Chapter 10 - BunnyI did not tell Ellie about the photograph.
Children deserve truth, but not terror.
Instead, I told her Bunny was on an adventure and would come home soon. She looked at me with solemn eyes and asked whether Bunny was scared.
“No,” I said. “Bunny knows Mommy is coming.”
That answer was for both of us.
Naomi obtained an emergency order against Grant approaching Ellie’s school. Elias contacted investigators about the Bluebird Institute. Adrian sent a team to track the teacher’s aide.
But I knew something none of them wanted to say.
Grant was no longer pretending.
A man who uses a child’s toy as bait is not desperate.
He is revealing his true language.
By evening, Celeste contacted us.
Not Grant.
Not Vivienne.
Celeste.
She called Elias’s secure line and asked to speak to me alone.
Naomi said no.
I said yes, but with everyone listening.
Celeste’s voice sounded different without the gold dress and public confidence. Smaller.
“I didn’t know they would use Ellie like this,” she said.
“You evaluated my child without consent.”
“I know.”
“You coached her to draw lies.”
A pause.
“I followed a script.”
“From Grant?”
Another pause.
“From Vivienne.”
Ruth closed her eyes.
Celeste began crying quietly. “She said Mara was unstable. She said Ellie was at risk. She said the Kingsley family had a history of mothers collapsing under pressure.”
“You slept with my husband.”
“I know.”
“No,” I said. “Don’t cry like that part happened to you.”
Silence.
Then she whispered, “Grant promised he would leave you after custody was settled.”
I almost laughed.
Even now, she was mourning the fantasy he had sold her.
“Where is Bunny?” I asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Where is Grant?”
“I don’t know that either. He turned on me after the hearing.”
“Then why call?”
Celeste breathed shakily.
“Because Vivienne has a private appointment tomorrow morning with a guardianship judge.”
Naomi sat forward.
“What judge?” she demanded.
Celeste named him.
Naomi’s face changed.
Elias cursed under his breath.
I looked at them. “What?”
Naomi muted the call.
“That judge handled sealed Kingsley family matters thirty years ago.”
“Eliza?”
Ruth nodded.
My chest tightened.
Celeste continued through the speaker.
“Vivienne is going to argue that Ellie should be placed under independent family protection until the custody matter is resolved.”
“Independent protection meaning her.”
“Yes.”
“And Grant?”
Celeste hesitated.
“Grant thinks he’ll get access through Vivienne. But he won’t.”
“Why?”
“Because Vivienne never planned to share Ellie with him.”
My blood turned cold.
“Where is my husband, Celeste?”
May you like
This time, her answer came quickly.
“At the airport.”
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