Chapter 9 - The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Gone
Celeste refused to explain the recording.
She listened to it in Daniel’s study, her face unreadable.
When Eleanor mentioned Adrian’s name, Celeste closed her eyes.
“Is he alive?” Emily asked.
Celeste remained silent.
Daniel struck the desk with his palm.
“Is Adrian alive?”
“Yes.”
The answer seemed to drain the room of air.
Vanessa stood near the fireplace, but she did not appear surprised.
Daniel looked at her.
“You knew.”
Vanessa lifted her chin. “He contacted me two years ago.”
“And you said nothing?”
“He is my father.”
“He is also the owner of a company trying to destroy Ashbourne Global.”
“He said the company was stolen from him.”
Celeste laughed bitterly.
“Adrian says whatever gives him control.”
Vanessa turned on her mother.
“You told me he abandoned us.”
“He did.”
“He said you forced him to leave.”
“I saved your life.”
“By making me believe my father hated me?”
“By preventing him from turning you into this.”
Vanessa’s eyes flashed.
“Into what?”
Celeste did not answer.
Emily placed the cassette on the desk.
“What did Eleanor mean when she called Daniel a weapon?”
Celeste sat down slowly.
“After Margaret’s accident, Eleanor believed Adrian had caused it.”
Daniel frowned. “Why?”
“Margaret had discovered Adrian was stealing from the family trust. She planned to expose him.”
“And Emily?”
Celeste looked at her.
“You were born the night Margaret was brought to the hospital.”
“But Margaret wasn’t my mother.”
“No.”
“Then who was?”
Celeste’s hands tightened together.
“I was.”
Emily stared at her.
Vanessa whispered, “No.”
For the first time, mother and daughter appeared equally shocked.
Celeste continued before either could interrupt.
“I was pregnant. Eleanor knew, but almost no one else did. Adrian was the father.”
Emily took a step backward.
“That would make Vanessa my sister.”
“Half sister,” Celeste said.
Vanessa shook her head violently.
“She’s lying.”
“I wish I were.”
“Why would you give her away and keep me?”
Celeste looked at Vanessa with visible pain.
“Because Adrian knew about you. He did not know Emily had survived.”
Emily could barely speak.
“What happened at the hospital?”
“Margaret’s boat exploded near Eleanor House. She was found injured and brought to Saint Catherine’s. I was already there because my labor had begun early. The hospital lost power during the storm. Records became confused.”
“That doesn’t explain why Margaret was photographed holding me.”
“Margaret agreed to pretend you were her child. Eleanor believed Adrian would never stop searching for my baby if he knew she lived. But if he believed Margaret’s child had died in the accident, you would be safe.”
Daniel picked up the blood report.
“Why was Alexander listed as the father?”
“Eleanor created several false versions. Each pointed toward a different man.”
“To hide Adrian,” Marcus said.
Celeste nodded.
Emily felt anger rising through the shock.
“You visited me when I was six.”
“Yes.”
“You frightened my parents.”
“Yes.”
“You let me believe my mother abandoned me.”
Celeste looked at her.
“I abandoned you to keep you alive.”
“That doesn’t make it hurt less.”
“No,” Celeste whispered. “It does not.”
Vanessa moved toward the door.
Daniel blocked her.
“Where are you going?”
“To get away from this performance.”
Celeste stood.
“Vanessa, listen to me. Adrian contacted you because he discovered the trust had activated.”
“You don’t know him.”
“I know him better than anyone.”
“He loves me.”
“He uses love as a door.”
Vanessa’s mouth tightened.
“You chose her over me before she was even born.”
“I chose to hide the child he did not know existed.”
“You kept her safe and left me with your lies.”
“I stayed beside you every day.”
“But you wanted her.”
Vanessa looked at Emily with tears in her eyes, though her voice remained sharp.
“She gets the company, Daniel’s protection, and the truth. What do I get?”
Emily answered quietly.
“A chance to stop helping the man who is destroying all of us.”
Vanessa’s expression closed.
“You still think this is about money.”
She left the room.
Minutes later, Marcus received an alert.
Vanessa had driven through the east gate.
The tracker on her car showed her heading toward an industrial district near the river.
Daniel and Marcus followed.
Emily insisted on going with them.
The tracker stopped beside an abandoned shipping warehouse.
Through a broken upper window, they saw Vanessa speaking to a tall man with silver hair.
Adrian Vale.
May you like
He placed one hand on his daughter’s shoulder.
Then he handed her a diamond necklace.
