Chapter 6 - YOUR DAUGHTER STARTED ITCeleste’s attorney delivered a formal response.
According to her statement, Hazel experienced violent episodes after Olivia’s death.
Maria encouraged the behavior because she wanted greater influence in the household.
On the night of the incident, Hazel supposedly threw the porcelain cup at Celeste.
Maria then rushed forward and attempted to take the golf club.
The strike occurred accidentally during the struggle.
The audio recorder contradicted most of the story.
Celeste claimed it had been edited.
A forensic technician found no changes.
Its metadata showed continuous recording.
Still, Celeste repeated the lie publicly.
Jonathan reviewed the behavioral reports.
One said Hazel pushed another child into a pool.
The date corresponded with a garden party.
Jonathan remembered seeing Hazel alone near the water afterward.
Celeste said she had become upset.
He contacted the other child’s parents.
Their son had slipped.
Hazel tried to help him.
Celeste reversed the story.
Another report claimed Hazel deliberately cut a designer dress.
Maria remembered the event.
“Celeste cut it herself while removing the tag.”
“Why write that Hazel did it?”
“To create a pattern.”
Every ordinary accident became evidence against the child.
A spilled drink.
A broken toy.
A slammed door.
Celeste collected them into a story of instability.
Jonathan looked at Hazel across the library.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I did.”
“When?”
“Whenever you came home.”
“What did I say?”
Hazel’s voice became small.
“You said Celeste was trying.”
Jonathan remembered.
He often answered before hearing the whole account.
Celeste would tell him Hazel was rejecting her.
Jonathan wanted peace, so he asked his daughter to be patient.
The child learned her father preferred explanations that ended conflict quickly.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
Hazel looked surprised.
“For what?”
“For making you prove things before I listened.”
She climbed into his arms.
“Do you believe me now?”
“Yes.”
“What about before the golf club?”
Jonathan could not lie.
“Not enough.”
Maria returned to the mansion with her arm in a sling.
Hazel ran to her, then stopped before touching.
“Does it hurt?”
“Yes.”
“Can I hug the other side?”
Maria smiled.
“Yes.”
Hazel carefully wrapped her arms around Maria’s left side.
Jonathan watched.
The trust between them had grown while he was absent.
He felt gratitude.
He also felt guilt.
That evening, a courier delivered a lawsuit.
Celeste accused Maria of assault, defamation and interference with her marriage.
She demanded ten million dollars.
Maria stared at the number.
“I don’t have money for this.”
“You will have legal representation,” Jonathan said.
“I don’t want to owe you.”
“You were injured protecting my child.”
“That does not give you ownership of my choices.”
Jonathan stopped.
She was right.
“What do you want?”
“To choose my own attorney.”
“I’ll cover reasonable legal costs without directing the case.”
Maria agreed.
Then she handed him a small black notebook.
“I began writing things down three months ago.”
Jonathan opened it.
May you like
The final entry was dated the afternoon of the attack:
Celeste asked when Hazel’s trust could be accessed if the child entered permanent treatment.
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