Chapter 13 - A Visit from the Past
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A few weeks later, the crisp autumn air had settled deeply into the valley. I was in my office, reviewing the latest harvest reports, when my assistant, Sarah, buzzed through.
"Claire, there's a woman here to see you," Sarah said, her voice laced with confusion. "She says her name is Celeste. She doesn't have an appointment."
I froze. I hadn't seen or heard from my former sister-in-law since the trial. She had disappeared into obscurity, stripped of her wealth and social standing.
"Send her in," I replied, my voice remarkably steady.
The door opened, and Celeste stepped inside. The transformation was startling. The haughty, glamorous woman I remembered was gone. Her hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail, her designer clothes replaced by a faded sweater and jeans. She looked exhausted, older than her years.
"Claire," she said softly, refusing to meet my eyes.
"Celeste," I replied, gesturing to a chair. "What can I do for you?"
She sat down awkwardly, fidgeting with the strap of her worn purse. "I... I needed to see you. To talk."
"We have nothing to discuss," I said firmly. "The courts have settled everything."
"I know," she murmured, a tear escaping her eye. "I'm not here for money. I don't want anything from you."
"Then why are you here?"
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"I wanted to apologize," she whispered, the words barely audible. "For everything. For how I treated you. For what happened that day... with Hope."
I stared at her, searching for any hint of manipulation. But her eyes held only genuine remorse.
