Two years ago; Trenton, New Jersey- Liam:
You can do it. This is what you wanted. He tried to reassure himself but his stomach was filled with knots and a feeling of dread. What if father is correct and Madeline is the best person? He shook his head, he couldn’t think like that. He knew even if this wasn’t the life that Raven truly wanted that she was more than capable to lead alongside him.
It was time for him to stop dragging his feet and get it over with. He needed to make it clear to her that he never planned to marry her. He knocked on her door, hoping it sounded more like authority than the nerves he battled. She is not going to be happy. He knew Madeline would likely fight him on this. She always did when he pushed things back, she would certainly fight him on ending the engagement entirely.
“Come in.”
Her shrill voice made a shiver run down his spine. He’d always likened her voice to nails scraping down a chalkboard, loud and harsh. He fixed a smile on his face as he stepped into her room. He would finally be free of her. His father would be less than happy but he was dying; Liam refused to be forever tied to a woman he couldn’t stand when there was someone he actually cared about willing to give him everything he’d always wanted.
“Liam.” Her voice turned sugary sweet as her eyes fell on him.
His stomach roiled. How did I ever agree to an engagement with her? She was so fake and shallow. She never cared for him, only what she would gain at his side. “Madeline, I came to talk to you about our engagement.” The faster he did this the faster he would be rid of her.
“Are you finally ready to set a date?” Her voice grew harder.
He could read the worry behind her words, even as she tried to keep her voice sweet and even; it was fake, just like everything about her. He swallowed. He chose to do this in her room because he knew she would cause a scene. He knew her voice would become higher and shriller than it usually was, she would scream and likely throw things. No, it was best to do it here, but that didn’t mean he was ready for her tirade. “No.” He watched her smile drop. He braced himself for the screams to come. “I’m ending it. We are never getting married.” Maybe it was harsh, but his father taught him to make sure he was clear with his words, to never allow there to be any question as to what he meant.
Her eyes narrowed. “I don’t accept it. I refuse.”
“I don’t care if you accept it Madeline, I’m notmarrying you, ever.”
She let out a high pitched shriek. “You will marry me Liam Rhys! It’s your duty to marry me!”
Liam felt himself fill with anger. His entire life had been mapped out for him since he was eight years old; he was told what to do and who to marry. If he was to rule when his father died, he would do it on his own terms. “Madeline you may scream all you want but I’m not marrying you.” He turned and walked towards the door.
“Nooooo!” She shrieked, her hand wrapped around the crystal vase of flowers. She launched it at the door; the vase shattered, water and flowers raining on the floor.
Liam carefully stepped over the debris. “Goodbye Madeline.”
“I will rule by your side Liam Rhys! I will have the empire I was promised!”
No, Madeline, you won’t. He closed the door behind him. He knew his father would come down on him for his decision, but he would not be forced to marry her any longer.
Present day; Trenton, New Jersey:
Madeline straightened her back. “You should be, you clearly don’t know who I am.”
“I know you think you’re more important than you are. I know you clearly have no idea who I am. I promise you I’m way more powerful than you might think.”
Madeline rolled her eyes. Just another delusional soul, I can handle her easily. Her eyes went wide as Bastien and Olivia stepped up behind Liza and Hope. Who the hell is she?!
Liza smiled. “As you can see I’m far more connected than you are. I have the backing of two families, while you’ve been thrown out of yours.” She lowered her voice so only Madeline could hear. “You take one step near my family today and I will end you no matter who may see.” Madeline blanched. “But make no mistake, mine will be the last face you see.”
Madeline forced a smile on her lips. She refused to be made to cower in fear. Who cares if she knows Bastien?! “You think I’m afraid of him?” She laughed. “The Rhys family kept him cowering for years!”
“Is that what you think?” Liza snorted. “Even if he was scared of The Rhys family you aren’t associated with them anymore.”
Surely she doesn’t know. “Who told you that lie?”
