Chapter 8
Celeste Hale had disappeared five years earlier.
The public story was illness.
Private cremation.
No open casket.
I remembered sending flowers.
Bianca stood beside Marcus at the memorial.
I had known them only through business then.
“Where is she?”
Marcus said nothing.
“Marcus.”
“She lives outside Charleston.”
“Why fake her death?”
“She had enemies.”
I stared.
“That’s not enough.”
He laughed bitterly.
“No.”
Finally.
“She helped create the oversight plan.”
Five years.
Before Bianca ever entered my life.
Before Sofia died.
Before Lucy learned to speak.
“What did Celeste want from the Romanos?”
Marcus looked ashamed.
“A place she thought our family deserved.”
“Through you.”
“Yes.”
“And Bianca.”
“Yes.”
“Why Sofia?”
“She controlled the voting block.”
Of course.
Celeste first approached Sofia.
Bianca asked about the shares.
Sofia refused.
Then Sofia died.
I felt something change inside me.
Not accusation yet.
Pattern.
“Did Celeste have anything to do with Sofia’s death?”
Marcus stood.
“No.”
Too fast.
I stood too.
“Sit.”
He stared.
Then sat.
“Sofia died in a private clinic after pneumonia complications.”
I remembered every hour.
I remembered Bianca visiting.
Bringing flowers.
Sitting beside Lucy.
Marcus said quietly:
“Bianca knew Sofia was sick before most people.”
My breathing slowed.
“How?”
“Celeste still had someone inside the clinic.”
There.
Another thread.
“What did she do?”
“I don’t know.”
“Wrong.”
“I swear.”
“Then why hide your mother’s survival from me?”
His eyes filled.
“Because Bianca said if you learned Celeste was alive, you’d know everything started before Sofia died.”
Silence.
Not guilt.
But connection.
I looked toward the door.
Bianca was not merely an ambitious fiancée who abused my daughter.
She entered my life carrying a plan older than our relationship.
Maybe older than Lucy.
May you like
And Sofia had noticed her before I did.
That hurt most.
