Chapter 10 - The First Greenhouse
The childhood property sat outside Staunton, two hours from Rosecliff.
Edward had not visited in fifteen years.
He had bought the five-acre farm when Anna was nine and Celeste five.
Back then, Vale Glass & Gardens had been one truck, two employees and a dream.
Edward built the tiny greenhouse himself.
Anna planted white roses.
Celeste planted nothing.
“She hated dirt,” Edward remembered.
Maria smiled sadly.
“She still does.”
Naomi obtained police coordination before they went.
The property legally belonged to Celeste through a gift Edward had made years earlier.
They could not simply break in.
But Detective Chen had enough to seek a search warrant based on Anna’s note, the stolen corporate records and the greenhouse sabotage investigation.
The warrant was signed at 3:40 p.m.
By five, officers entered the old greenhouse.
The place smelled of mildew and cedar.
Most glass panes were cloudy.
The white roses were gone.
Edward stood in the center and remembered Anna at nine years old with dirt on her knees.
Dad, plants don’t care if your hands are ugly.
He had laughed.
She had always been braver than he deserved.
Chen’s team searched the walls.
Nothing.
Sophie had remained safely at Rosecliff with the guardian ad litem and two approved caregivers.
Edward hated leaving her, but this mattered.
Maria walked toward the old potting bench.
“White roses bloom after frost.”
Edward turned.
The archive phrase.
Maria pointed to a faded ceramic plaque painted with white roses.
Behind it was a narrow metal door.
A small lock.
Edward tried R-1.
It fit.
Naomi stared.
“The greenhouse key?”
Anna had turned the registered greenhouse master key into a physical chain linking both hiding places.
Edward opened the compartment.
Inside lay a fireproof envelope.
The original share register.
Anna’s signed declaration.
And printed emails.
Celeste to Marcus Bell.
One message from 2020:
When Dad is gone, Anna will be manageable. If not, her shares eventually belong to Sophie, and Sophie belongs to whoever controls the trust.
Another:
The company is worth more broken than Dad understands.
Another from months before Anna died:
If Anna exposes Verdant, we accelerate debt and make Sentinel indispensable.
Marcus replied:
Only if you can deliver 51%+.
Celeste:
I can deliver 57.
Edward closed his eyes.
The scheme had been planned for years.
Naomi examined Anna’s declaration.
Properly executed.
Two witnesses.
Notarized.
It removed Celeste as successor trustee and appointed Maria.
It also directed that, if Edward was unable to serve, a professional corporate fiduciary should serve alongside Maria for investment decisions.
Anna had anticipated attacks on Maria’s finances and experience.
“She protected against everything,” Edward whispered.
“Not everything,” Naomi said.
Edward looked at her.
“She couldn’t stop Celeste from trying.”
A sound came from outside.
Car tires.
Chen looked toward the greenhouse door.
An officer spoke into her radio.
Then frowned.
“Vehicle approaching fast.”
A black Mercedes stopped beside the farmhouse.
Celeste got out.
Her lawyer was not with her.
She marched toward the greenhouse.
“This is my property!”
Chen blocked her.
“We have a warrant.”
Celeste saw the open metal compartment.
Everything left her face.
Edward held Anna’s declaration.
“She changed the trustee.”
Celeste stared at Maria.
“No.”
Maria’s expression hardened.
“Anna trusted me.”
“She was sick.”
“Still your favorite excuse.”
Celeste stepped toward Edward.
“Give me those.”
“No.”
“They belong to me.”
“They prove you committed fraud.”
“They prove Anna was paranoid.”
Edward held up the emails.
“What do these prove?”
Celeste stopped.
She recognized them.
For several seconds, no one spoke.
Then her expression changed.
Not fear this time.
Hatred.
“You think Anna was some saint because she died.”
Edward flinched.
Celeste continued.
“She spent her whole life making sure everyone knew she was better.”
Maria moved forward.
“Enough.”
“No.”
Celeste looked at Edward.
“You loved her more.”
Edward opened his mouth.
Celeste laughed bitterly.
“Don’t lie now.”
This was the first honest thing she had said in days.
Maybe years.
Anna had been easier to love.
Generous.
Warm.
Interested in the family company for reasons beyond control.
Celeste had always been sharper, hungrier, angrier.
Edward had responded by comparing.
Correcting.
Admiring Anna publicly.
Expecting Celeste to become more like her.
He had failed Celeste emotionally long before Celeste failed morally.
But that did not make them equal.
“I hurt you,” Edward said.
Celeste seemed stunned.
“I compared you to your sister.”
“Stop.”
“I made you feel second.”
“Stop.”
“I am sorry.”
Celeste’s eyes filled.
For one second, Edward saw the little girl she had been.
Then he added:
“But I did not make you steal.”
Her face closed.
“I did not make you lie to Sophie.”
She backed away.
“I did not make you release that roof.”
Celeste turned.
Chen stepped in front of her.
“We need you to remain while we execute the warrant.”
Celeste laughed softly.
Then looked at Edward.
“You found the register.”
“Yes.”
“So now you think the company is safe.”
Edward watched her.
May you like
Celeste smiled.
“You’re still three years behind.”
