Chapter 8 - The Sister in the Blue Dress
Celeste Devereux did not run.
That made it worse.
She simply stood in the snow while every face turned toward her.
Roman’s voice was almost too quiet to hear.
“Lucas.”
The boy stared at his aunt.
“You’re sure?”
Lucas nodded.
Celeste began crying.
Harrison closed his eyes.
Roman stepped toward her.
“Tell me he’s wrong.”
Celeste covered her mouth.
“Tell me.”
“I didn’t mean to.”
Roman stopped.
Claire’s heart sank.
Celeste’s knees buckled.
“I didn’t mean to.”
Agents moved closer.
Roman didn’t seem to see them.
“What did you do?”
Celeste looked at Lucas.
“I thought you were asleep.”
Lucas hid behind Claire.
Celeste began speaking through tears.
“Amelia called me that night. She said she had proof Father had been using Vale companies to move money.”
Harrison said sharply, “Celeste.”
She turned on him.
“No!”
It was the first time Claire had seen her truly angry.
“No more.”
Harrison’s face hardened.
Celeste looked back at Roman.
“Amelia wanted to give you everything.”
“The evidence.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t she?”
“Because Father convinced her someone inside your house was working for him.”
Roman glanced at Mason.
“Was someone?”
Celeste nodded.
“Not Mason.”
“Who?”
Celeste looked toward Harrison.
“My brother Andrew.”
Andrew, standing beside the agents, cursed.
“That’s a lie.”
“No.”
Celeste’s voice shook.
“You gave Father Roman’s schedules.”
Andrew’s face changed.
“You gave him security routes. Vehicle logs. Shipping manifests.”
Roman stared at Andrew.
Andrew said nothing.
Celeste continued.
“Amelia discovered it.”
“Then what happened at the lake?” Claire asked.
Celeste closed her eyes.
“We met there. Amelia gave me the necklace. She said if anything happened, I had to get it to Roman.”
“But you didn’t.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Father arrived.”
Harrison looked away.
“He demanded the necklace.”
“Amelia refused.”
Celeste’s voice broke.
“They screamed at each other. Burke grabbed Amelia. I tried to pull them apart.”
Lucas began crying silently.
Claire covered his ears.
Roman looked at Celeste.
“And you pushed her.”
Celeste nodded.
“She fell.”
Roman’s face went white.
“Where?”
“Down the embankment.”
Claire whispered, “Was she alive?”
“Yes.”
Roman staggered backward.
Celeste sobbed.
“She was alive.”
The world seemed to stop.
Roman’s voice cracked for the first time.
“Then why didn’t you call an ambulance?”
Celeste looked at Harrison.
“He said Burke would take her to the hospital.”
Roman stared.
“You believed him?”
“I was twenty-six! I was terrified!”
“You left my wife with them!”
“I know!”
Roman turned away.
His shoulders shook once.
Claire had never seen grief look like rage trying not to become violence.
Celeste continued.
“Burke put Amelia in the passenger seat.”
Lucas whispered, “Mommy was sleeping.”
Claire looked down.
That was what he had remembered.
His mother not driving.
Celeste nodded.
“They staged the crash.”
Roman looked at Harrison.
“You murdered her.”
Harrison finally spoke.
“I did not order her death.”
“No?”
“She was supposed to be frightened.”
Roman laughed.
The sound was awful.
“You put an unconscious woman into a car.”
“Burke was told to stop before the barrier.”
“But he didn’t.”
Harrison’s expression hardened.
“Burke panicked.”
Claire realized something.
“The delivery driver.”
Roman looked at her.
“The witness said the car lost control.”
Mason nodded slowly.
“Because Burke jumped out?”
Celeste whispered, “Yes.”
Roman’s hands shook.
Harrison said, “I lost a daughter too.”
Roman moved so fast two agents stepped between them.
“You lost nothing.”
Harrison’s voice rose.
“She was my daughter!”
“She was afraid of you!”
The boys were crying now.
Claire pulled them away.
Mrs. Alvarez took Noah and Eli.
Claire kept Lucas and Theo close.
Roman saw them.
Again, he stopped.
Every time the darkness called, his sons pulled him back.
Harrison noticed.
His expression changed.
“You think restraint makes you their father?”
Roman looked at him.
“No.”
He glanced at Claire.
“Showing up does.”
Harrison’s eyes moved to Claire.
There was hatred there.
Not because she had done anything.
Because four boys trusted her.
Because Roman listened to her.
Because Claire represented something he couldn’t purchase or control.
Harrison suddenly smiled.
“You believe any court will leave them with him after today?”
Roman’s expression sharpened.
“What?”
Harrison nodded toward the news helicopters.
“Armed men. Kidnapping. Shootings. Financial crimes.”
“You caused most of it.”
“Can you prove that before the custody hearing?”
Claire’s stomach tightened.
Eleven days had become ten.
Harrison continued.
“The court will see chaos.”
Roman stared at him.
“And you think they’ll give my sons to you?”
Harrison smiled.
“No.”
Celeste looked up.
“What?”
Harrison’s gaze moved toward her.
“Not anymore.”
Understanding crossed Roman’s face.
“Andrew?”
“No.”
Then Harrison looked at Claire.
“You.”
Claire laughed.
“No.”
“You are Devereux blood.”
“No.”
