Chapter 1
Nobody spoke after Cesare’s final sentence.
The aquarium wall cast blue light across the donor lounge while foam coral, dive masks, and pieces of the collapsed display remained scattered across the carpet.
Avice stood behind Cesare holding the crushed remains of her paper sea turtle.
Julian stared at Vanessa.
“You’re not pregnant?”
Vanessa’s lips moved.
No answer came.
Ethan pushed himself upright beside the overturned dive-equipment case.
“This doesn’t need to become a public spectacle.”
Cesare looked at him.
“You lunged at a four-year-old.”
“I was trying to stop this from getting worse.”
Cesare glanced at the fake belly in his hand.
“You failed.”
He ordered the guests cleared from the donor lounge and instructed the museum’s security director to preserve every camera recording from the evening.
Then he crouched beside Avice.
“Did Vanessa hurt you anywhere else?”
Avice shook her head.
Cesare carefully examined her arm where Vanessa had grabbed her.
No obvious injury.
Julian stepped toward his daughter.
Avice immediately moved closer to Cesare.
Julian stopped.
That reaction did not escape anyone.
Vanessa finally spoke.
“I can explain.”
Cesare remained beside Avice.
“Start.”
Vanessa looked at Julian first.
Then Ethan.
“I lost the baby.”
Julian’s face changed.
“When?”
“Three weeks ago.”
Vanessa began crying.
“I couldn’t tell you.”
Julian stared at her.
“So you put that on?”
“I panicked.”
Ethan stepped forward.
“My sister was devastated.”
Cesare looked toward the cloakroom.
“One grieving woman needs one fake stomach.”
He raised the floral prosthetic.
“Why was there a second one hanging in my museum?”
Nobody answered.
Avice tugged his sleeve.
“Grandpa?”
Cesare turned.
“I saw another one before.”
Julian slowly looked at his daughter.
“When?”
Avice pointed toward Vanessa.
“When she told me not to tell Daddy.”
The room became silent again.
Cesare stood.
May you like
Vanessa’s explanation had lasted less than two minutes.
Avice had already broken it.
