Chapter 13 - THE PRIMA BALLERINA'S BETRAYALCeleste was fighting Adrian.
Not physically.
With words.
The old theater stage was filled with people.
Former dancers.
Board members.
Men who had spent decades hiding behind money.
Adrian stood in the center.
Celeste faced him.
“You lost.”
Adrian laughed.
“Did I?”
“You have no control over the memories anymore.”
“I have Lila.”
“No.”
He looked toward the empty space where Lila had disappeared.
“She will return.”
Celeste shook her head.
“She will not.”
Adrian smiled.
“You sound very confident.”
“I know my daughter.”
“You never knew her.”
The words struck her.
Adrian continued.
“You hid her.”
“I protected her.”
“You lied to her.”
“Yes.”
“You abandoned her.”
Celeste's face tightened.
“Yes.”
“You made her mourn you.”
Celeste looked at him.
“And I will spend the rest of my life apologizing.”
Adrian smiled.
“That is not enough.”
“No.”
Celeste stepped forward.
“But neither is your life.”
Adrian's expression changed.
Celeste had a small device in her hand.
A recorder.
She pressed a button.
Adrian's voice filled the theater.
His old recordings.
His instructions.
His conversations with Victor.
His orders regarding the children.
The audience went silent.
Adrian's face turned pale.
Celeste had been recording him.
For three years.
Every conversation.
Every threat.
Every confession.
“You thought I was hiding,” Celeste said.
“I was collecting evidence.”
Adrian looked toward the exits.
They were blocked.
Police entered the theater.
But Adrian did not panic.
He smiled.
“Do you really think this ends here?”
Celeste looked at him.
“No.”
Adrian suddenly pulled a gun.
The theater erupted in screams.
He pointed it at Celeste.
Then a body moved between them.
Elise.
The shot rang out.
Elise fell.
Celeste screamed.
“ELISE!”
Adrian ran.
Marin appeared from the shadows.
She grabbed him.
They struggled.
The gun fell.
Adrian pushed her aside.
But Elise, bleeding on the floor, reached for the weapon.
She grabbed it.
And pointed it at Adrian.
“Stop.”
Adrian froze.
Elise was shaking.
“I am done running.”
Adrian stared at her.
“You always were weak.”
Elise's eyes filled with tears.
“No.”
She raised the gun.
“I was afraid.”
Then she dropped it.
“I am not anymore.”
Police surrounded Adrian.
He was arrested.
But before they took him away, he looked toward the underground passage.
And smiled.
“You still haven't found the final memory.”
Celeste froze.
Adrian whispered:
“Your daughter has it.”
Then he was taken away.
May you like
Celeste looked toward the darkness.
“Eva.”
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