Chapter 1: Why him? Why now?

3 days before. 4h00 pm. Jake Kane's house.

A short, tiny blonde woman knocks at the massive entrance door. Consumed by anxiety and curiosity, she keeps fidgeting, waiting for the door to open. A tall and threatening man opens, staring at her like she was some harmful and annoying bug.

-"Hey isn't it my favorite BFF? Sincerely Clarence, we should call each other more often, you know, catching up, eating some ice cream while chatting of boys, doing our nails, watching some comforting chick flick to forget about our harassing days of work…"

-"Miss Mars. Miss Kane is waiting for you in the living room"

-"Comon' Clary, don't be so professional… it's been so long! Don't you just want to give me a huge hug to make up for all this lost time???"

By the dark and gloomy look he gave her, she hesitated between laughing and really being scared. They never liked each other, and she was maybe, MAYBE, pushing it a little bit. Silently, she followed him in the living room.

There she was. Tall, lean, posh, cold and perfect, as usual. Sitting on a French canapé in all her gracefulness. She was looking at her, evaluating her enemy. All smiles, Veronica crashed herself in the least graceful movement she could do, returning her look with a defying and joyful one.

-"Celeste! I practically missed you as much as Clarence. I mean, I know we all have busy schedules, but its no excuse to…"

-"Don't even bother playing it quirky with me Veronica. You are here with a reason, and let's keep it this way."

-"You are breaking my heart Celeste. I mean, really."

-"I wish it could be possible", she answered with a little sufficient smile. But the smile didn't last. "A tea"?

-"Unless you provide drug tests with every sip of that beverage, I highly doubt I'll join you. I'd rather dry myself to death" candidly answered Veronica.

-"Insinuating that I poisoned a drink I will myself take is quite pointless, Miss Mars."

-"Well, you know, cobras are immunized to their own venom. So why am I here, unless your tea is that exceptional that you wanted to share it with me?"

Slowly bringing down her cup, gently posing it on the table, Celeste gave a frozen and unemotional look to Veronica. Veronica started shivering. Was it Duncan? Did anything happen to him, wherever he was?!?!?! Locking her eyes to Celeste's ones, she was waiting impatiently now.

-"My husband is missing. And you will find him."

-"I beg your pardon???" was the only answer Veronica could get out of her mouth, completely astonished.

-"My husband is missing. He took $100,000 out of one of our bank accounts, reserved a ticket to NYC and disappeared since. It was 2 weeks ago. I hired the best P.I. Don't think you are the first one I contacted. I do it as a last resort and with disgust to be brought to that end", ends it up with a sigh.

-"I haven't heard the news I wanted to get. If he flew away with a mistress, I want to know. If he killed himself, I want to know. If he is with your mother, I want to know it. I want you to find him and tell me where he is. I will take care of the rest. All expenses will be reimbursed and you will get a $50,000 bonus when you will find him. Your flight is in 3 days for New York, to track him down, hotel reserved as well."

-"And what makes you think I will accept", with her eyebrows slightly frown answered Veronica.

-"You need money, as your family always did. But you mainly took away my daughter and my son. You destroyed my family. You and that whore, who is apparently acting as your mother. Therefore, try to have a minimum of common sense, and don't make me more angry at you and your family than I already am. Work for me, or I'll make your life, your DAD's life a living hell again." She was so calm that it was scary.

Veronica was breathless. She knew deep down that she wasn't the source of all of her misfortunes, but she always been feeling guilty for her mom's behavior. And she did help Duncan to runaway. But keeping her responsible was nonsense, and she didn't have to work for her out of guilt.

-"Celeste, I am highly sorry…"

-"I don't care for what you have to say sincerely. Take the job. Here's the information I have. You are flying in 3 days and don't come back until you have the answer I am looking for".

On these words, Celeste Kane majestically stood up, walking away with all the glacial grace she always had, proud and strong, looking unaware of any trouble in her life, acting as the ice queen she always been.

Sitting alone in that big and empty house, shivering at the breeze caressing her skin, hearing the whispers of Lilly's chasing her; she finally stood up and walked away from this broken home.