Chapter 5 - The Sister Who Knew Too Much
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Evelyn looked at Adrien.
Then Dante.
Then back at Adrien.
“What did you say?”
Adrien pulled against the guards.
“Tell them to let go.”
Dante did not move.
“Answer her first.”
Adrien laughed bitterly.
“You really enjoy giving orders in other people’s lives.”
Dante’s expression remained calm.
“Only when they improve the conversation.”
Evelyn stepped forward.
“The vineyard belongs to me?”
Adrien’s shoulders dropped.
“Technically.”
“Technically how?”
“Your grandmother.”
Evelyn frowned.
“My grandmother died when I was twelve.”
“Yes.”
“She owned a bookstore.”
“She also inherited land from her father.”
“The vineyard?”
“Not exactly. Mineral and subterranean rights beneath it.”
Dante’s gaze sharpened.
Adrien continued.
“When the original estate was divided decades ago, surface ownership and underground access were separated.”
Evelyn stared.
“That makes no sense.”
“It was common in old property arrangements.”
Dante said, “Continue.”
Adrien looked at Evelyn.
“When your grandmother died, those rights passed to your mother.”
“And?”
“Your mother transferred them.”
“To whom?”
Adrien swallowed.
“You.”
Evelyn felt light-headed.
“When?”
“Your eighteenth birthday.”
“I never signed anything.”
“You didn’t need to. It was a trust transfer.”
Dante understood first.
“That’s why the Whitmores needed Evelyn.”
Adrien nodded.
“They couldn’t legally control the tunnel without her rights.”
Evelyn’s anger returned.
“So you planned to marry me.”
“I already loved you.”
“Don’t.”
“I did.”
“Do not turn fraud into romance.”
Adrien looked away.
Evelyn continued.
“The acquisition required my company because you needed my legal interest in the land.”
“Yes.”
“And once my signatures were on the documents?”
“The rights would merge into the holding company.”
“Controlled by your family.”
“Yes.”
Evelyn laughed once.
Hollow.
“You were going to steal property I didn’t know I owned.”
“It wasn’t supposed to hurt you.”
Dante’s expression became almost incredulous.
Evelyn stared.
“You forged my signature.”
“My father arranged it.”
“You let him.”
“Yes.”
“You slept with my sister.”
Adrien closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
“And you’re standing here telling me you loved me?”
“I loved you badly.”
“No.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“You loved what being with me solved.”
Adrien had no answer.
Dante turned to the guards.
“Why is he injured?”
One replied, “He arrived at the south entrance twenty minutes ago. Two men followed. We detained one. The other escaped.”
Adrien said, “My father knows I talked.”
“Talked to whom?” Evelyn asked.
“Celeste.”
Her heart jumped.
“You saw her?”
“Before she disappeared.”
“When?”
“Earlier tonight.”
“What did she tell you?”
Adrien hesitated.
Dante moved closer.
“Careful.”
Adrien glared.
“She told me she had copied documents from my father’s office. Proof of the network. Names. Accounts. Shipping schedules.”
“Where are they?”
“I don’t know.”
“She didn’t tell you?”
“She said she wouldn’t trust me.”
Evelyn almost smiled sadly.
“At least she learned.”
Adrien looked at her.
“She trusted you.”
“Then why didn’t she tell me?”
“Because she thought you’d confront my father.”
“She was right.”
“She said you always believe truth protects people.”
Evelyn remembered Celeste’s voice.
For once in your life, Eevee, stop assuming you’re the smartest person in the room.
“What else?”
“She said sometimes truth just tells dangerous people who to kill.”
The room went silent.
Dante’s phone rang.
Marco answered.
Then handed it to Evelyn.
“For you.”
Evelyn placed it against her ear.
“Hello?”
Breathing.
Then Celeste.
“Eevee.”
Evelyn’s knees nearly buckled.
“Celeste.”
“Don’t say anything. Just listen.”
“Are you hurt?”
“I said listen.”
Her voice trembled.
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“I’m listening.”
“They’re moving me.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know all of them. Charles isn’t here.”
“Where are you?”
“I can smell salt water. Diesel. Maybe docks.”
Dante signaled to Marco.
Trace.
Celeste continued.
“I have the documents.”
“Where?”
“Safe.”
“Celeste—”
“I need you to know I’m sorry.”
Evelyn’s throat tightened.
“We can talk about that later.”
“I thought Adrien would choose me.”
The confession landed quietly.
Despite everything, Celeste laughed through tears.
“Pathetic, right?”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“You were manipulated.”
“I was jealous first.”
Evelyn said nothing.
Celeste’s voice cracked.
“You always had everything.”
“That’s not true.”
“That’s how it looked.”
“Celeste.”
“You were smarter. Dad listened to you before he died. Mom trusted you. Then Adrien wanted you. And when Charles approached me, he made me feel useful.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
“He told me if I kept Adrien distracted and helped with documents, he’d erase Mom’s old case forever. I told myself I was protecting her.”
“You were scared.”
“I also liked stealing something from you.”
Honesty hurt.
But less than lies.
Celeste whispered, “I’m sorry.”
Evelyn’s eyes filled.
“Come home and tell me in person.”
There was a sound behind Celeste.
A door.
She spoke quickly.
“The documents are somewhere only you’ll understand.”
“Where?”
“Where Dad taught us that broken things can become valuable.”
Evelyn froze.
“What?”
The line went dead.
Evelyn lowered the phone.
Dante asked, “What does it mean?”
She barely heard him.
A memory had opened.
Their father.
Summers.
A workshop behind their childhood house.
He collected damaged wine crates and restored them into furniture.
Broken things can become valuable if you stop pretending they aren’t broken.
Evelyn looked at Dante.
“My father’s workshop.”
“Where?”
“My mother’s house.”
Marco was already moving.
Dante stopped him.
“Wait.”
He looked at Evelyn.
“If Celeste knew they could force that message out of her, she may have used the clue as bait.”
Evelyn thought.
“She said somewhere only I would understand.”
“Could Charles understand?”
“He knew my father.”
Adrien said quietly, “He knew him better than you think.”
Evelyn turned.
“What?”
Adrien looked at the floor.
“Your father worked for Charles.”
The room became colder.
“No.”
“He was an auditor.”
“My father taught economics.”
“After.”
Evelyn stared.
Adrien continued.
“Before that, he handled internal accounts for several Whitmore companies.”
Dante went still.
“What was his name?”
“Thomas Vale.”
Dante’s expression changed completely.
Evelyn saw recognition.
“You know that name.”
Dante did not answer.
“Dante.”
He looked at her.
“My father’s last scheduled meeting before he died was with Thomas Vale.”
Evelyn’s heart stopped.
“You’re saying our fathers knew each other?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t know Thomas Vale was your father until now.”
Adrien laughed bitterly.
“Then you don’t know the rest.”
Dante turned.
“What rest?”
Adrien looked at Evelyn.
“Your father didn’t die from the heart attack you were told about.”
Evelyn could no longer feel her hands.
“He was murdered.”
“Adrien,” Dante warned.
But Adrien kept speaking.
“And Charles Whitmore ordered it.”
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End of Chapter 5.
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