Chapter 10 - BUNNY'S SECOND SECRET
The guardianship hearing began at four eleven in the afternoon.
Leo arrived at four nine.
Naomi did not compliment him.
She simply shoved a folder into his hands and whispered, “Do exactly what I say.”
Leo nodded.
Celeste sat at the opposite table beside Daniel Price.
Grant sat behind them as trust representative.
To anyone entering cold, the picture looked clear.
The tattooed father sat under accusation.
The elegant aunt sat with counsel.
The polished business partner watched with concern.
Leo understood why Elena had been frightened.
Stories did not need to be true if every visual detail supported them.
Judge Evelyn Parker reviewed the emergency filings first.
Daniel played the fabricated video.
Leo watched the judge's face instead of the screen.
She looked troubled.
Daniel emphasized Leo's supposed threat to keep Mia from Elena.
Then Naomi stood.
She asked permission to replay the clip frame by frame.
Daniel objected.
The judge allowed it.
Naomi showed the wedding ring error.
Then the impossible daylight.
Then the background footage from the later Mercer promotional video.
Finally Marcus submitted a preliminary forensic declaration identifying compositing artifacts around Leo's jaw and Elena's hairline.
Daniel's confidence faded.
Grant's did not.
Judge Parker turned to Daniel.
“Mr. Price, who provided the original file?”
Daniel looked toward Grant for less than a second.
Naomi saw it.
Leo saw it.
The judge may have seen it too.
“A licensed investigator.”
“Name?”
“Owen Vale.”
“Relation to Mr. Hale?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Second cousin.”
The judge removed her glasses.
“That should have been disclosed.”
Grant stood.
“Your Honor, I had no role in selecting the investigator.”
Judge Parker looked at him.
“You are not counsel.”
Grant sat down.
For the first time all day, Leo felt the balance shift.
Then Daniel introduced new evidence.
A sealed trust annex.
Naomi whispered, “There it is.”
The annex defined legal incapacity broadly.
If Leo were temporarily suspended as managing beneficiary, Mia's guardian could exercise the family's Class A voting rights on her behalf.
But there was a catch.
The guardian could act only with approval from the designated trust protector.
Judge Parker asked who held that role.
Daniel answered.
“Grant Hale.”
Leo turned slowly.
Grant did not look at him.
The entire custody fight suddenly had a visible financial purpose.
Naomi seized it.
She argued that Grant's conflict of interest infected the petition.
Daniel countered that Celeste had initiated it independently.
Judge Parker asked Celeste directly why she filed.
Celeste stood.
“Because I believed someone was preparing to use Leo's public reputation to separate him from his daughter.”
Daniel's head snapped toward her.
Grant's face hardened.
The judge frowned.
“That sounds like an argument against your petition.”
“It became one.”
Celeste looked at Leo.
“I filed before they could choose a petitioner I did not trust.”
The courtroom went still.
Daniel whispered, “Celeste, stop.”
She ignored him.
“I believed that if I controlled the petition, I could keep Mia in her home while I learned who was manipulating the trust.”
Grant stood again.
“This is absurd.”
The judge's voice sharpened.
“Sit down, Mr. Hale.”
Celeste continued.
“I did not authorize the language claiming Elena feared Leo.”
“I did not authorize a school transfer.”
“I did not authorize Mr. Hale as emergency guardian.”
“And I did not submit that video.”
Daniel went pale.
Judge Parker ordered a recess.
Leo followed Naomi into the hallway.
Celeste came after them.
Leo faced her.
“You could have told me.”
Celeste's eyes filled with anger.
“And you would have done what?”
“Confronted Grant?”
“Yes.”
“Threatened Daniel?”
“Maybe.”
“Proved every story they built about you?”
Leo looked away.
Celeste's voice softened.
“Elena knew you.”
“She loved you.”
“And she knew your first instinct was always to stand between danger and the people you loved.”
“She needed you to do the opposite.”
Leo thought about the three years he had blamed himself for Elena leaving.
“You let me believe she was afraid of me.”
Celeste closed her eyes.
“I was told she was dead.”
“Told by who?”
“Daniel.”
Leo stared at her.
“And the body?”
“Dental identification came through a doctor retained by family counsel.”
“Daniel again.”
“Yes.”
Before Leo could ask more, Mia's babysitter called Naomi.
Mia was still at Mercer House.
But Bunny was missing.
Leo's stomach dropped.
“Who has been inside?”
“Only Rosa, two guards, and the court officer.”
Leo thought of Bunny's hidden compartments.
He had removed the key and memory card.
But Elena had already surprised him twice.
What if there was a third secret?
He called Rosa.
“Find the rabbit.”
“We are looking.”
“Check cameras.”
“The east hallway camera went offline eleven minutes ago.”
Leo looked at Naomi.
Grant was nowhere in the hallway.
Neither was Daniel.
Leo ran back into the courtroom.
Grant's chair was empty.
Daniel's folder remained on the table.
Judge Parker had not yet returned.
Celeste whispered, “Where did he go?”
Leo was already moving.
His phone buzzed.
A text from Grant appeared.
YOU WANT THE TRUTH ABOUT ELENA?
BRING THE BOSTON FILES TO 18 WILLOW CREST.
COME ALONE.
A second message followed.
May you like
I HAVE THE RABBIT.
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