Celeste would still have been wrong.
My value had never depended on my legs.
I asked Marcus to accompany me downstairs.
When we entered the ballroom, several guests turned toward us.
Celeste stood beside Grant and Raymond near the fireplace.
The leather folder lay open on a table.
She smiled immediately, although her eyes remained tense.
‘There you are.
We were worried.’
I stopped a few feet away.
‘Were you?’
Raymond stepped forward.
‘Owen, this has gone far enough.
We need to finalize the arrangement before people leave.’
‘What arrangement?’
‘Your temporary delegation of authority.’
‘And the estate sale?’
His mouth tightened.
‘That decision needs to be made by people who understand the situation.’
‘I understand it perfectly.’
Grant attempted a reassuring smile.
‘You’ve had a traumatic experience, Owen.
Nobody expects you to handle everything right now.’
I looked at the man who had helped arrange my vehicle’s sabotage.
‘How much did you pay the mechanic?’
Grant froze.
The entire ballroom became silent.
‘What mechanic?’ he asked.
Detective Ruiz stepped into view.
‘Grant Ellis, I’m Detective Ruiz.
I’d like to speak with you regarding an ongoing investigation.’
Grant’s eyes darted toward the side doors.
Marcus remained beside me, doing nothing to obstruct him.
The detective continued calmly, explaining that she wanted to discuss the repair facility, financial transactions, and evidence concerning my vehicle.
Grant denied wrongdoing.
Then he asked to call his attorney.
Detective Ruiz told him he could do so.
The dramatic collapse I might once have imagined never happened.
Instead, he sat down heavily, withdrew his phone, and began speaking in a voice I barely recognized.
Raymond tried to intervene.
Evelyn interrupted him with the financial records and explained that an independent investigation of the company’s accounts was underway.
‘You have no authority to accuse me of anything,’ Raymond snapped.
‘I’m informing you that the board has been notified and the relevant records preserved,’ Evelyn replied.
‘You may respond through counsel.’
Celeste looked at me with open fury.
‘You arranged all this to embarrass me?’
I almost laughed at the absurdity.
‘You humiliated me in front of thirty-seven people because you thought I couldn’t defend myself.’
‘You let everyone think you were paralyzed!’
‘I never told you that.
You took a frightened doctor’s initial uncertainty and built a story around it.
Every time I tried to discuss my recovery, you talked about the company instead.’
‘You deceived me.’
‘Yes,’ I said.
‘I allowed you to believe something false.
I’m not proud of that.
But I didn’t make you insult me, threaten the staff, or secretly arrange to profit from my father’s property.’
Celeste glanced around the room.
For the first time, her audience seemed unwilling to rescue her.
She pointed toward Mara.
‘This is her fault.
She’s been turning you against me.’
Mara stiffened.
I looked directly at Celeste.
‘Leave her alone.’
Celeste’s expression twisted.
‘You’re choosing a housekeeper over your future wife?’
‘I’m choosing not to marry someone who treats people as disposable.’
I removed the engagement ring box I had brought downstairs from my pocket.
Inside was the matching wedding band I had planned to wear.
I placed it on the table.
‘The wedding is canceled.’
Celeste stared at it.
Then she pulled off her engagement ring and dropped it beside the box.
‘You’ll regret this,’
