Chapter 3 — The Decision Conrad Made for Celia
Conrad had adored Celia.
That was part of the problem.
She was his only child.
Her mother had died when Celia was thirteen.
Afterward Conrad became fiercely protective.
Too protective.
He chose schools.
Questioned friends.
Called employers.
Inspected apartments.
Celia spent years pushing against him.
Then she met Yvette’s father, Adrian.
Conrad disliked him almost immediately.
Not because Adrian was cruel.
Not because he treated Celia badly.
Conrad simply thought he was unstable.
Adrian was young.
His income changed from month to month.
He worked as a photographer.
He traveled frequently.
Celia loved him.
Conrad believed love had made her reckless.
When Celia became pregnant, the arguments became worse.
“Did he want me?” Yvette asked.
Conrad looked surprised.
“Your father?”
“Yes.”
“Very much.”
Yvette looked down.
Adrian had died when she was four.
Her memories of him were fragments.
A camera strap.
A laugh.
His beard against her cheek.
Conrad continued.
Yvette’s birth briefly repaired the family.
Conrad came to the hospital.
Adrian took the photograph.
Celia allowed Conrad to hold the baby.
For several months, peace returned.
Then Adrian received an offer for a long photography assignment overseas.
He would be gone nearly six weeks.
Celia planned to remain home with Yvette.
Conrad hated the idea.
He thought Celia was exhausted.
He thought Adrian should refuse the job.
When Adrian left anyway, Conrad began visiting almost every day.
At first Celia accepted the help.
Then Conrad started making decisions.
He hired a daytime nanny without asking.
Changed a medical appointment because he preferred another doctor.
And one afternoon, when Celia mentioned she was considering moving to a smaller town with Adrian after his assignment…
Conrad panicked.
“What did you do?” Yvette asked.
Conrad’s face filled with shame.
“I contacted a solicitor.”
Dorian frowned.
Yvette’s eyes narrowed.
“For what?”
“Advice.”
“About whether I had any right to stop you being moved far away.”
Yvette stared.
“You tried to take me from my mother?”
“No.”
Conrad immediately shook his head.
“I never filed anything.”
“I never wanted custody of you.”
“But I asked questions I had no right to ask.”
“And Celia found out.”
Yvette looked sick.
Conrad continued.
The solicitor sent a follow-up letter to Conrad’s house.
Celia happened to see it while visiting.
She read enough to understand what he had been exploring.
That evening she confronted him.
Conrad tried to explain that he had been afraid.
Celia heard only one thing:
Her father believed his fear gave him authority over her child.
She told him:
“You don’t get to turn loving us into owning us.”
Then she left.
Conrad followed her to the driveway.
She turned around and said:
“Do not come to my house again unless I invite you.”
He obeyed.
But several weeks later he made one more mistake.
And that was the moment Celia ended contact completely.