Chapter 5 - THE TEARING OF THE VEIL
Celeste did not speak for five full seconds.
Her chest heaved beneath the cream coat as she looked from the sonogram to Vivien’s motionless face.
"Vivien... listen to me," Celeste began, her voice trembling as the practiced bridesmaid charm dissolved.
"You don't understand the pressure Graham was under."
"He didn't mean for any of this to affect you like this."
"Save the monologue, Celeste," Vivien said, walking slowly toward the center table.
"Did you notarize my signature on an empty page, or did you hold the ruler steady while he forged my initials on the deed transfer?"
Celeste backed away toward the floor-to-ceiling windows, her hands rising defensively.
"Graham said you would sign it anyway!"
"He said you trusted him with the business expansion!"
"The River North tower was falling apart, Vee, the city inspectors were threatening to shut down the Whitlock Group completely!"
"He needed collateral from an unencumbered entity to secure the rescue line!"
"And where did that rescue money go, Celeste?" Vivien asked, pointing directly at the Cayman Islands corporate charter on page twelve.
"Did it go to the steel contractors on the job site?"
"Or did it go directly into the offshore account you opened under Marlo Holdings while you were staying in Zurich last month?"
Celeste’s eyes widened with genuine terror.
She realized instantly that Vivien was not guessing based on the ultrasound.
Vivien held the complete financial trail in her hands.
"How do you have those records?" Celeste whispered, her breathing ragged.
"Graham kept the master file locked in his private vault in the loop."
"Graham keeps his vault locked, but he doesn't own this hotel," a deep voice cut through the room.
Julian Vance stepped out of the service hallway, tall and imposing in the midday light.
Celeste’s knees visibly buckled.
She caught the back of a dining chair to keep from falling.
"Mr. Vance..." she gasped, her voice turning into a high, thin whimper.
"You remember me, Miss Marlo," Julian said, his hands resting easily inside his coat pockets.
"You sat across from my associates at the Palmer House three months ago and assured them the Whitlock family held clear title to the Pilsen preservation property."
"You swore under legal attestation that Miss Mercer was an executive partner who approved the subordination agreement."
"I... I was following Graham’s instructions!" Celeste cried, tears finally breaking through her mascara.
"He told me he would leave Vivien after the municipal inspection cleared!"
"He said they needed the social standing of this wedding to keep the suburban investors from dumping their shares!"
"He promised we would relocate to Singapore before the foreclosure notices hit the press!"
Vivien walked up to Celeste until they were inches apart.
She looked at the woman who had cried at her mother's memorial service.
The grief that had threatened to suffocate her forty minutes ago had crystallized into absolute detachment.
"Take off the pearl pins, Celeste," Vivien said, her voice dropping to a whisper.
"What?" Celeste choked out.
"The pearl pins in your purse."
"My grandmother gave them to you for your twenty-fifth birthday."
"Take them out, put them on the table, and give me your hotel master keycard."
Celeste fumbled through her designer handbag with shaking, sweating fingers.
She pulled out the velvet jewelry box and the blue plastic card, dropping both onto the glass table.
"Now," Vivien said, turning her back on her former friend and looking directly at Julian Vance.
"There are eight hundred guests waiting in the Grand Ballroom downstairs."
"The governor's deputy is in the third row, and Graham is waiting at the altar with his photographers."
"Mr. Vance, I believe you said you wanted your twelve million dollars back."
Julian’s eyes gleamed with cold amusement.
"Down to the last cent, Miss Mercer."
"Then let's not keep the groom waiting," Vivien said, walking over to the wardrobe and grabbing her black wool overcoat.
May you like
"We are going down to that ballroom."
"And Graham Whitlock is going to read his vows to the state prosecutor."
