Chapter 3 - Celeste Refused to Tell Them Where the Scars Came FromArthur recovered quickly.
That was one of his talents.
He could absorb bad news faster than most people could understand it.
Within minutes, he had ordered the orchestra to resume playing.
Nobody listened.
He instructed catering staff to continue serving dinner.
Nobody sat down.
He told the guests there had been a "misunderstanding regarding outdated estate documents."
Samuel Greene visibly smiled at the word outdated.
Celeste remained in the center of the ballroom with the back of her dress still torn.
A woman she barely recognized approached with a shawl.
"Would you like this?"
Celeste looked at it.
Then at Victoria.
"No, thank you."
Victoria heard.
"Trying to make a statement?"
Celeste turned.
"No."
"Then cover yourself."
"Why?"
Victoria's eyes went to the scars again.
Something changed there.
Not sympathy.
Discomfort.
Celeste understood.
Victoria had enjoyed exposing them.
She simply hadn't expected Celeste to refuse to be ashamed.
"You look ridiculous," Victoria said.
"Then stop looking."
Grant moved toward Admiral Reed.
"I don't know what little performance this is, but my sister has never served in any meaningful military capacity."
Reed turned slowly.
Grant continued.
"We would've known."
"Would you?"
The admiral's voice was quiet.
Grant hesitated.
Arthur joined them.
"I know where my daughter spent her life."
Celeste almost laughed.
Reed didn't.
"Then where was she in October seven years ago?"
Arthur's expression remained confident.
"Somewhere making one of her mistakes."
Reed stared at him for several seconds.
Then looked toward Celeste.
She shook her head once.
Don't tell them.
Reed understood immediately.
Arthur noticed.
"What?"
Nobody answered.
"What happened in October?"
Celeste walked toward one of the banquet tables and picked up an untouched glass of water.
Victoria followed.
"Don't do that."
Celeste drank.
"Do what?"
"Stand there pretending you're better than us."
Celeste lowered the glass.
"I haven't said anything about being better than anyone."
"You don't have to."
Grant joined them.
"What did you do?"
Celeste looked at him.
"During those years."
Silence.
Grant's voice became sharper.
"What did you do?"
Celeste set the water down.
"You spent ten minutes laughing at my back."
Grant's face tightened.
"That doesn't answer me."
"No."
"Then answer."
Celeste almost smiled.
"You were comfortable when you thought the scars made me pathetic."
Victoria said, "They do."
"Then why are you suddenly so interested in how I got them?"
Victoria had no response.
Celeste walked away.
That was when Arthur grabbed her arm.
Not violently.
But firmly.
The room noticed.
Celeste looked down at his hand.
Arthur released her.
"You're not leaving this conversation."
"I wasn't aware we were having one."
"You arrive after disappearing for nearly a decade."
"Seven years."
"You refuse contact."
"You changed my number with the household staff."
"You abandoned this family."
Celeste stared at him.
"You told me never to come back."
Arthur's mouth tightened.
"Because you were impossible."
"Because I refused to sign the investment documents."
Grant looked between them.
Victoria knew what Celeste meant.
Her face changed slightly.
Arthur said, "That was business."
"It was fraud."
The word struck hard.
Arthur lowered his voice.
"Be careful."
"Why?"
"Because accusations have consequences."
Celeste looked toward Marcus Hale.
"That's why I brought someone who prefers bank records."
Marcus did not smile.
Arthur stepped closer.
"You think the Navy made you powerful?"
Celeste finally showed emotion.
Not anger.
Almost sadness.
"No."
"Then what?"
"It taught me the difference between power and responsibility."
Arthur scoffed.
Behind them, Admiral Reed spoke.
"Something you could learn from her."
Arthur spun.
"Stay out of my family."
Reed's expression didn't move.
"I tried."
The sentence confused everyone except Celeste.
She looked at him sharply.
Reed continued.
"I tried staying out of it seven years ago."
Celeste's face tightened.
Arthur noticed.
"What are you talking about?"
Reed looked toward Celeste.
Again, she gave the smallest shake of her head.
The admiral respected it.
"For tonight," he said, "nothing."
Arthur watched the exchange.
And for the first time, Celeste saw something more dangerous than anger in her father's eyes.
Curiosity.
May you like
Because Arthur Whitmore had spent seven years believing his youngest daughter had disappeared because she was weak.
Now he realized powerful people had been protecting a story he knew nothing about.
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