Chapter 8 - THE MISTRESS WHO WANTED MY LIFE
Celeste Bain requested a meeting.
I almost refused.
Then Margaret advised me to hear what she wanted to say, with counsel present.
We met in a conference room at Vale Harbor.
Celeste arrived wearing a gray coat.
No scarlet.
No bright lipstick.
She looked tired.
“Elise,” she said.
I nodded.
“Celeste.”
She sat down.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then she whispered:
“I'm sorry.”
I stared.
“For what?”
She swallowed.
“For Adrian.”
I nodded.
“Continue.”
Celeste looked down.
“He told me your marriage was over.”
I felt a familiar ache.
“Did he?”
She nodded.
“He said you were separated emotionally.”
I almost laughed.
She continued.
“He said you stayed together for appearances.”
I stared.
“And you believed him?”
Celeste hesitated.
“At first.”
I leaned forward.
“What changed?”
She looked away.
“He kept going home.”
Silence.
Celeste swallowed.
“He kept calling you.”
I nodded.
“He kept wearing his wedding ring.”
She began crying.
I watched her.
I didn't feel sympathy.
Not yet.
But I didn't feel the rage I'd expected either.
Then she said something that changed the conversation.
“Adrian told me you were going to sign the hotel agreement.”
I stared.
“What?”
She nodded.
“He said you'd already agreed.”
I felt cold.
“Did you help prepare the documents?”
Celeste hesitated.
Then whispered:
“Yes.”
Margaret leaned forward.
“Which documents?”
Celeste looked at her.
“The partnership presentation.”
“And?”
Silence.
Celeste swallowed.
“The authorization forms.”
I stared.
“Did you know my signature was forged?”
Her eyes filled.
“I suspected.”
The room went silent.
I took a slow breath.
“Celeste, you need your own lawyer.”
She nodded.
“I know.”
Then she reached into her bag.
And placed a flash drive on the table.
“Adrian doesn't know I copied these.”
I stared.
“What are they?”
She swallowed.
“Emails. Draft contracts. Internal messages.”
Margaret looked at the drive.
Celeste continued.
“Thomas Reed wasn't just trying to sell the hotel.”
May you like
I felt cold.
“He was trying to make it look like your father had approved the sale before he died.”
