Chapter 284
Sienna walked out of the manor, her hands still trembling slightly.
Refusing to waste a single second, she hailed a cab straight to the Metropolitan Forensic Center.
She contacted a trusted friend who worked in the labs and handed over the coagulated blood sample for immediate testing.
Once she had the intake receipt safely in her bag, Sienna dialed Luna Lennox’s number, asking her to meet at their usual coffee shop.
By the time Luna arrived, Sienna had already ordered her favorite coffee, her face etched with heavy tension.
Luna immediately picked up on the dark mood.
“You practically dragged me here on fire. What’s going on?” Luna asked, studying her cautiously.
She had never seen Sienna look this deeply unsettled.
Sienna frowned hard. Grandpa Sterling fell. It’s really bad this time. And I think Celeste is behind it p>
Luna’s eyebrows shot up in shock.
Lowering her voice, Sienna laid out every single bizarre detail and piece of evidence she had uncovered at the manor.
Luna’s grip on her coffee cup tightened.
“I’m convinced she deliberately staged a secondary crime scene,” Sienna explained. “He didn’t fall down those stairs. The real incident happened somewhere else, was scrubbed clean, and then they moved him to make it look like a terrible accident.
The problem is, I can’t figure out where it actually happened p>
Luna listened, sheer disbelief washing over her face.
Through her line of work, she had seen plenty of dark, twisted cases.
But hearing that there was foul play behind the Sterling patriarch’s accident—and that Celeste was the mastermind—was staggering.
The Sterlings practically owned the Capital.
And the patriarch was the ultimate authority of that empire.
For Celeste to make a move against him meant she was completely fearless, or absolutely insane.
After taking a moment to process, Luna looked at Sienna and offered an objective analysis. “Sienna, the only evidence you have right now is a muddy cane and a blood sample that hasn’t even been processed yet. It’s way too thin.
Besides, he’s still alive. Even if you go to the police, it won’t meet the threshold to open a formal criminal case.
And the second law enforcement gets involved, there is zero chance of keeping it quiet. Celeste will catch wind of it immediately.
If we spook her now, she’ll completely obliterate whatever evidence is left, and we’ll never find the truth p>
It was a harsh reality check, but every word was undeniably true.
Sienna gave a slow nod. There was no surprise in her eyes; she had already anticipated this exact roadblock.
“I know. That’s why I came to you first. I need a way to find concrete proof of what she did, without tipping her off or making her suspect we’re onto her p>
She reached across the table, gripping Luna’s hand tightly. “Luna, I am absolutely certain this wasn’t an accident.
I would bet my life that Celeste is behind this p>
Seeing the desperate burn in Sienna’s eyes, Luna’s heart softened.
She knew exactly how much the Sterling patriarch meant to Sienna, and she knew Sienna was fiercely independent and rarely asked for help.
For her to look this panicked meant she was truly terrified.
Luna squeezed her hand back. “I get it. He’s always been wonderful to you, and I won’t just sit back and watch.
Don’t worry. I’m with you until the end. We are going to expose the truth p>
Luna instinctively glanced around the café to ensure no one was eavesdropping before leaning in close. “If it happened inside the manor, it doesn’t matter how well she scrubbed the scene-she can’t hide from modern forensics.
I’ll ask Sergeant Miller for help. If I can get inside the estate to do a sweep, I promise you, I will find the primary crime scene.