Chapter 11 - THE TRIAL OF THE VALE FAMILY
The arrest happened before sunrise.
The man Boston had believed dead for twenty years was taken away in handcuffs.
His empire collapsed within forty-eight hours.
Banks froze accounts.
Federal agents seized documents.
News helicopters surrounded the Vale estate.
But I didn't care about the fortune.
I cared about Lucia.
She had nightmares every night.
She kept asking why adults lied.
I didn't know how to answer.
Then Adrian came to my apartment.
Not in a suit.
Not surrounded by security.
Just Adrian.
He sat on the floor beside Lucia.
She was drawing.
"Is your grandfather going to jail?"
"Yes."
"Forever?"
"I think so."
"Are you rich?"
Adrian smiled.
"Yes."
"Are you still my cousin?"
He looked at me.
"If your mother says it's okay."
Lucia nodded.
"I think it's okay."
Adrian laughed softly.
For the first time, he looked like an ordinary man.
But the peace didn't last.
Three days later, Celeste disappeared.
Again.
This time there was no camera footage.
No phone.
No message.
Only a note left in my mailbox.
You still don't know who started the fire.
I took it to Adrian.
His face changed.
"We need to find Celeste."
"Why?"
"Because if she's asking that question, she knows something."
We found her at the old dance studio.
She was sitting on the floor.
Exhausted.
She looked at me.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For the gala."
I said nothing.
"I was trying to provoke you."
"Why?"
"Because I needed to know if Lucia was really Rose's granddaughter."
"Why?"
Celeste looked at Adrian.
"Because someone hired me."
"Who?"
She hesitated.
Then whispered:
"Eleanor."
My stomach dropped.
"No."
"Yes."
Adrian stepped forward.
"My grandmother hired you?"
"Months ago."
"Why?"
"To test your mother."
"Rose?"
Celeste nodded.
"She knew Rose might return."
Adrian looked furious.
"She used my fiancée."
"I was never your fiancée for love."
He looked away.
Celeste turned to me.
"I was supposed to embarrass Lucia."
"You knew she would dance."
"I knew Rose would recognize the song."
"Why?"
"Because Eleanor wanted proof."
"Proof of what?"
Celeste looked at me.
"That you were really Rose's daughter."
I stared.
"Why would she doubt it?"
"Because there was another woman claiming to be Rose."
Silence.
"What?"
Celeste handed me a photograph.
A woman.
Older.
Gray hair.
Same face.
My mother's face.
But not my mother.
Adrian looked at it.
"Who is that?"
Celeste whispered:
"Rose's twin."
I felt cold.
"Your grandmother had twins?"
Adrian shook his head.
"My grandfather said Rose was an only child."
Celeste laughed bitterly.
"Your family has been hiding twins for thirty years."
I looked at the photograph.
The woman had my mother's eyes.
But there was something different.
A scar across her cheek.
May you like
Then Celeste said:
"She was the one who started the fire."
