Chapter 3 - Celeste Hides A Dangerous Secret Behind Her Gentle Smile
The morning sun cast a cold, pale light across the breakfast terrace overlooking the manicured Vale estate gardens. Celeste poured a cup of black coffee into a bone china mug, her movements calm, graceful, and entirely unhurried.
Adrian walked out onto the stone patio, his eyes fixed on her face while he replayed the previous night's impossible security breach. Celeste looked up, offering a warm, reassuring smile that had once made Adrian feel completely safe from the world.
"You look exhausted, Adrian," Celeste noted softly, setting her coffee mug down on the glass table. "Did the quarterly financial audits keep you up late in the home office again?"
Adrian sat down across from her, studying her expressive green eyes for any sign of deception or hidden motives. "I didn't spend the night looking at financial audits, Celeste," Adrian replied, his voice dropping into a flat, serious tone.
Celeste blinked once, her smile remaining perfectly intact as she tilted her head with polite curiosity. "Oh? Was there another crisis with the corporate board or your brother's mounting debts?" she asked innocently.
"Someone accessed my father's archived private files last night using my mother's biometric login," Adrian stated, watching her closely. Celeste didn't flinch, nor did her hand tremble as she picked up her spoon to stir her coffee.
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"That's impossible, Adrian," Celeste murmured, her voice smooth and devoid of panic. "The doctor said your mother's cognitive decline makes it hard for her to even remember her own security pin."
"Exactly," Adrian said, leaning forward across the table. "Which means someone inside this house is impersonating her to steal data." Celeste held his gaze without blinking, her expression remaining an absolute masterpiece of controlled serenity.
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