.”
Celeste turned toward the crowd.
“Her mother stole from this family as well.”
Adrian looked up.
Lily saw him searching the room for the source of the commotion.
She tried to call his name, but a security officer stepped between them.
Celeste reached toward Lily’s braids.
“I wonder what else she has hidden.”
She pulled one of the silver hairpins free.
Lily cried out.
The braid unraveled.
Celeste dropped the pin on the floor.
Then she removed another.
Guests shifted uncomfortably, but no one intervened.
“Stop,” Lily pleaded.
Celeste pulled out the third pin.
The remaining pins loosened and began falling around Lily’s feet.
Her carefully braided hair came apart.
Tears ran down her face as she knelt to collect the silver pieces.
Celeste pointed toward the entrance.
“Get this street trash out of my gala.”
A man’s voice came from behind her.
“Step away from the child.”
Adrian Ashbourne crossed the ballroom.
Celeste quickly changed her expression.
“Adrian, this is Elena’s daughter. She was caught stealing.”
Adrian did not look at her.
His eyes were fixed on the hairpin in Lily’s hand.
May you like
He stopped in front of the crying little girl.
Then he knelt.
