Chapter 4 - Celeste Breaks First
Celeste was the first to crack.
It happened during recess, in the hallway outside the courtroom where attorneys gathered in low voices and families pretended not to stare at one another. Naomi stood near a window with her attorney, Karen Holt, reviewing the next filing when Celeste appeared beside the vending machines, one hand on her belly and the other pressed against her mouth.
She looked much younger outside Adrian’s shadow.
Karen stepped slightly in front of Naomi. “Do not engage.”
But Celeste spoke first.
“He told me it didn’t matter.”
Naomi looked at her.
Celeste’s eyes were wet, but her voice stayed low. “He said the court would never force the details into open testimony. He said the baby only needed to be accepted publicly long enough to protect the estate.”
Naomi felt Karen go very still beside her.
“Protect it from what?” Naomi asked.
Celeste glanced toward the courtroom doors.
“From you.”
The answer landed with quiet precision.
Adrian came from old money, but not as much as he pretended. The Vale family estate had been leveraged for years. Naomi had discovered during divorce discovery that Adrian had used marital funds to stabilize family business debts while presenting them as investment transfers. If Naomi received her rightful share, the estate structure would begin to collapse.
A pregnant mistress carrying “the real heir” gave Adrian a story.
A reason to argue that certain family assets should be preserved for the next generation. A reason to shame Naomi as the childless wife. A reason to redirect public sympathy before the accounting became public.
Celeste swallowed.
“I thought he loved me.”
Naomi almost laughed, not because it was funny, but because the sentence belonged to both of them at different times.
“He loves leverage,” Naomi said.
Celeste flinched.
Before she could say more, Adrian appeared at the end of the hall. His face was composed again, but his eyes went straight to Celeste.
“Come here,” he said.
Celeste did not move.
May you like
For the first time, Adrian’s command failed in public.
And Naomi saw fear cross his face.
