Chapter 571
Tristan’s motives were sinister from the very beginning.
He never cared for you. He was only ever after your status and your connections.
Tell me, aside from swindling your money and playing with your heart p>
Did he ever threaten you, assault you, or commit any other severe crimes against you?
You can be completely honest right now, and we’ll put it all on the record.
Once Tristan is in custody, we will ensure he faces the absolute maximum penalty under the law p>
The gaze of everyone in the room shifted to Celeste, filled with nothing but gentle pity and deep concern.
Yet Celeste only kept her head bowed, hot tears continually splashing onto her skirt as her shoulders convulsed.
She looked utterly broken by the sudden revelation of the betrayal, so weak she could barely stay seated in her wheelchair, let alone string a coherent sentence together.
Watching her seemingly drown in agony, right on the verge of fainting p>
There wasn’t a single soul who didn’t feel their heart ache for her, fully believing she had lost both her fortune and her true love, completely shattered.
No one realized that beneath layer upon layer of masks, Celeste’s heart was as calm as a stagnant pond.
She played her part flawlessly.
She had scrubbed her hands totally clean, stepping into the spotlight as the most innocent, tragic victim of them all.
In everyone’s eyes, she deserved only sympathy and care.
Everyone except Sienna Sloan, who saw right through every microscopic crack in Celeste’s disguise.
Watching Celeste’s masterclass in manipulation, a mocking sneer curled the corner of Sienna’s lips.
She saw the big picture.
A multinational fraud syndicate of this magnitude couldn’t possibly be orchestrated by Celeste alone.
Tristan was nothing but a disposable pawn pushed to the frontlines to draw fire.
The true mastermind pulling the strings and controlling the board was still safely hidden in the shadows.
But Celeste was far from innocent.
Either way, tonight’s revelation was a catastrophic blow that would echo loudly.
Helena, who valued money more than her own soul, would never let this go quietly. And Jarred Sterling, decisive and ruthless, would hurt down the pupper mäster relentlessly.
It didn’t matter. This circus was only just getting warmed up.
If Celeste loved putting on a show, Sienna had more than enough patience to play along until the bitter end.
Seeing Celeste crying her heart out, Helena’s fury was quickly swallowed by maternal affection.
Compared to Celeste, Helena had merely lost her beloved jewelry and a massive chunk of her net worth.
But Celeste was different; not only had she lost money, she had poured her entire heart out to a monster.
To have her deep love weaponized against her—how terribly tragic.
Her heart softening, Helena stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Celeste’s frail shoulders.
She soothed her gently, “Celeste, don’t be scared. It’s not your fault. That bastard was just too cunning.
It’s okay. You still have me. Grandma and I will always be here for you p>
Celeste eagerly buried her face in Helena’s embrace, the two women holding each other as they wept It was a deeply moving sco for the onlookers.
Sienna watched Helena’s fiercely protective display.
She honestly couldn’t decide if the woman was just stupid or legally blind.
Halfway through her tears, Helena lifted her head and looked at Captain Rhodes through puffy eyes.
“Wait, Captain Rhodes… is there any chance we can get our jewelry back?
That collection was my life’s work. It was my entire nest egg p>
Captain Rhodes’s expression turned grave. He slowly shook his head, his voice laced with regret. “Mrs. Sterling to be perfectly honest, the odds are virtually zero. ́
This syndicate’s fencing operation is heavily entrenched. The second the real pieces were swapped, they were broken down and shipped globally.
Tracing them is a logistical nightmare. The vast majority of the stolen goods are gone forever. You… you need to brace yourself p>
Upon hearing this, Helena’s vision immediately went black.