Chapter 16 - Celeste Tells the Truth
Celeste’s full cooperation came after prosecutors showed her the recovered messages.
Her attorney arranged a proffer.
Daniel was not present.
He received the summary later.
Celeste admitted:
She invested secretly in Baybridge.
She knew Owen wanted Daniel temporarily removed from management.
She told Owen Emma was Daniel’s emotional trigger.
She intentionally created a confrontation with Emma.
She deliberately caused the shoebox to fall.
She moved Emma toward the tower area knowing a staged disturbance would occur.
She did not know Leonard would collapse the champagne tower.
At least, that was her claim.
Prosecutors would evaluate it.
Celeste also admitted she saw Leonard before the collapse and recognized him as the man Owen had described as “the actor.”
That destroyed her earlier denial that she knew him.
Daniel read silently.
Rosa sat across from him.
“She knew who he was.”
“Yes.”
“She saw him near Emma.”
“Yes.”
“And she still walked away.”
“Yes.”
Rosa closed her eyes.
Daniel did not need to add anything.
That was the betrayal.
Even if Celeste did not know about the tower, she knew a man had been brought to stage something around a child.
She valued the plan more than asking whether Emma was safe.
Daniel’s attorney continued.
Celeste said Owen told her the incident would make Daniel confront Leonard physically.
The edited footage would be leaked.
Public pressure and board concern would sideline Daniel before the Verona vote.
She expected Daniel to return after the acquisition.
By then her investment would have increased dramatically.
“She thought this was temporary,” Daniel said.
Nora nodded.
“Apparently.”
He laughed sadly.
Temporary betrayal.
A popular concept.
“What charges?”
“I’m not going to predict.”
Daniel nodded.
“Family case?”
“She has agreed not to seek contact with Emma while criminal matters are unresolved, except through professionally approved channels if ever appropriate.”
Daniel exhaled.
Good.
Then Nora handed him Celeste’s letter.
“You don’t have to read it.”
Daniel did.
Celeste wrote:
I hated Julia because I could never compete with a dead woman.
Daniel almost stopped.
That sounds cruel because it was cruel. Every room had her photograph. Every employee had a Julia story. Emma had Julia’s shares. You had Julia’s company. I convinced myself there was no place for me unless I forced one.
Daniel felt grief.
Not sympathy exactly.
Understanding.
I started seeing Emma as the person who would always come before me. Instead of accepting that a child should come before me, I resented her for it.
Daniel put down the letter.
Rosa looked at him.
“You okay?”
“No.”
He continued.
The shoe comment was not part of Owen’s plan. It was mine. I wanted her embarrassed. I wanted her to feel outside the world everyone said belonged to her mother. I am more ashamed of that sentence than the money.
Daniel’s eyes filled.
At least Celeste understood where the deepest cruelty lived.
Not in millions.
In a child looking down at her shoes.
Celeste ended:
Do not tell Emma I loved her. I did sometimes, but I used love as an excuse too often. Tell her I was wrong.
Daniel folded the letter.
“I’m not telling Emma any of this now.”
Rosa nodded.
“Good.”
“Someday?”
“Her therapist can help decide.”
Daniel stared.
“Do you think Celeste loved her?”
Rosa thought.
“Yes.”
Daniel looked surprised.
Rosa continued.
“I also think Celeste harmed her.”
Both.
Again.
Why did adulthood keep refusing simple categories?
That evening Emma asked if Celeste was in jail.
“No.”
“Will she be?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did she say sorry?”
Daniel looked at her.
“Yes.”
Emma thought.
“Do I have to?”
“What?”
“Say okay.”
Daniel’s throat tightened.
“No.”
“Good.”
She went back to drawing.
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A child understood boundaries in three words.
Adults wrote letters trying to explain around them.
