Nervously she focused her attention back to the answers Loukis was giving to his own lawyers. He outlined the existing housing and care he was providing for Annabelle, letting them guide his answers to how difficult and traumatic it had been for her to be abandoned by her mother. The raw pain he expressed at his initial feelings of helplessness at his sister’s misery was felt by all. To her credit, a pale Meredith seemed contrite and distraught to hear of it. His lawyers didn’t miss a single thing that would give them an edge over the opposing counsel.
It was Meredith’s lawyers’ turn next, probing gently at his own feelings towards Meredith, suggesting that perhaps it was his own abandonment that had coloured his feelings over the situation. Célia’s heart pounded in her chest to see him so exposed, but to her surprise they seemed sympathetic towards him. Not even touching on his own reputation. Something that even Loukis seemed surprised by.
By the time they indicated that they had no further questions, Loukis, his lawyers and Célia were confused. All of their attention had been so focused on defending assumed attack from that quarter, the sheer fact that they hadn’t gone down that path made it seem as if they didn’t even want to win the case.
‘Ms d’Argent? If you would?’
Célia took a deep breath, gratefully received a supportive smile from Loukis and made her way towards the chair to the right of the judge. Focusing on answering Loukis’s lawyers’ questions helped some of the nerves Célia felt rising within her, ebbing and flowing, sometimes jerking at the spike of adrenaline when she had to pause and consider her words and how they might be interpreted by the opposition. But she answered them truthfully. Yes, she had met Loukis through work, but that relationship had developed. Yes, she had met Annabelle and taken the lovely little girl into her heart. No, she didn’t have personal experience in parenting, but understood what it would mean for her future with Loukis if he were to become guardian of Annabelle and was one hundred per cent in support of it and was looking forward to being in her life. Yes, she had relocated to Greece to be with him, and most definitely yes thought that Loukis would be a wonderful parent.
With their thanks for her time, Loukis’s lawyers sat down and Meredith’s stood.
‘Ms d’Argent, you have not always been CEO of Chariton Endeavours, have you?’
‘No, the company was formed three years ago with Ella Black, a school friend.’
‘And before that?’
‘Before Chariton?’
‘Yes.’
Célia shrugged. ‘I was at university in Paris.’
‘And what did you study there?’
‘A degree in Humanities and—’
‘But you started out with a different degree, no?’
Célia frowned, her heart beginning to pound in her chest. She cast a glance towards Meredith, to see a vindictive edge to her gaze. She knew. She turned to Loukis, wanting him to make it stop, needing him to. Because if he didn’t, Loukis would lose everything and it would be her fault. A cold sweat broke out across her shoulder blades, sending shivers along her skin.
‘Ms d’Argent? Please answer the question.’
‘I... My university education began with a degree in mathematics and computer sciences.’
‘And it was that which led you to an internship with Paquet Industries.’
Although Célia was looking at the lawyer, she saw Loukis lean to the man next to him, a frown marking his features, and confusion emanating from their table.
I’m so sorry, Loukis.
Fear and rage welled within her, for him, for herself. She knew she should have told him. Told him the true extent of what her father had done with her plans. But she’d thought those records were sealed. That no one would ever find out.
‘Yes,’ she said meekly.
‘And while you were there, you had worked on technical specifications for a missile guidance system.’
‘No.’
The lawyer’s eyes blazed with the same intensity as Meredith’s had, as if sensing victory.
‘Need I remind you that even though this is a custody hearing, anything you say must be the truth, or it will be seen as perjury?’
‘You do not. The specifications I was working on were for drone guidance systems for agricultural use in developing countries,’ she said shakily.
‘There is no record of that.’
‘Those records are sealed.’