Chapter 17 - Victoria Finally Admitted Why She Hated CelesteArthur left before police arrived.
His attorneys advised it.
Bennett stayed.
By Sunday morning, he had counsel.
By Sunday afternoon, investigators had the amendment.
The hearing was still scheduled for Monday.
Celeste spent Sunday evening alone in her mother's old garden.
Winter had stripped the roses.
The fountain was covered.
Footsteps approached.
Victoria.
Celeste didn't turn.
"If you're here to apologize, don't."
Victoria stopped.
"I wasn't."
"Good."
They stood in silence.
Then Victoria said:
"I hated you before you were old enough to deserve it."
Celeste looked at her.
"That's a strange opening."
Victoria almost smiled.
Almost.
"You want to know why?"
"No."
That surprised her.
Victoria frowned.
"You don't?"
"I've spent enough years carrying your reasons."
Victoria looked down.
"I'm telling you anyway."
Celeste sighed.
"Of course."
Victoria sat on the stone bench.
"When Dad married Evelyn, Grant and I thought she was replacing our mother."
Celeste knew parts of this.
Arthur's first wife had left when Victoria was eight and Grant eleven.
Evelyn married Arthur two years later.
"Mom tried," Victoria said.
Celeste noticed the word.
Mom.
Not Evelyn.
"She treated us like hers."
"She loved you."
"I know."
Victoria's eyes filled.
"That's what made it worse."
Celeste frowned.
Victoria continued.
"Then you were born."
Understanding arrived slowly.
"I thought she'd stop loving us."
"She didn't."
"I know that now."
"But Arthur?"
Victoria laughed bitterly.
"Dad noticed."
Of course he did.
"He'd say things."
"What things?"
"That blood changes women. That once Evelyn had her own child, Grant and I should remember who our real parent was."
Celeste closed her eyes.
Arthur had manufactured loyalty by manufacturing insecurity.
Victoria continued.
"Every time Mom defended you, I heard Dad's voice."
"She defended you too."
"I know."
"Grant too."
"I know."
Victoria wiped her face angrily.
"Stop being reasonable."
Celeste looked toward the dead roses.
"I'm trying not to become him."
Victoria flinched.
The letter.
Their mother's warning.
"I found out about your Navy application before you left."
Celeste turned.
"What?"
"I saw the envelope."
"You knew?"
"I told Dad."
That hurt.
Celeste hadn't expected it.
Victoria's voice shook.
"I thought he'd stop you from leaving."
"He threw me out the next morning."
"I know."
"You never told me."
"I was ashamed."
"For seven years?"
Victoria laughed through tears.
"No. For the first two years I was angry. Then it became harder to admit."
Celeste looked at her sister.
"Why tear my dress?"
Victoria closed her eyes.
"Dad told me you were coming to serve legal papers during the gala."
"He invited me."
"What?"
"Arthur's office sent the invitation."
Victoria stared.
Celeste continued.
"He wanted me there."
Slowly, horror entered Victoria's face.
"He set it up."
"Maybe."
"No."
Victoria stood.
"He told me you'd come in something cheap because you wanted people to pity you."
Celeste almost laughed at the absurdity.
Victoria whispered:
"He said if you caused a scene, we should make sure everyone saw what you'd become."
Celeste's expression hardened.
Arthur hadn't merely reacted to her arrival.
He had prepared the humiliation.
Victoria looked at the covered scars.
"I saw the dress seam."
Celeste said nothing.
"I thought if I embarrassed you badly enough, you'd leave."
"You almost succeeded."
Victoria's eyes widened.
It was the first admission Celeste had made.
"Really?"
Celeste looked at her.
"I didn't stay because I wasn't hurt."
Victoria began crying.
"I don't know how to fix this."
Celeste answered honestly.
"You don't."
Victoria nodded.
Then reached into her coat.
A small key.
"What is that?"
"Dad's private archive room."
Celeste stared.
"He has one?"
"Under the west wing."
"How do you know?"
"Because I've helped him hide documents there for four years."
Celeste's stomach tightened.
Victoria held out the key.
"I can't fix what I did to you."
May you like
Her hand trembled.
"But maybe I can stop helping him do it to everyone else."
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