The Housekeeper Was the Mansion's True Owner

CHAPTER 3 - The Fiancee Who Planned Two Betrayals

Celeste denied knowing anything about the pension transfers.

She blamed Nathan.

Investigators searched her room and discovered account statements hidden beneath the lining of a suitcase.

The missing pension money had paid for Celeste's jewelry, wedding arrangements, and Nathan's investment debts.

The emerald necklace was only one item from the family vault.

Several rings and watches had already been sold.

Adrian confronted Celeste in the drawing room.

"Those people trusted us."

Celeste remained calm.

"They worked for your family. They were paid. Stop behaving as though servants are entitled to your inheritance."

Rose heard her from the doorway.

"My husband worked for the Harcourts for forty-one years," she said. "That pension paid for his cancer treatment."

Celeste rolled her eyes.

Evelyn stepped between them.

"You will not speak to her that way again."

Celeste turned toward Adrian.

"Are you going to let your little sister command us?"

For the first time, Adrian did not defend her.

"My sister owns this house."

"And after our marriage, you would have controlled it."

Adrian frowned.

"What are you talking about?"

Celeste realized she had revealed too much.

Margaret produced another document found on Nathan's computer. It was a proposed legal action claiming Evelyn was mentally unfit to manage the estate.

The petition described her as emotionally unstable after Eleanor's death and accused her of abandoning Ashbourne.

Adrian was listed as the relative requesting guardianship.

"I never approved this," he said.

"You signed the preliminary papers," Celeste replied.

"You told me they concerned the wedding."

Celeste's expression hardened.

"You never read anything. That is not my fault."

Her plan was now clear.

After marrying Adrian, Celeste intended to use his signatures to remove Evelyn's legal authority. Adrian would become guardian of the estate, while Celeste controlled him.

Once Ashbourne was sold to Nathan's company, Evelyn would lose her home and her inheritance.

But Celeste had prepared another betrayal.

Investigators discovered private messages between her and Nathan's business partner, Marcus Bell.

Celeste and Marcus had been having an affair for almost a year.

After the estate sale, she planned to divorce Adrian and disappear with the money.

Adrian read the messages in silence.

Celeste had called him weak, vain, and easy to manage.

The same qualities that allowed her to hurt Evelyn and the employees also made Adrian useful to her.

"You never loved me," he said.

Celeste smiled bitterly.

"I loved what your name could buy."

Police arrested her for fraud, theft, conspiracy, and financial exploitation. Nathan was detained while trying to cross the border.

Marcus agreed to cooperate with prosecutors and surrendered records of the stolen accounts.

As Celeste was led from the house, she looked at Evelyn.

"You had everything. You could have shared."

Evelyn shook her head.

"You did not ask for a place in this family. You tried to erase everyone already in it."

Adrian attempted to apologize.

Evelyn stopped him.

"I believe you're sorry that she betrayed you. I don't yet know whether you're sorry for betraying everyone else."

That evening, Margaret opened Eleanor's private safe.

Inside was an envelope addressed to both grandchildren.

The letter revealed that Eleanor had changed her will shortly before her death.

She had originally intended to divide Ashbourne equally.

Then she discovered Adrian was secretly using company money to cover personal debts.

Their grandmother had not favored Evelyn; she had protected the estate from the brother who was already endangering it.