Chapter 5
We went to the security room with half the dinner party following behind us.
Julian ordered most guests to remain in the hall.
Only Beatrice, Grant, Celeste, Ivy, and I entered with him.
Ivy held my hand.
I did not know when she had taken it.
But I could not let go.
The security chief, Roman, sat at the console.
He looked nervous.
Julian pointed to the screen.
“Show me the service corridor from tonight.”
Roman hesitated.
Celeste smiled.
That smile told me everything.
“There may be privacy restrictions,” Roman said.
Julian stared at him.
“This is my house.”
Roman swallowed.
“Yes, sir.”
He pulled up the footage.
The hallway appeared.
Me.
Celeste.
The ivory scarf.
Her mouth moving.
Me tying it around my face.
The room went silent.
Julian’s jaw flexed.
“Audio.”
Roman tapped keys.
Celeste’s voice filled the room.
“No one important asks questions about maids.”
Beatrice closed her eyes.
Grant whispered, “Celeste.”
Celeste folded her arms.
“So what? I didn’t want a scandal at my engagement dinner.”
Julian looked at me.
“I am sorry.”
Those three words almost broke me.
Because no one powerful had ever said them to me.
Then he turned back to Roman.
“Now pull the footage from the Ashford Diamonds campaign. Eleven years ago.”
Roman went pale.
“That is not in this system.”
“Where is it?”
Celeste said quickly, “Old footage would be gone.”
Grant did not move.
Julian looked at him.
“Is it gone?”
Grant’s face was gray.
“No.”
Celeste whispered, “Dad.”
He looked at her like a man reaching the edge of a cliff.
“I kept everything.”
My pulse hammered.
“Why?”
Grant looked at me.
“Because I never believed the theft story.”
Celeste slapped him.
Hard.
Ivy screamed.
Julian stepped between them.
Grant touched his cheek, eyes wet.
Celeste shook with rage.
“You promised.”
Grant whispered, “I promised to protect you before I knew what you did.”
Julian’s voice cut through the room.
“What did she do?”
May you like
Grant closed his eyes.
“She framed Mara.”