“You are financially unstable.”
“Still no.”
“You have no criminal history. No powerful enemies before yesterday. The children already trust you.”
Roman’s eyes narrowed.
“What are you doing?”
Harrison looked almost pleased.
“Preparing.”
Claire felt sick.
“He’s going to petition for me to become temporary guardian.”
Roman stared.
Harrison nodded.
“If the court decides neither Roman nor I can provide a safe environment, a blood relative with established attachment becomes useful.”
Claire stepped toward him.
“I will refuse.”
“Can you?”
“Yes.”
“Then the boys enter temporary state placement.”
The words struck everyone.
Noah looked up.
“What’s that?”
Claire’s heart broke.
Roman’s face changed.
Harrison smiled.
“You see? We all make choices.”
Federal agents led Andrew away for questioning.
Harrison remained legally untouched.
For now.
Celeste was taken into custody after confessing to evidence tampering and failure to report Amelia’s assault.
Before she entered the car, she looked at Roman.
“I’m sorry.”
Roman didn’t answer.
She looked at Claire instead.
“Don’t let him become his father.”
Claire knew she meant Roman.
But when she looked at Harrison, she wondered if Celeste meant him too.
That afternoon, Roman’s attorney arrived.
Evelyn Price was sixty-two, ruthless, and unimpressed by billionaires.
She read Harrison’s emergency filing.
Then looked at Claire.
“He did exactly what he threatened.”
Claire rubbed her temples.
“He wants me appointed temporary guardian?”
“He wants Roman declared temporarily unfit.”
Roman stood by the window.
“And Harrison?”
“Claims age and health prevent him from personally caring for quadruplets.”
Theo whispered to Eli, “He is pretty old.”
Evelyn continued.
“He nominates Claire Bennett as kinship guardian.”
Claire stared.
“I met them yesterday.”
“Harrison attached photographs, witness statements from the tea shop, and statements claiming the children voluntarily sought you for maternal protection.”
“He made that sound sinister.”
“He’s excellent at sinister.”
Roman turned.
“What happens if Claire refuses?”
Evelyn hesitated.
“Judge could appoint someone else.”
“Who?”
“Foster placement is unlikely given the family’s resources. More likely a professional guardian.”
“No.”
Roman’s answer was immediate.
Claire looked at the boys.
Lucas sat with his head on her shoulder.
Noah pretended to read.
Eli and Theo were unusually quiet.
She thought about $517.43.
Yesterday, her biggest fear had been rent.
Today, a judge might decide the future of four children she had known for less than twenty-four hours.
Evelyn looked at Claire.
“There is another option.”
Roman frowned.
“What?”
“Claire accepts temporary appointment.”
“No.”
Roman’s rejection surprised her.
Evelyn ignored him.
“Only until the full hearing.”
“She isn’t becoming a pawn.”
Claire looked at him.
“You offered me fifteen thousand dollars yesterday.”
“That was employment.”
“This is different?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Because now they’re using you.”
Claire held his gaze.
“They’re using the boys.”
Roman said nothing.
That was the point.
Evelyn slid paperwork across the table.
“If Claire agrees, the children remain in Roman’s home under her temporary custodial supervision. Roman retains visitation and residence rights pending review.”
Claire’s mouth fell open.
“I would supervise him?”
Evelyn smiled thinly.
“Try to enjoy that.”
Roman looked offended.
“Absolutely not.”
Noah suddenly stood.
“Dad.”
Roman stopped.
“We don’t want to leave.”
His brothers looked at him.
Noah’s voice shook.
“Please.”
Roman closed his eyes.
When he opened them, he looked at Claire.
Not commanding.
Not bargaining.
Asking.
Claire felt the weight of four small lives pressing against one impossible decision.
She picked up the pen.
Roman came closer.
“You don’t owe us this.”
“I know.”
“Harrison will tear your life apart.”
“Apparently he already started.”
“You could walk away.”
Claire looked at Lucas.
Then Noah.
Eli.
Theo.
“No.”
She signed.
That evening, the court approved emergency supervision pending a hearing in seventy-two hours.
Claire Bennett officially became temporary guardian of four billionaire quadruplets she had met over tea.
At 11:03 p.m., after the boys were asleep, Roman found her alone in the kitchen.
“You should hate me.”
Claire looked up from the pie dough she was kneading.
“Why?”
“Your job is gone. Your apartment was destroyed. Your mother was abducted. Now you’re trapped in my custody case.”
Claire dusted flour from her hands.
“I don’t hate you.”
“That might be worse.”
“Why?”
Roman looked at her for a long moment.
“Because I’m beginning to care whether you do.”
Neither moved.
The kitchen suddenly felt too small.
Claire’s pulse changed.
Roman took one step closer.
Then a security alarm screamed.
Mason entered.
“Roman.”
“What?”
“We have a breach.”
“Again?”
“No.”
Mason turned a tablet toward them.
A live camera feed showed the front gate.
A woman stood outside.
Rain soaked her hair.
Her face was pale.
She was holding a suitcase.
Claire stared.
Roman stopped breathing.
The woman looked exactly like Amelia.
Not Celeste.
Amelia.
Roman whispered, “That’s impossible.”
The woman looked directly into the camera.
Then spoke into the gate intercom.
“Roman.”
May you like
His knees nearly gave out.
“Please let me in.”
