Chapter 6 - Celeste’s Real Reason
We returned to the mansion before sunrise.
Celeste was still there.
Victor too.
They were in the study.
No guests.
No flowers.
No music.
Only coffee and silence.
Matteo entered first.
Celeste stood.
“You saw him.”
“Yes.”
Her eyes filled.
“How is he?”
“Alive.”
Victor looked away.
Matteo noticed.
Then he looked at Celeste.
“Why did you bring Renato to Saint Vincent?”
Victor’s head snapped toward her.
Celeste went white.
Walter closed the study door.
I stayed beside it.
No one questioned that anymore.
Celeste looked at her father.
“You said he didn’t know.”
Victor’s voice sharpened.
“Celeste.”
Matteo stepped closer.
“Answer me.”
She looked at him.
“Renato contacted me four months ago.”
Matteo’s face hardened.
“Why?”
“He knew we were getting engaged.”
“And?”
“He said there were things I should know before marrying you.”
Walter shook his head.
“Of course he did.”
Celeste continued.
“He showed me documents.”
“What documents?”
“Transfers between Vescari companies and companies my father controlled.”
Victor stood.
“Enough.”
Celeste turned.
“No.”
Her voice shook.
But she did not stop.
“You’ve had eleven years.”
Victor stared at her.
She looked back at Matteo.
“Renato told me your father was alive.”
“When?”
“Six weeks ago.”
Walter’s eyes narrowed.
“The same week you fired me.”
Celeste nodded.
“I panicked.”
Matteo stared.
“You fired Walter because Renato told you my father was alive?”
“Because Walter kept asking why I was going to Northbrook.”
“Why were you?”
“To meet Renato.”
Matteo’s face changed.
Walter whispered:
“Not a wedding planner.”
“No.”
Celeste looked at Matteo.
“Renato said Alessandro was confused. Dangerous. That he blamed my father for everything.”
“And you believed him.”
“At first.”
“What changed?”
“I met your father.”
The room became quiet.
Celeste continued.
“He recognized my last name.”
Matteo remembered the words.
DON’T TRUST THE ARDANOS.
“He hated you?”
“No.”
That surprised him.
“He asked if Victor was still alive.”
Celeste looked at her father.
“Then he asked me if you had ever told Matteo the truth about the pier.”
Victor’s face tightened.
Matteo asked:
“What did you say?”
“I said I didn’t know anything about the pier.”
“And then?”
“He told me to leave.”
“So you took his watch.”
Celeste shook her head.
“No.”
Walter frowned.
“I saw you carrying it.”
“He gave it to me.”
Everyone stopped.
Matteo looked at her.
“Why?”
“He said if I truly loved you, I would bring it to you.”
Her voice broke.
“I didn’t.”
Matteo stared.
“You hid it.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Renato was waiting outside.”
Walter’s face changed.
Celeste continued.
“He knew I had spoken to Alessandro.”
“What did he want?”
“The watch.”
Matteo looked at it in his hand.
“What’s special about it?”
Celeste looked at Victor.
Victor sat down slowly.
“Tell him,” she said.
He didn’t.
“Dad.”
Victor rubbed one hand over his face.
Then looked at Matteo.
“The watch has a false back.”
Walter stared.
“I’ve held that thing a hundred times.”
“You never knew.”
Matteo turned the watch over.
Small scratches.
Old silver.
Nothing obvious.
Victor reached for it.
Matteo pulled back.
“Tell me how.”
Victor pointed.
“Press the crown and twist left.”
Matteo did.
A soft click.
The back opened.
Inside was a cavity no larger than a coin.
Empty.
Matteo stared.
Victor closed his eyes.
“It’s gone.”
“What was inside?”
“A microfilm strip.”
Walter frowned.
“Of what?”
Victor looked at Matteo.
“Names. Accounts. Dates.”
Alessandro’s list.
The one Renato thought never existed.
Matteo looked at Celeste.
“Did Renato get it?”
“No.”
“How do you know?”
“Because Alessandro removed it before he gave me the watch.”
Walter stared.
“Where is it?”
Celeste reached into her handbag.
Victor stood.
“Celeste.”
She ignored him.
Pulled out a tiny clear evidence sleeve.
Inside was a narrow strip of film.
Matteo stopped moving.
“I kept it.”
“Why?”
Celeste looked at him.
“Because by then I knew Renato had lied to me.”
Matteo took the sleeve.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
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