Celeste's POV
I don't sleep.
I lie in bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying Damien's words. I'd rather have your hatred than your grave.
What does that even mean? What danger does he think Marcus poses?
Around three AM, I give up on sleep and grab my laptop. I need answers.
I start with social media. Searching for people from my past. People who disappeared.
Jake Torres—my gym trainer from two years ago. His Instagram is public. I scroll back to when we met.
Posts about loving his job at the Manhattan gym. Then suddenly: Unexpected transfer to Boston! New chapter!
The transfer happened the week after he asked for my number.
I search deeper. Find an article in a fitness industry newsletter: Equinox Sends Top Trainer to Struggling Boston Location. The article mentions he had no choice in the transfer—corporate decision.
Corporate decision. Right after Damien learned he'd asked me out.
My hands shake as I search for David Park, my college friend.
His LinkedIn shows he left his consulting firm three months after graduation. Around the same time he stopped responding to my texts.
I find his Twitter. Scroll back to that time period.
Rough day. Lost the promotion I'd been working toward for months.
Apparently 'cultural fit' matters more than performance. Whatever that means.
Job hunting sucks.
The dates match exactly. He stopped talking to me right after losing his promotion.
Right after Damien met him.
I search for more names. More people who vanished from my life.
Sarah from book club. Emma from Columbia. That guy from the coffee shop who always remembered my order.
All of them gone at convenient times. All of them right after showing interest in me.
I'm not paranoid. This is real.
Damien has been systematically removing people from my life for years.
Saturday morning, I'm exhausted and terrified. My date with Marcus is tonight, and I haven't heard from Damien since our fight.
That should comfort me. Instead, it makes me more nervous.
Damien doesn't give up this easily.
I text Marcus: Still on for tonight?
No response.
I try calling. Goes straight to voicemail.
My stomach drops.
No. Please no. It's too soon. He can't have done anything yet.
I call the office. Damien's assistant answers.
Hi Rebecca, is my brother in?
He's been in meetings all morning. Is this urgent?
No, it's... it's fine.
I hang up and try Marcus again. Still voicemail.
Maybe his phone died. Maybe he's busy. Maybe I'm being paranoid.
But I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong.
By Monday morning, I know something's happened.
I arrive at work early, heading straight to the intern area.
Marcus's desk is empty.
Excuse me, I ask another intern. Have you seen Marcus Chen?
She looks uncomfortable. He's not coming back. Didn't you hear?
My blood turns to ice. Hear what?
He got terminated Friday afternoon. Security walked him out with his stuff in a box. She lowers her voice. Everyone's talking about it. Apparently there were performance issues.
Performance issues. The same lie Damien always uses.
I storm toward Damien's office, my vision tunneling with rage.
His assistant tries to stop me. He's in a meeting
I push past her and throw open his door.
Damien sits at his desk, calm and composed, like he didn't just destroy someone's career.
Did you fire Marcus? I demand.
He doesn't even look up from his computer. The intern? Yes.
Why?
Performance issues.
That's a lie! His work was excellent! Better than half the senior analysts!
Was it? Now he looks at me, his eyes cold. Or were you too distracted by his attention to notice the mistakes?
There were no mistakes
There were plenty. Miscalculations in the Shanghai projections. Errors in the cost analysis. Basic mistakes that any competent analyst would have caught. He turns back to his screen. I did you a favor by removing him before his incompetence reflected poorly on you.
You're lying. My voice shakes. This has nothing to do with his work. This is about me saying yes to a date.
Partially. He closes his laptop and stands. It's about protecting you from someone who was using you to get close to me and the company.
He wasn't using me!
Yes, he was. Marcus Chen contacted our competitors last week, offering to sell information about our Asia expansion plans. Did you know that?
The accusation hits me like a slap. That's not true
I have proof. Emails from his account offering detailed reports in exchange for payment. Damien walks around his desk, approaching me slowly. He was a corporate spy, Celeste. Using your trust to steal our data. I caught him before he could do real damage.
