Chapter 6 - Celeste’s SmileCeleste Thorne had built her reputation on grace.
She chaired hospital galas without raising her voice. She fired household staff with handwritten notes. She ended friendships over lunch, leaving the other woman thanking her for the salad.
Her cruelty was never loud.
That was what made it effective.
When Marcus confronted her in the family waiting room at dawn, she did not deny seeing Khloe.
She simply adjusted her pearl bracelet and said, “I spoke to my daughter-in-law. Is that now a crime?”
Marcus stood across from her with no sleep, bloodshot eyes, and the kind of stillness that made every security guard nearby pay attention.
“What did you say to her?”
Celeste sighed. “Marcus, your wife was emotional. She may have misunderstood.”
“Do not call her emotional again.”
“She is recovering from surgery. She is frightened. She has every reason to misremember.”
Marcus stepped closer.
“She remembers you telling her some women are not meant to stay in families like ours.”
Celeste’s mouth tightened.
The silence was answer enough.
Elaine stood near the wall, recording notes on her phone. Elias watched from the doorway. Two of Marcus’s private guards stood by the elevator.
Celeste noticed all of them.
Her expression chilled.
“You brought an audience to discipline your mother?”
“No,” Marcus said. “I brought witnesses.”
Celeste’s eyes sharpened.
For the first time, she understood this was not a family argument.
It was an investigation.
“You are being absurd.”
“Isabella’s access badge was reactivated from Lydia’s terminal.”
“Then ask Lydia.”
“I did. She said you asked her to leave the desk and bring your coat from the car.”
Celeste smiled faintly. “Lydia is confused.”
“Security footage shows you standing at her terminal.”
The smile disappeared.
Marcus had not known that ten minutes earlier.
Elaine had just handed him the still.
Celeste looked at Elaine with pure hatred.
Elaine did not blink.
Marcus held up the image.
It showed Celeste near the administrative desk, one hand resting on the keyboard, Lydia nowhere in sight.
“It does not prove I did anything,” Celeste said.
“It proves you lied.”
“A mother should not have to explain herself to her son like a suspect.”
“A mother should not help another woman reach her pregnant daughter-in-law.”
Celeste’s composure cracked.
Only for a second.
But Marcus saw it.
“I did not tell Isabella to attack her,” Celeste snapped.
The room went silent.
Elaine stopped typing.
Elias’s face darkened.
Marcus’s voice dropped. “So you knew Isabella was going to see her.”
Celeste’s lips parted.
She recovered quickly, but not quickly enough.
“I knew Isabella wanted closure.”
“Closure?”
“She was upset. She believed Khloe had been poisoning you against her.”
Marcus laughed once.
It was not amused.
“Isabella tried to kill my son.”
“Don’t be dramatic.”
Elias moved before Marcus did.
He crossed the room with quiet fury.
“My niece was kicked in the abdomen at thirty weeks pregnant. Your grandson is breathing through a tube. Choose your next words like they matter.”
Celeste looked at him with aristocratic disgust.
“And you are?”
“Family,” Elias said. “Something you clearly misunderstand.”
Celeste turned back to Marcus.
“You are overwhelmed. When you calm down, you will see that destroying the Rossis damages the foundation, the hospital wing, your father’s merger, and your family’s name.”
“There it is,” Marcus said.
“What?”
“The truth.”
Celeste lifted her chin.
Marcus looked at her as if she were a stranger wearing his mother’s face.
“Khloe could have died, and you’re worried about the family name.”
Celeste’s eyes flashed.
“The family name is why you have everything.”
“No,” Marcus said. “The family name is why people think they can hurt my wife and call it strategy.”
Celeste took one step toward him.
“Khloe has made you weak.”
“She made me decent.”
“That is the same thing in our world.”
Marcus stared at her.
Behind them, the elevator opened.
Vittorio Rossi stepped out with two attorneys.
Celeste turned toward him.
The movement was instinctive.
Too familiar.
Marcus saw it.
So did Elaine.
So did Elias.
Vittorio stopped when he realized the room was not private.
“Celeste,” he said.
Not Mrs. Thorne.
Not good morning.
Celeste.
Marcus’s blood went cold.
“How long?” he asked.
Celeste looked back.
“How long have you and Vittorio been discussing my wife?”
Neither answered.
That was the second answer.
Vittorio’s lawyer cleared his throat. “Mr. Thorne, my client is here to resolve this unfortunate family matter.”
Marcus turned on him.
“This is not a family matter.”
Vittorio raised a hand, silencing his lawyer. “Marcus, let’s speak like men.”
“You first.”
Vittorio’s eyes narrowed.
Marcus continued, “Tell me why my mother helped your daughter access Khloe’s room.”
Celeste snapped, “Enough.”
Vittorio looked between them and chose the wrong tactic.
“Because your wife was becoming a problem.”
The words settled over the room like poison.
Elaine’s phone continued recording.
Elias saw it and said nothing.
Marcus smiled slightly.
It was the first smile since the attack.
It was terrifying.
“Thank you,” he said.
Vittorio frowned.
“For what?”
Marcus looked at Elaine.
“Send that to my attorney.”
Vittorio’s face changed.
Celeste turned sharply.
Elaine lifted her phone.
“Already done.”
May you like
For the first time in her life, Celeste Thorne looked less than perfect.
And down the hall, in a recovery room guarded by two nurses and one furious uncle, Khloe opened her eyes to the sound of distant shouting—and realized the war had finally begun.
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