Chapter 7 - CELESTE MERCER
Celeste left the archive before the recording ended.
Her attorneys followed.
That afternoon, Mercer & Reed canceled every press interview.
The company’s board called an emergency meeting.
Celeste did not attend.
She came to my apartment after dark.
No driver.
No attorney.
No perfect suit.
She stood in the hallway holding a leather box.
“I need to speak with Eleanor.”
Mom sat near the dining table.
“You can speak in front of Grace.”
Celeste looked at me.
I had not realized Mom had given my name.
“My grandmother kept journals,” Celeste said.
“She died when I was fourteen.”
“My family said they were private.”
She opened the box.
Dozens of notebooks lay inside.
Celeste had read them after the archive inspection.
The entries confirmed the scheme.
Henry wanted control.
Samuel wanted legal security.
Margaret Mercer wanted Mom removed because Henry admired her talent.
Jealousy joined greed.
Margaret placed the fuel can.
She started a small fire near the records.
The flames spread faster than expected.
A night custodian suffered severe burns.
The family paid him for silence.
Celeste placed one journal on the table.
“My grandfather wrote that Eleanor was too emotional to own a company.”
Mom smiled without warmth.
“He said that after I refused to let him steal from the workers.”
Celeste looked down.
“I grew up believing he saved Mercer & Reed.”
“He saved his name,” Mom replied.
“You saved the store.”
Celeste’s eyes filled with tears.
“I don’t know what to do.”
I expected Mom to comfort her.
She did not.
“You tell the truth.”
“My family will lose everything.”
“My family already did.”
Celeste flinched.
Mom continued.
“You still have choices I did not have.”
“You have lawyers.”
“Money.”
“A board seat.”
“A voice people expect to hear.”
“Use them.”
Celeste said the board intended to challenge the contract.
They believed the statute of limitations protected the company.
They planned to call Mom confused.
They planned to claim the audio recording had been altered.
“They will destroy you in court,” Celeste whispered.
Mom straightened in her chair.
“They already tried.”
“I am still here.”
Celeste left the journals.
The next morning, she resigned as president of Mercer & Reed.
Her resignation letter contained one sentence that changed the case.
May you like
I cannot continue defending a legacy that depended on erasing the woman who created it.
The company removed her from the building before lunch.