No. No, that can't be true. Marcus was genuine. He cared about the work, about me
You're making this up.
Why would I do that?
Because you do it every time someone gets close to me! My voice rises. Jake Torres, David Park, Sarah Mitchell—you destroyed all of them because they showed interest in me!
I removed threats
They weren't threats! They were people! My friends! I'm crying now, furious and heartbroken. Marcus asked me out and you couldn't handle it, so you made up lies to justify firing him!
I don't need to justify protecting you.
Stop calling it protection! It's control! It's obsession! I back toward the door. You can't keep doing this. You can't destroy everyone who comes into my life!
I can and I will. His voice drops dangerously low. Because you clearly can't see danger when it's right in front of you. You think Marcus cared about you? He cared about stealing our intellectual property. You think any of those other people cared? They cared about your name, your money, access to me.
That's not true
It is true. And until you understand that, until you stop being so naïve and trusting, I have to protect you from yourself. He steps closer. I know you hate me right now. But someday you'll understand. Someday you'll realize that I'm the only person who's ever truly cared about you.
The words echo Victoria's warning from the gala. He thinks he owns me. He thinks his love justifies everything.
I'll never understand, I whisper. Because what you're doing isn't love. It's something sick and wrong and
Get out of my office.
What?
Get out. Go to your desk. Calm down. We'll discuss this later when you're rational.
Rational. Like I'm being hysterical. Like my feelings don't matter.
I leave before I say something I can't take back.
At my desk, I can't focus. Can't breathe. Can't stop shaking.
I open my laptop and search for Marcus's email. Find his personal address in our message history.
I'm so sorry about what happened. Please know it wasn't your fault. My brother lied about you being a corporate spy. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm sorry he destroyed your internship.
I hit send before I can second-guess myself.
Ten minutes later, it bounces back. Address blocked.
I try calling his cell. The number is disconnected.
He's gone. Completely erased.
Just like everyone else.
My phone buzzes. Text from Damien: Please come to my office.
I delete it.
Another buzz: Celeste. Now.
I grab my purse and leave. Walk out of the building, hail a cab, go anywhere but there.
I end up at a coffee shop in Brooklyn, far from Ashford Industries and Damien's reach.
My phone rings constantly. Damien. His assistant. Security.
I ignore them all.
Around two PM, I finally answer a call from an unknown number.
Hello?
Celeste? It's Marcus.
My heart stops. Marcus? Oh my God, are you okay? I tried to contact you but—
I know. Your brother blocked my number and email. His voice is tight with anger. And he didn't just fire me. He called MIT and told them I was stealing corporate secrets. They're reviewing my enrollment. I might get expelled.
What? No, that's— My stomach turns. Marcus, I'm so sorry. I didn't know he would go that far—
It's not your fault. But I need you to understand something. He takes a breath. Your brother is dangerous. Like, actually dangerous. He didn't just fire me. He's trying to destroy my entire future. My education, my career, everything.
I know. He's done it before. To other people who got close to me.
Then why are you still there? Why are you still working for him, living with him?
Because I didn't see it clearly until now. Because I kept making excuses. Because I've been too scared to admit the truth.
I don't know, I whisper.
You need to leave, Celeste. Like, actually leave. Because he's not going to stop. And next time... Marcus trails off. Just be careful, okay? I'm worried about you.
After we hang up, I sit in the coffee shop for hours, my mind spinning.
Marcus is right. I need to leave.
But where would I go? Damien controls my bank accounts, my job, my apartment. Everything I have, he gave me.
I'm trapped.
Unless...
I pull up my texts and find Belle's message from last month: My company in Paris is looking for a strategy director. You'd be perfect! Let me know if you're interested.
Paris. An ocean away from Damien.
A chance to start over.
I text back: Is that job still available?
She responds immediately: YES! OMG are you serious?
Dead serious. Can I stay with you?
Of course! When are you thinking?
I look at my calendar. Today is Monday. If I move fast...
This Friday. I'll book a flight tonight.
