Chapter 8: The Daughter-in-Law’s Secret
I called Celeste back twelve times.
She did not answer once.
That scared me more than the call itself.
People who make threats want to be heard.
People who reveal secrets want to disappear.
I spent the next hour trying to understand one thing.
Why would Celeste help me?
For years, she had stood beside Julian.
She supported his ambitions.
She attended company events.
She smiled at shareholders.
She knew exactly how much he wanted my position.
So why warn me now?
The answer came when she finally called again.
“Eleanor?””
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
“Where are you?””
“I can’t tell you.””
“Then why call?””
“Because I made a mistake.””
I closed my office door.
“What mistake?””
She was silent.
Then:
“I helped Julian.””
The confession landed harder than I expected.
“How?””
“I gave him information.””
“What information?””
“About the company. About you.””
I closed my eyes.
Another betrayal.
Another person who smiled while holding a knife.
“Why?””
“Because I thought it was just about control.””
Her voice cracked.
“I thought he wanted you to retire.””
“And when did you realize?””
“When I saw the boat.””
The room went silent.
“You were there?””
“Yes.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“Celeste.””
“I was inside the cabin.””
My breathing slowed.
“You watched?””
“No.””
Her voice broke.
“I heard you fall.””
That was somehow worse.
“You heard me.””
“Yes.””
“And you did nothing.””
A long pause.
“I was scared.””
I looked out the window.
At the city below.
Thousands of people moving through ordinary lives.
People who had no idea how easily families could become strangers.
“You were scared,” I repeated.
“Yes.””
“You were scared while I was drowning.””
“I know.””
“No, you don’t.””
I heard her crying.
But I did not feel sympathy.
Not yet.
“What changed?””
She took a shaky breath.
“Julian changed.””
“He was always like this.””
“No.””
Her voice became urgent.
“You don’t understand. Something happened after the boat.””
“What?””
“He told me the company wasn’t enough anymore.””
I frowned.
“What does that mean?””
“He said once everything was transferred, there would still be one problem.””
I already knew.
But I asked anyway.
“What problem?””
Celeste whispered:
“You.””
I said nothing.
“He said you would never stop fighting.””
She was right.
“He said you would destroy everything to get revenge.””
I almost smiled.
Julian knew me.
He just misunderstood me.
“I need you to meet me,” Celeste said.
“Why should I trust you?””
“You shouldn’t.””
The honesty surprised me.
“I don’t deserve your trust.””
For the first time, I heard something real in her voice.
Regret.
“But I can help you stop them.””
I agreed to meet her that evening.
Not because I trusted her.
Because information was power.
And right now, I needed every piece.
The meeting place was an old restaurant near the river.
Celeste arrived wearing sunglasses and a plain coat.
No designer clothes.
No jewelry.
She looked like someone hiding.
She sat across from me.
“I’m sorry.””
I said nothing.
“I know that doesn’t fix anything.””
“No.””
She looked down.
“I should have stopped him.””
“Yes.””
She flinched.
Good.
Some truths needed to hurt.
“Tell me everything.””
For the next hour, Celeste explained.
Julian had been planning for almost a year.
The Amazon trip was not supposed to be a vacation.
It was supposed to be the beginning of a new era.
He had people ready.
Lawyers.
Executives.
Board members.
Even journalists.
Everyone waiting for the announcement of my death.
But then Celeste told me something I never expected.
“There is someone above Julian.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
“He takes orders.””
“From whom?””
“I don’t know.””
“Think.””
She closed her eyes.
“There was a name.””
“What name?””
She looked terrified.
“Victor Vale.””
The name hit me like a memory from another life.
Victor Vale.
A former business partner.
A man I defeated fifteen years earlier.
A man who promised he would destroy me.
I thought he was gone.
Retired.
Finished.
Apparently, I was wrong.
“Where is he now?”” I asked.
Celeste shook her head.
“I don’t know.””
“Then how do you know he exists?””
“Because Julian said his name when he thought nobody was listening.””
My phone buzzed.
A message.
From Margaret.
*Eleanor, leave the city immediately.*
I stared at the screen.
Another message appeared.
*They know you found out.*
I looked up.
Celeste was watching me.
“What happened?””
I stood.
“We need to leave.””
“Why?””
I showed her the message.
Her face turned white.
“Eleanor…”
“What?””
She pointed toward the restaurant window.
Outside, a black SUV had stopped.
The driver’s door opened.
A man stepped out.
I recognized him instantly.
Not because I knew him well.
Because I had seen his face in old photographs.
May you like
Victor Vale.
And he was smiling.
