Chapter 10 - THE MAN NATHAN DIDN’T KNOWDerek Sloan was not impressive.
That surprised Nathan.
He had imagined someone slick.
Dangerous.
A mastermind.
Instead, Derek looked like a tired suburban attorney who had made a series of increasingly terrible choices.
Detective Mitchell interviewed him after warrants connected the burner phone to his communications.
Derek initially denied personal involvement.
Then investigators showed him hotel records.
His lawyer requested a break.
By the end of the day, Derek’s position changed.
He admitted advising Celeste.
He admitted an affair.
He denied knowing Nathan was being secretly given medication.
He denied knowing Evelyn would ever hurt Sophia.
Nathan received only information legally appropriate to share.
Still, it was enough.
Celeste met Derek at a charity fundraiser nearly a year earlier.
She was unhappy in the marriage.
Nathan worked constantly.
She felt invisible.
Derek listened.
The affair began months later.
Then Celeste complained that leaving Nathan would be financially disastrous.
She had signed a prenuptial agreement.
The longer they remained married, the better some provisions became—but not enough to give her what she wanted immediately.
Derek discussed legitimate divorce options.
Then Evelyn entered.
Evelyn had independently become worried Nathan would remove her from Caldwell Holdings.
Celeste and Evelyn had always been close.
Two women who each believed Nathan stood between them and something they deserved.
Power.
Money.
Freedom.
Derek claimed the idea began innocently.
Document Nathan’s real mistakes.
Show he was overworked.
Encourage medical evaluation.
But at some point, according to Derek, Evelyn said:
“He needs to look worse before he gets better.”
Derek claimed he did not ask what she meant.
Nathan found that cowardice almost as offensive as participation.
He asked Mitchell:
“Can he just say he didn’t know?”
“He can say anything.”
“Do you believe him?”
“My opinion doesn’t decide charges.”
Nathan nodded.
Again: facts.
Derek gave investigators access to some communications.
One message from Celeste:
He’s not as impaired as Evelyn thinks. Sometimes he’s perfectly normal.
Derek:
Then stop.
Celeste:
It isn’t that simple.
Derek:
It actually is.
Another:
Evelyn says one more month.
Derek:
You’re playing with fire.
Celeste:
I know.
Nathan read that line three times.
Playing with fire.
Not literal.
But prophetic.
Celeste had known this was dangerous.
She continued anyway.
Then came more personal messages.
Celeste:
After this is over, we can finally leave.
Derek:
You keep saying that.
Celeste:
Because it’s true.
Derek:
Once Nathan is out of control?
Celeste:
Once Nathan is out of control, we can finally leave without him destroying me financially.
Nathan closed the printout.
There it was.
Not love.
Strategy.
Derek claimed he thought “out of control” meant removed from company leadership, not medically incapacitated.
Investigators would determine whether that was credible.
Nathan did not care.
For his marriage, the distinction meant nothing.
Celeste had been waiting for him to lose control of his life so she could leave with leverage.
Sophia overheard part of one call.
“Daddy?”
They were eating breakfast.
“What?”
“Who is Derek?”
Nathan put down his coffee.
“Why?”
“Celeste said his name once.”
“When?”
“She was on the phone.”
“What did she say?”
Sophia thought.
“She said, ‘Derek thinks Grandma is crazy.’”
Nathan nearly laughed despite himself.
“When was this?”
“Before Christmas.”
“Anything else?”
“She said she couldn’t stop now.”
Sophia continued eating.
To her, it was another fragment.
To Nathan, it confirmed Celeste knew Evelyn was becoming unstable long before the attack.
That afternoon, Nathan met divorce attorney Allison Park.
“I want this handled quietly.”
“Quietly does not mean weakly.”
“I know.”
“She may seek temporary support.”
“Fine.”
“You’re willing to pay?”
“I’m willing to follow the law. I don’t want revenge.”
Allison nodded.
“That helps.”
“I want Sophia protected.”
“That comes first.”
Celeste had no legal parental rights over Sophia; she had never adopted her.
Nathan wanted that distance preserved.
The affair became public when a gossip account obtained court-related filings.
Nathan hated it.
Sophia’s school heard.
One child asked if Celeste had “another husband.”
Sophia came home confused.
Nathan explained only:
“Celeste had a relationship with someone else while we were married.”
“Like cheating?”
Nathan sighed.
“Yes.”
Sophia knew more playground vocabulary than he wished.
“Did that make Grandma mad?”
“Not exactly.”
“Did Grandma know?”
“I think so.”
Sophia frowned.
“Everybody knew stuff except you.”
Nathan sat very still.
It was a child’s observation.
And brutally accurate.
Everyone had secret pieces.
Evelyn knew about the trust plan.
Celeste knew about Derek.
Derek knew about the divorce strategy.
Sophia saw the drinks.
Nathan was the only person living inside the scheme without knowing it existed.
Until the purse.
Until Sophia pointed.
Until Evelyn panicked.
That night Mitchell called.
“We recovered another message.”
Nathan braced himself.
“From Celeste?”
“To Evelyn.”
“What?”
“‘Sophia saw us.’”
Nathan’s heart stopped.
Mitchell continued.
“Evelyn replied.”
“What did she say?”
May you like
A pause.
“‘Then handle the child.’”
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