Chapter 13 - Arthur’s Version of the Truth
Celeste stood across from her father, fighting the urge to throw the whiskey glass through the window.
“That’s not an answer.”
Arthur took a slow drink. “Your mother became sentimental. She wanted to give away valuable property because she felt sorry for vendors who had been there a long time.”
“They owned the property.”
“They owned pieces of a dying block.”
“You forged signatures.”
Arthur’s eyes cooled. “Be careful.”
“Did you?”
“I saved this family.”
Celeste laughed in disbelief. “You always say that when you mean you saved yourself.”
Arthur stood.
“You enjoy your apartment, your cars, your trust fund, your name. Where do you think those things came from?”
“Not from you. From people you pushed out.”
“You sound like Rosa.”
“Good.”
That made him angry.
He came around the desk. “That woman poisoned your mother against me.”
“No. You did that.”
Arthur’s voice dropped. “If you continue this, the board will remove you permanently. Your fiancé will walk. Every charity with our name will shut its doors to you.”
Celeste stared at him. “Grant already walked.”
Arthur paused.
“He ended the engagement this morning,” she said. “Said scandal was bad for his company.”
Arthur almost smiled. “Then at least someone in your life has judgment.”
Celeste slapped him.
The sound cracked through the library.
They stared at each other.
Arthur touched his cheek slowly.
“You just made a mistake.”
“No,” Celeste said. “I made those for thirty-two years. I think I’m done.”
She turned to leave.
Arthur said, “Your mother’s car did not fail because of me.”
Celeste stopped.
Arthur continued, “Brent handled transportation then. If you want answers, ask him.”
Celeste turned back. “You’re blaming your own security chief?”
“I’m telling you there are things even I did not order.”
For the first time, uncertainty entered the room.
Celeste left and called Naomi.
“Arthur says Brent may have acted on his own.”
Naomi was silent for a second.
Then she said, “Celeste, you need to get out of there. Right now.”
“Why?”
“Because I found the owner of the black sedan from the first day.”
May you like
Celeste gripped the phone.
“It belongs to Brent.”
