Chapter 5 - The Mistress Who Told the Truth
Celeste agreed to testify.
She also insisted Vivian hear the truth from her directly.
Vivian almost refused.
Then she remembered how many years of her life had been shaped by partial truths.
So she went.
They met in a private conference room at Marcus Hale’s office.
Celeste looked nervous.
Vivian did not make it easier for her.
“I’m not here for an apology.”
“I know.”
“Then tell me what matters.”
Celeste folded her hands.
“My relationship with Gideon ended because of Nathan.”
Vivian frowned.
“Nathan confronted him?”
“No. Nathan confronted me.”
Celeste explained that Nathan had discovered Gideon’s affair while investigating the company accounts.
He had told Celeste that Gideon was destroying the only relationship in his life that had never been transactional.
Vivian looked away.
“What did you say?”
“That Gideon didn’t love you.”
The words still hurt.
Celeste continued.
“Nathan told me I was wrong.”
Vivian looked back.
“He said Gideon loved you more than anything and behaved badly because he had convinced himself you would never leave.”
Vivian’s expression hardened.
“That isn’t romantic.”
“No.”
Celeste’s eyes lowered.
“It’s cowardly.”
For the first time, Vivian saw the woman not as a rival but as another person Gideon had used to avoid confronting himself.
Celeste gave investigators copies of Nathan’s messages.
One was sent 6 hours before his death.
RAYMOND KNOWS I FOUND THE ACCOUNTS. IF I’M RIGHT, GIDEON IS NEXT.
The investigation accelerated.
Raymond sensed it.
He disappeared.
Then Mercer Global’s servers were attacked.
Contracts vanished.
Payroll systems froze.
Confidential files appeared online.
By noon, television crews surrounded headquarters.
Gideon’s board demanded emergency action.
Several members wanted him removed temporarily.
Years earlier, Gideon would have threatened them.
Instead, he surprised everyone.
“I’ll step aside for 30 days.”
The room went silent.
Raymond’s replacement asked, “Voluntarily?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because the company needs credibility more than it needs my pride.”
Vivian heard about it from Naomi.
She did not know what to feel.
That evening, Gideon came to the lake house.
He remained outside.
Vivian found him sitting on the porch steps.
“You could have knocked.”
“I wasn’t sure I was welcome.”
“You aren’t.”
He almost smiled.
“Fair.”
She sat several feet away.
For a while, they watched the lake.
Then Gideon spoke.
“I used to think being feared meant being respected.”
Vivian said nothing.
“I thought providing everything gave me permission to neglect everything.”
Still nothing.
“I was wrong.”
“You were.”
“I don’t expect you to come back.”
“Good.”
“But I’m going to become someone who could deserve you anyway.”
Vivian looked at him.
“Don’t do it for me.”
“Why?”
“Because then every good thing you do becomes another negotiation.”
That silenced him.
“Do it because you’re tired of being the man who stood in that ballroom.”
Gideon nodded.
Then his phone buzzed.
Marcus.
Raymond had been located.
Not in Canada.
Not overseas.
Lake Geneva.
Less than 5 miles away.
Gideon stood.
Vivian’s phone rang simultaneously.
Naomi.
Her voice was panicked.
“Vivian, someone broke into the foundation.”
Vivian rose.
“What was taken?”
“That’s the strange part.”
Naomi breathed hard.
“Nothing.”
“Then why break in?”
“They left something.”
“What?”
“A photograph of you and Gideon.”
Vivian’s skin chilled.
“There’s writing across it.”
“What does it say?”
Naomi hesitated.
HE LET HIS BROTHER DIE.
ASK HIM WHY.
Vivian slowly turned toward Gideon.
He had heard every word.
May you like
And the expression on his face told her something worse.
He knew what the message meant.
