Chapter 3
Series 1 Chapter 3
The pounding at the door grew louder.
“Celeste, open the door.”
Adrian had run out of patience.
I slipped the courier receipt into my pocket and uploaded photos of the licensing documents to Eleanor.
Only after the files went through did I leave the study.
The moment I opened the door, Adrian shoved a document toward me.
“This house was pledged as collateral for the company.”
“You have to leave tonight.”
I scanned the first two pages.
My signature was there.
The date was four years ago.
Back then, Adrian told me the company needed temporary collateral for a short-term loan.
I never knew he had included my father’s house.
The attorney stepped forward.
“Under the collateral agreement, Aurelius has the right to take possession of and dispose of this property.”
“We’ve already filed with the court.”
“The court hasn’t approved anything yet,” I said.
“But we’re entitled to conduct an inventory in the meantime.”
His wording was careful.
They had prepared for this.
Adrian glanced at me.
“You may take your personal clothing.”
“Everything else stays.”
Vanessa stepped out from behind him.
My mother’s sapphire necklace was still around her neck.
“Let’s not waste time.”
Her eyes moved toward the study.
“The old contracts should be in there, right?”
The room went still.
Adrian turned sharply toward her.
Vanessa realized her mistake.
Too late.
They had not come to seize the house.
They had come for the licensing documents.
I stepped aside.
“If you’re legally entitled to inventory the property, go ahead.”
Adrian frowned.
He had not expected me to cooperate.
The two security guards entered the study first.
Vanessa followed close behind and went straight to my father’s desk.
She pulled open the drawers.
Empty.
Then she bent down and checked the hidden compartment.
Adrian remained in the doorway, watching me.
“Where are the documents?”
“What documents?”
“Don’t play games.”
“You said this was a property inventory.”
I looked at the attorney.
“Do contracts count as real estate now?”
He did not answer.
Vanessa had already started tearing through the bookshelves.
Old ledgers, letters, and folders hit the floor one after another.
“There has to be somewhere else.”
She turned to Adrian.
“You said her father kept important documents in a safe.”
Adrian’s face darkened.
I followed her gaze to the old safe in the corner.
So he knew.
He had been here five years ago.
He even knew where my father stored important papers.
“Open it,” Adrian ordered.
“I don’t know the combination.”
“Then break it open.”
The attorney immediately objected.
“Mr. Vale, the safe may contain private property.”
I started recording on my phone.
If Adrian wanted to document his own illegal search for me, I would let him.
“I’ll take responsibility.”
The guards brought in tools.
Vanessa stood beside them, no longer pretending to be gracious.
She was looking for more than one missing page.
While everyone focused on the safe, I photographed the original design registrations, the trademark records, and the courier receipt.
One by one, the images uploaded to the secure folder Eleanor had sent me.
My phone vibrated.
Received. Keep looking for original evidence. Do not confront them.
The safe door finally gave way.
Vanessa rushed forward.
Inside was a single black document box.
Adrian took it out himself.
A yellowed label was stuck to the lid.
For Celeste.
He paused.
Then broke the seal.
There was no complete licensing agreement inside.
Only a letter.
Adrian unfolded the first page.
I recognized my father’s handwriting.
He read two lines.
The color drained from his face.
Vanessa leaned closer.
“What does it say?”
Adrian did not respond.
I held out my hand.
“Give it to me.”
His grip tightened.
I pulled the letter from him.
Before he could take it back, I lowered the page as though I were reading and photographed both sides with my phone.
The images uploaded to Eleanor’s secure folder.
It was brief.
Celeste,
I agreed to the five-year license because I trusted your judgment, not Adrian’s ambition. Keep the original ownership records in your own name. Never let marriage persuade you to give away the work that existed before it.
Adrian received the complete agreement. If he ever tells you otherwise, remember that he knew the terms from the beginning.
Vanessa went pale.
Adrian snatched the letter back.
“This proves nothing.”
“It proves you knew,” I said.
“You knew five years ago that the license had an expiration date.”
He stared at me.
“Don’t think a private letter changes anything.”
“Aurelius spent five years building this brand.”
“The market, the distribution network, and the customers all belong to the company.”
“Is that why you were so desperate to make me sign a permanent transfer tonight?”
His expression froze.
Then he tore the letter in half.
The attorney’s face changed.
“Mr. Vale—”
“It’s a private letter.”
He dropped the torn pages onto the floor.
“It has no legal force.”
I did not bend down to pick them up.
The photographs were already stored in Eleanor’s secure folder.
Adrian had no idea.
His phone rang.
The caller was Aurelius’s general counsel.
He answered in the same commanding tone.
“What is it?”
The person on the other end spoke for several seconds.
Adrian’s face slowly changed.
“Say that again.”
Everyone fell silent.
The attorney’s voice carried faintly through the phone.
“We reviewed Aveline’s underlying registrations.”
“The core trademark, product patents, and original formula are all registered to Arden Studio.”
Adrian tightened his grip on the phone.
“Then renew the license.”
“Renewal requires Celeste’s authorization.”
His eyes moved to me.
The general counsel continued.
“There’s another issue.”
“Vanessa signed a new overseas distribution agreement last night as Aveline’s co-founder.”
Vanessa took an involuntary step back.
The voice on the phone became more urgent.
“That qualifies as an unauthorized third-party sublicense.”
“Under the original agreement, Arden Studio now has the right to terminate the entire license early.”
Adrian said nothing.
I stood in the wreckage of my father’s study and watched him.
Only then did he finally understand.
I spoke slowly.
“You didn’t come here for the house.”
Adrian’s expression changed.
I looked at the agreement in his hand.
“You came because Aurelius is about to lose Aveline.”