Chapter 3 - The Sanctuary
Ten miles away, in the exclusive, gated enclave of The Enclave at Foxworth, a sleek Lincoln Navigator pulled up to a sprawling, private compound surrounded by towering pine trees and stone walls.
Unlike the flashy, ostentatious mansion Wade had demanded, this house was a masterpiece of modern architecture—seamlessly blending rich teak wood, natural stone, and sweeping glass panels that overlooked a private, pristine lake.
The front doors swung open before the car even came to a complete stop. A woman with silver hair pulled into an elegant chignon and an elderly gentleman in a crisp butler's uniform rushed down the steps.
"Celeste! Oh, my darling girl!"
It was Eleanor Montgomery, Celeste’s aunt and the matriarch of the family's charitable foundations. Beside her was Thomas, who had served the Montgomery family for over thirty years.
"Aunt Eleanor," Celeste whispered as Thomas gently opened the car door.
Eleanor took one look at Celeste’s pale face and the quiet baby cradled against her chest, and her eyes burned with fierce, maternal rage. "That miserable, ungrateful parasite," Eleanor spat quietly, helping Celeste step down with extreme care. "To think we allowed that arrogant boy into our family!"
"He didn't break me, Auntie," Celeste said softly, though a tear slipped down her cheek as the physical pain of her incision flared up again. "He just showed me who he really was."
"Come inside," Eleanor insisted, wrapping a warm cashmere shawl around Celeste’s shoulders. "Thomas, get the doctor upstairs immediately. Dr. Harrison is already waiting in the guest wing. And call the head chef—we need nutrient-dense meals prepared for the next month."
"Yes, Lady Eleanor," Thomas said with a deep, respectful bow. "And the nurseries?"
"The master nursery overlooking the rose garden is fully prepared," Eleanor replied. "Every monitor, every piece of organic cotton clothing, the medical-grade bassinet—everything is set."
As Celeste was helped up the private elevator to the second-floor master suite, she felt a profound sense of relief wash over her. For four years, she had hidden her true wealth, her heritage, and her immense intellectual talents to make Wade feel like the strong, dominant provider he desperately wanted to be. She had worn modest clothes, lived quietly, and allowed his mother to belittle her, believing that humility was the price of a peaceful marriage.
She had given up her identity to make a boy feel like a king.
Dr. Harrison, a top obstetrician brought in privately by Eleanor, thoroughly examined Celeste's incision.
"You’ve pushed yourself far too hard, Celeste," Dr. Harrison said sternly, applying a fresh, specialized dressing over the surgical site. "You have minor tearing along the suture line. If you had walked any further today, you would have been back in the emergency room with severe internal bleeding. You need absolute bed rest for the next two weeks."
"I have a company to run, Doctor," Celeste said, looking over at Ivy, who was sleeping peacefully in the hand-crafted crib beside her bed.
"You have attorneys to run your company," Maya chimed in, entering the room with two laptops under her arm. "You rest. I deliver the lethal blows."
Celeste leaned back against the plush pillows, letting out a long, shuddering breath. "What's the status at Oakridge Manor?"
Maya chuckled darkly, sitting in the armchair beside the bed. "Richard Sterling personally oversaw the eviction. Wade tried to throw a fit, so the sheriff's department was called. He, his mother, and Brynn Hollowell were escorted off the premises thirty minutes ago. Lorraine was screaming at the officers, claiming she was going to sue the state of North Carolina. Brynn looked like she wanted to melt into the pavement—especially when Richard made her take off your silk robe and hand it over in front of the neighbors."
"Where did they go?"
"Wade tried to check into the Ritz-Carlton downtown using his corporate card," Maya said, tapping her screen. "Declined. He tried his personal card. Also declined, because Vanguard froze all joint assets pending the divorce filing. Last I heard, they were checking into a two-star motel near the highway, crammed into Lorraine’s ten-year-old sedan."
Celeste closed her eyes. She felt no triumph, only a deep, tragic sadness for the time she had wasted. "And the Apex Holdings meeting tomorrow?"
May you like
Maya’s eyes glittered with anticipation. "Arthur Sterling—who happens to be my senior partner’s older brother—is expecting CEO Wade Marlowe at nine in the morning to sign a twenty-million-dollar construction contract. Wade has no idea that Arthur already knows everything."
"Good," Celeste said softly, her eyes hardening into steel. "Let Wade show up to that meeting. Let him try to pitch a lie. And then, Maya... open the curtains and let him see who really owns the sky."