WHAT?? What happened? Are you okay?
I'll explain everything when I see you. But Belle... I really need to get away.
Okay. I'm here. Whatever you need.
I book a flight before I can talk myself out of it. Friday at 6 PM. One-way ticket.
Four days to plan my escape.
Four days before Damien realizes I'm serious about leaving.
I return to the penthouse that evening, my mind made up.
Damien is waiting in the living room, a glass of whiskey in hand.
Where were you? His voice is quiet. Controlled. Which means he's furious.
I needed space.
Space? You disappeared for six hours. Didn't answer your phone. Security couldn't locate you
Because I turned off location services.
His jaw tightens. Don't do that again.
Or what?
Or I'll assume you're in danger and send the entire security team to find you. Is that what you want? To cause a scene?
The threat is clear. He'll embarrass me. Make it impossible to move freely.
Unless I'm already gone.
I'm sorry, I lie. You're right. I should have called.
He relaxes slightly. I know you're upset about the intern. But you'll see eventually that I did the right thing.
Maybe, I say, even though we both know I don't believe it.
That night, I start packing. One suitcase. Only essentials.
I book an appointment with the bank for Thursday. Need to move some money to an account Damien can't access.
I write a resignation letter to HR, dated for Friday morning.
I plan every detail, because I know if Damien finds out before I'm gone, he'll stop me.
And I can't let that happen.
Because Marcus was right. Damien is dangerous.
And if I stay, he's going to destroy me the same way he's destroyed everyone else I've ever cared about.
Wednesday night, I'm in my room finalizing plans when there's a knock at my door.
Come in, I call, quickly closing my laptop.
Damien enters, and something about his expression makes my blood run cold.
We need to talk, he says quietly.
About what?
About the flight you booked to Paris on Friday.
My heart stops. How does he know?
I told you, he continues, moving into the room. I know everything about your life. Including when you use your credit card to buy plane tickets.
I can take a vacation
It's a one-way ticket, Celeste. That's not a vacation. He sits on my bed, and I resist the urge to back away. You're planning to leave. To run away from me.
There's no point denying it now.
Yes, I say. I'm leaving. I got a job offer in Paris and I'm taking it.
No, you're not.
You can't stop me
I can and I will. He stands, approaching me slowly. You're not thinking clearly. You're angry about Marcus, so you're making rash decisions. But I won't let you ruin your life because you're upset.
Ruin my life? Damien, staying here is ruining my life! You control everything I do, everyone I talk to. You destroyed Marcus's future because he asked me on a date! My voice rises. I can't live like this anymore!
You think leaving will fix things? You think running to Paris will make you free? He laughs bitterly. You're my sister. My responsibility. You belong here, with me, where I can keep you safe.
I don't belong to you
Yes, you do. He grabs my shoulders, forcing me to look at him. You've belonged to me since the day Mom and Dad died. I raised you. I built this empire for us. Everything I have, everything I am, is because of you. And you want to throw that away for some fantasy of independence?
It's not a fantasy! I can take care of myself
You're naïve. Trusting. You see the best in people even when they're using you. Without me, you'd be destroyed within months.
Then let me be destroyed! Let me make my own mistakes! I wrench free from his grip. I'd rather fail on my own than succeed in your cage!
The words hang between us.
Damien's face goes blank. Empty.
Then he says quietly, Cancel the flight.
No.
Celeste. Cancel the flight. Now.
No. I'm leaving Friday whether you like it or not
Then I'll have you declared mentally incompetent. His voice is cold, clinical. I'll tell the courts you're having a breakdown. That you're a danger to yourself. I'll have you committed until you come to your senses.
I stare at him, unable to believe what I'm hearing.
You wouldn't.
I would. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you safe. Even if you hate me for it.
He turns and walks out, leaving me standing there, my entire body shaking.
He means it. He'd actually have me institutionalized rather than let me leave.
I'm not just trapped.
I'm imprisoned.
And the only way out is to run before he can stop me.