Chapter 5
The private consultant Celina contacted was real.
Dr. Martin Keane was a licensed child psychologist with a respected practice outside Chicago.
That initially reassured Luciano.
Then Rachel requested the communication history.
Dr. Keane had never evaluated Ellie.
He had never even met her.
Every description of Ellie’s supposed problems came from Celina.
The emails were revealing.
Celina described tantrums lasting hours.
Physical aggression.
Intentional destruction of property.
Extreme jealousy.
Refusal to sleep alone.
Attempts to sabotage Celina and Luciano’s relationship.
None matched preschool records.
None matched Maria’s observations.
Luciano read one line twice.
I am concerned that remaining in the current home may reinforce unhealthy attachment patterns.
Rachel sat across from him.
“Who wrote that?”
“Celina.”
“Not the psychologist?”
“No.”
That distinction mattered.
Then they found Dr. Keane’s response.
He had cautioned repeatedly against drawing conclusions without direct assessment.
He recommended family therapy first.
Celina replied that Luciano was “too busy” and “unlikely to participate.”
She had never asked him.
In another email, she asked whether a young child could benefit from a temporary therapeutic residential placement.
Dr. Keane answered that such placement would be highly unusual for a three-year-old and inappropriate without significant clinical concerns.
Celina did not respond.
Instead, three days later she contacted another consultant.
That one was less reputable.
He specialized in private placements and educational programs.
Luciano called Rachel.
“She was shopping for someone who would agree.”
“That appears possible.”
“Possible.”
“Yes.”
He hated the word again.
Rachel continued.
“Intent matters. We still need to understand what she expected to gain.”
Luciano knew the obvious answer.
A marriage without Ellie.
But something still felt incomplete.
If Celina simply disliked his daughter, she could have told Luciano she did not want to raise a child.
It would have ended the engagement.
Instead she had spent months building documentation.
Behavior reports.
Consultations.
Staff changes.
Language about residential placement.
She did not only want Ellie gone.
May you like
She wanted the decision to look justified.
And more importantly, she seemed to want Luciano to believe it was his decision.
