Chapter 13 - THE LAST PERSON THEY SUSPECTED
The recording ended.
But nobody moved.
Mara kept staring at the black screen.
Her mother’s voice was gone.
The room felt empty.
For fifteen years, she had wanted one thing.
An answer.
Now she had one.
And somehow, it created even more questions.
Julian looked at the message again.
“The person you trust most…”
He repeated the words quietly.
Mara looked at him.
“Who does that mean?”
Julian didn’t answer.
Because he already knew the list was short.
His family.
His closest employees.
The people who had been beside him for years.
Then the office door opened.
Both of them turned.
Celeste stood there.
Her face was pale.
“I know what you found.”
Julian immediately stood.
“How?”
Celeste walked inside slowly.
“Because I was there when your mother recorded that message.”
Mara’s eyes narrowed.
“You were there?”
Celeste nodded.
“Yes.”
“Again, you knew something.”
Celeste looked down.
“I knew pieces.”
Mara laughed bitterly.
“Everyone knows pieces except me.”
Celeste accepted the anger.
She deserved it.
“I was nineteen years old when Anna came to me.”
Julian crossed his arms.
“Why you?”
“Because she didn’t trust your father.”
“And she trusted you?”
Celeste looked at Mara.
“She trusted me because I was young enough to make mistakes.”
That answer confused Mara.
“What does that mean?”
Celeste sat down.
“Your mother knew someone was watching her. She needed someone outside the Vale family.”
“Why didn’t you help her?”
Celeste’s eyes filled with regret.
“Because I was afraid.”
The honesty surprised everyone.
“I saw what happened to people who challenged powerful families.”
She looked at Julian.
“Your father destroyed careers. Bought silence. Ruined reputations.”
Julian looked away.
Because he knew his family history was darker than he wanted to admit.
Mara stepped closer.
“Then why did you hurt me?”
Celeste looked at her.
That question hurt more than anything.
“I was jealous.”
The answer was unexpected.
“I spent my whole life trying to become someone important.”
She looked at Mara.
“And then you walked back into my life without even trying.”
Mara frowned.
“What?”
“You still had the one thing I never had.”
“What?”
“A good heart.”
The room became silent.
For the first time, Mara saw Celeste not as a villain.
But as someone broken by her own choices.
Then Julian’s security officer rushed inside.
“Mr. Vale!”
Everyone turned.
“What happened?”
The officer looked at Mara.
“We found the hidden room.”
Julian froze.
“Where?”
The officer hesitated.
“Under the old east wing.”
Mara felt a strange fear.
“Who found it?”
The officer looked down.
“Your sister.”
May you like
Mara’s blood ran cold.
“Emily?”
