otten worse–more unpredictable.
He called her, but the call was met instantly by the robotic female voice telling him the number was unavailable. He paused, surprised.
Celeste had blocked him before, but that was back when they were still in the throes of their relationship. Blocking each other, sulking, waiting to be coaxed–it had been a sort of misguided romance.
But now, with Viola still in a coma, Philip had no energy left for games.
He shoved his phone back in his pocket and let it go.
She’d come around in a couple of days–she always did.
Asterwynn. The Duncan Estate.
Herbert Duncan had gone all out for her return, hosting a lavish family dinner. No outsiders had been invited, but all the Duncan elders and senior relatives were
there.
stess,
Amanda Lawrence stood at the front door herself, every inch the gracious her posture impeccable, her smile warm and maternal. There was no trace of the
sharp–tongued woman Celeste remembered.
15:10
But it was this same woman who, before her mother’s funeral rites were even over. had pushed her into the pool and left her to shiver with fever for three days–so sick she nearly died.
“Cece, you’re finally home. After all these years, your father and I have missed you so much,” Amanda said, reaching for Celeste’s bag.
Celeste sidestepped her hand.
“Don’t call me Cece. We’re not that close,” she said flatly, walking right past Amanda and into the house.
Amanda’s smile froze.
Two steps behind her, Beverly Duncan sneered with open contempt.
“Wow, look at you. Just because you’re Miss Celeste now, you think you can act like royalty? What a joke.”
Celeste stopped as she passed Beverly, her gaze icy and unflinching.
She would never forget how this half–sister had jabbed a needle into her thigh over and over while she lay delirious with fever–nearly unconscious.
Crack!
Celeste’s hand shot out, slapping Beverly hard across the face.
The blow landed squarely. Beverly, too stunned to react, took it full force. Her perfectly made–up cheek turned red and swollen in seconds.
“You bitch! How dare you hit me!” Beverly shrieked, lunging at her like a
madwoman.
Celeste didn’t even flinch. She raised her leg and kicked Beverly away.
When she had first escaped from Asterwynn to Silvercrest, she’d been so weak a gust of wind could knock her down. The only thing she’d had left was an iron will–she refused to bow or break, no matter what.
So when her aunt gave her bitter herbal tonics and harsh remedies, Celeste had taken them all without complaint. Anything that could make her stronger, she
endured.
And now, it was finally paying off.
Amanda hurried to Beverly’s side, helping her up as Beverly howled and sobbed “Herbert, we tried to welcome her home–and this is how she treats us?” Amanda
15:10
Chapter 15
called out, her voice trembling with wounded innocence.
