Chapter 10 - CELESTE'S LAST BARGAIN
Daniel released Nora.
"Celeste?"
She looked terrible.
No silver gown.
No diamonds.
No perfect makeup.
Just jeans, a black coat, and eyes full of panic.
Daniel stared at the gun.
"What are you doing?"
Celeste laughed.
"Saving myself."
Nora backed toward the wall.
Police were outside.
But a gun changed everything.
Celeste looked at Nora.
"You ruined my life."
Nora almost couldn't believe it.
"I ruined yours?"
"If you had controlled your daughter—"
Daniel snapped.
"Shut up."
Celeste turned toward him.
"No."
The gun moved with her.
Daniel froze.
Celeste's eyes filled with tears.
"You told me we'd be married."
Daniel said nothing.
"You told me Nora was temporary."
Nora watched him.
Daniel's face became calm.
Manipulative.
"Celeste, put the gun down."
"Don't use that voice."
"What voice?"
"The one you use when you're lying."
Nora almost laughed despite the danger.
Celeste continued.
"You said I'd have shares."
Daniel looked toward Nora.
"She's unstable."
Celeste screamed.
"I'm unstable?"
The gun shook.
"You forged my name too!"
Nora stared at her.
"What?"
Celeste looked at Nora.
"He put companies in my name."
Daniel stepped forward.
"Celeste."
"Stay there!"
He stopped.
Celeste's breathing became ragged.
"I thought they were legitimate."
She looked at Nora.
"He told me they were consulting companies."
"Then you learned otherwise."
Celeste nodded.
"When Emily died."
Daniel's face changed.
Nora saw it.
So did Celeste.
She laughed bitterly.
"There."
She pointed the gun at Daniel.
"That face."
Nora's heart pounded.
"What happened to Emily?"
Celeste looked at her.
"She called me the night before she died."
Daniel moved.
Celeste aimed at him.
"Don't."
Nora whispered.
"What did Emily say?"
"She said Daniel was stealing."
Celeste swallowed.
"She said she had proof."
"What happened?"
"I told Daniel."
Nora closed her eyes.
Celeste began crying.
"I didn't know."
"What did he do?"
"He left."
Daniel snapped.
"Stop talking."
Celeste screamed.
"She died six hours later!"
Nora stared at Daniel.
Daniel's expression was empty.
Celeste continued.
"The next morning, he came to my apartment."
Her voice shook.
"He gave me an envelope."
Nora remembered the photograph.
"What was inside?"
"Emily's flash drive."
Daniel lunged.
Everything happened at once.
Celeste screamed.
The gun fired.
The sound exploded through the mansion.
Nora dropped.
Daniel crashed into Celeste.
The gun slid across the floor.
The front door burst open.
"POLICE!"
Officers flooded the room.
Daniel tried to run.
Arthur's security man blocked the hallway.
Daniel turned.
Detective Brooks tackled him against the wall.
Celeste collapsed.
Blood spread across her shoulder.
She had accidentally shot herself during the struggle.
Nora crawled backward.
Her ears rang.
Officers surrounded Daniel.
He screamed.
"She had the gun!"
Brooks forced his hands behind his back.
"Daniel Hale, you're under arrest."
"For what?"
"Start with assault."
The cuffs closed.
"And we'll work our way up."
Daniel looked toward Nora.
His face twisted.
"This is your fault."
Nora stood slowly.
"No."
She looked at him.
"For the first time in ten years, none of this is mine."
Police dragged him away.
Paramedics treated Celeste.
Before they placed her on the stretcher, she grabbed Detective Brooks' sleeve.
"The flash drive."
Brooks leaned closer.
"What about it?"
Celeste whispered.
"I kept it."
Daniel stopped struggling.
Every bit of color disappeared from his face.
Brooks looked toward her.
"Where?"
Celeste smiled weakly.
"Somewhere Daniel could never reach."
Daniel shouted.
"She's lying!"
Celeste looked at him.
Then laughed.
"No, Danny."
May you like
Her eyes closed.
"This time, you're the one who should be scared."
