Chapter 2: The Secret They Buried
932 Words
The lawyer’s words hung in the air.
Celeste looked from one face to another. Nobody spoke. Even the board members avoided her eyes.
Howard’s jaw tightened.
This isn’t the place.
It is, the lawyer replied. Mr. Chen’s legal team has made their position very clear. If the truth isn’t acknowledged today, the merger ends here.
Margaret shot to her feet.
This is ridiculous! Vivienne is my husband’s eldest daughter.
The lawyer calmly opened a file.
According to these records, she isn’t.
He slid several documents across the table.
Celeste Harrington was born six months before Miss Vivienne Harrington.
Silence filled the ballroom.
Vivienne laughed, but it sounded forced.
That’s impossible.
It isn’t.
The lawyer placed a birth certificate beside another document.
This is the original hospital record. This is the DNA report. And this is Mr. Howard Harrington’s signed acknowledgment from twenty-three years ago.
Celeste frowned.
DNA report?
Acknowledgment?
Her eyes slowly turned to Howard.
He still hadn’t looked at her.
What are they talking about? she asked quietly.
She took a step forward.
I asked a question.
Howard finally lifted his head.
Not taking his gaze off of Celeste.
His face looked older than it had that morning.
They’re telling the truth.
Celeste’s heart skipped.
I don’t understand.
Howard swallowed, saying the words out of his mouth
You… are my daughter.
The room disappeared around her.
She stared at him, waiting for him to say he was joking.
He never did.
What?
You are my eldest daughter.
Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag.
No.
Howard closed his eyes for a brief moment.
Your mother and I… He stopped. We had a relationship before I married Margaret.
Celeste shook her head.
No.
It happened years ago.
No.
You were born before Vivienne.
No!
Her voice echoed through the ballroom.
Everyone looked at her, but she didn’t care.
My mother never lied to me with a quivering voice
Howard looked away.
She didn’t.
The words hit harder than anything else.
Her mother had known.
All those years.
All those nights when they struggled to pay rent.
All the birthdays they celebrated alone.
All the times her mother refused to answer questions about her father.
She had known.
Celeste felt her legs weaken.
She grabbed the back of a chair to steady herself.
Vivienne slammed both hands onto the table.
This is a lie!
It isn’t, the lawyer replied once again
My father would never hide another daughter.
Howard remained silent.
Vivienne turned to him.
Dad!
Still nothing.
Tears filled her eyes.
Tell them they’re lying.
Howard couldn’t.
That silence answered every question.
Margaret’s face turned pale.
She looked at Howard with disbelief.
You told me the child was gone.
Howard’s eyes widened.
Margaret…
You promised me!
The room became restless.
Board members whispered among themselves.
Some looked shocked.
Others looked embarrassed.
Celeste heard every word, yet none of them made sense anymore.
She wasn’t a servant.
She wasn’t an orphan.
She was a Harrington.
Howard took a slow breath.
This matter should’ve remained private.
The lawyer interrupted him.
It can’t remain private anymore.
He reached for another document.
Mr. Chen has made one condition for the merger.
Howard’s shoulders became stiff.
Celeste noticed it immediately.
Whatever came next…
He didn’t want to hear it.
The lawyer continued.
Chen Industries will only proceed if Mr. Damien Chen marries the eldest Harrington daughter.”
Vivienne let out a shaky laugh.
Fine.
She wiped her tears.
I’m the eldest daughter everyone knows.
The lawyer looked at her.
No.
His voice stayed calm.
You are the younger daughter.
He turned toward Celeste.
Miss Celeste Harrington is the eldest.
The room fell silent again.
Celeste blinked.
What does that have to do with me?
Howard slowly faced her.
Everything!
She frowned.
I don’t even know this man.
You will.
Margaret stepped forward.
No.
Everyone looked at her.
My daughter will marry Damien Chen.
The contract says otherwise, the lawyer replied.
The contract doesn’t decide my family.
The contract decides whether Harrington Hotels survives.
Margaret’s lips trembled with anger.
Vivienne pointed at Celeste.
Her?
Yes.
She’s a maid!
The lawyer closed the file.
She is also the eldest Harrington daughter.
Vivienne laughed again.
This time there was nothing cheerful about it.
This is insane.
She walked toward Celeste until they stood face to face.
You think this changes anything?
Celeste remained silent.
You’ll always be a servant.
Before Celeste could react, Vivienne shoved her shoulder.
Celeste stumbled back a step.
Vivienne,Howard warned.
She ignored him.
You’ve been cleaning our house for years.
Another shove.
You’ve been scrubbing hotel floors.
Another step.
You don’t belong here.
Celeste looked straight into her eyes.
I never asked to be here.
Vivienne froze.
It was the first time Celeste had answered back.
The ballroom became quiet again.
Howard rubbed his forehead.
This is enough.
No,Vivienne snapped.
It isn’t enough.
She pointed at Celeste.
If she marries Damien Chen, what happens to me?
Nobody answered.
Because everyone already knew.
Vivienne had spent years preparing to inherit the Harrington empire.
If Celeste became Damien Chen’s wife…
Everything would change.
The lawyer broke the silence.
Mr. Chen’s private jet lands tomorrow morning.
Celeste slowly turned toward him.
What does that have to do with me?
He met her eyes.
He expects to meet his future wife.
Her breathing stopped.
What?
You leave for Chen Industries tomorrow.
The words struck like lightning.
She had just learned about her father.
Now she was being told she would marry a man she had never met.
And nobody in the room had asked if she wanted to.
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