My mother covered her mouth.
“I left him at St. Agnes because I realized I had become the monster they named me. When I returned, he was gone. Calloway had him. I have spent years trying to find him.”
Celeste’s hatred suddenly had a different shape.
Not revenge.
Inheritance.
Margot looked directly into the camera.
“And Evelyn, if this reaches you, know this: your father is not your greatest enemy. But he has protected one.”
The video glitched.
Then came the final sentence.
“Ask Vivienne what she signed the night Nathaniel disappeared.”
My mother stopped breathing.
I turned slowly.
“Mom?”
Her face had turned gray.
My father looked at her, confused. “Vivienne?”
She stepped backward. “I didn’t know.”
“What did you sign?” I asked.
Her lips trembled.
“A consent order,” she whispered. “Calloway brought it to me. He said it would authorize private recovery teams. Jonathan was out searching the docks. I was sedated. I signed whatever he put in front of me.”