“Liam, when Hope told him about your visit to see Emmaline.” Liza turned to Bastien. “Bas, give me your gun.”
Bastien reached under his jacket and pulled his Glock 19 from its holster, handing the weapon to Liza with a smile.
“You threatened my family. You questioned me. You showed up to the funeral of the woman you murdered. Why should I allow you to walk away?”
Madeline’s eyes darted around looking for a friendly face in a sea of people. “How did I threaten your family?” Madeline pointed at Hope. “She’s Emmaline’s daughter.” As long as she’s talking she’s not shooting.
“Yes, but I’m Bastien’s wife.” Liza pulled back the slide. “Open or closed?”
“Open or closed what?” Hope questioned confused. She knew they did questionable things and the promise Liza made but surely she wouldn’t do it now in the open?
“Casket.” Olivia answered. “Closed I think.”
Liza nodded leveling the gun at Madeline’s head. “Any last words?”
Madeline swallowed. “You can’t—”
Pop
The stillness of the cemetery broke as birds took flight and surprised shrieks filled the air. Liza smiled as Madeline’s body dropped to the ground. “Don’t mess with my family.”
“You know you could have stabbed her.” Olivia looked around as people scattered. “We should get out of here.”
“I didn’t want to get blood on my dress.” Liza said as she replaced the gun in Bastien’s holster. “Come on Hope, let’s go home.” She looped her arm in hers, pulling the stunned woman’s eyes away from the dead body.
*
Hope shook as she slid into the sleek black SUV next to Liza. She just. Out in the open. Her head swam, she wasn’t sure which way was up, how to feel.
Relieved, she felt less fear than she had since the day she learned of her mother’s death. Does this mean? She was surprised that she felt actual fear that they would send her away now that she no longer needed to worry about Madeline coming after her.
“Hope.” Liza’s voice was soft and full of understanding. “Do you want us to take you back to Linda’s?”
No! She finally found a place where she actually felt like she fit in and she never wanted to leave. She looked up at Liza; maybe she should be afraid to be around her, but all she wanted to do was collapse into her arms. “What? No.” She shook her head.
“Are you sure? We understand if what happened changes things for you.” She paused. “But I couldn’t let her walk away. I knew if I did she could disappear. I’m sorry you had to see that Hope.”
“No. Umm, I mean I was surprised, I didn’t expect you to do it with so many people around, but I understand.”
“Actually it was better that she did it now. So many people, everyone dressed in black, we would be less likely to be noticed.” Olivia looked over from the front seat. “I still say you should have stabbed her.”
“I didn’t want to give her a chance to fight back, plus I really like this dress.” Liza turned back to Hope and took her hand. “Are you sure you want to come back with us?”
“Yes.” I finally have a real family.
“If you ever change your mind, tell us.” Bastien called from the front seat.
Hope glanced out the window, would she change her mind? No. She finally had what she’d searched for her entire life. It was far from a conventional family; sure, they had more secrets than most but she also felt more love with them in a few short weeks than she had in the longest time with Linda. She finally had a place where she belonged. “I won’t.” She looked around the car at her family. “This is where I belong.”
Eight years ago; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania- Bastien/Liza:
Liza glared at the middle aged man sitting across from her. “I don’t understand what we are doing here, there is nothing wrong with her outfit.” She once again scanned Olivia, her shorts were tight but fell below her fingertips, her tank top was flowy and not even remotely low cut.
The principal sighed in exasperation. “Her bra straps were exposed. That’s a clear violation of the dress code.”
“Liv, raise your arms, twist, move about.”
Olivia did as she was instructed, she knew Liza was trying to help, maybe if someone would listen to her it would become clear.
“They aren’t falling.”
“She must have tightened them.” The principal replied clearly annoyed with Liza and her insistence that Olivia hadn’t violated the dress code.
“Maybe if you listened to me.” Olivia hissed under her breath.
“Listened to you about what Liv?” Liza asked.
“Yes, my bra straps were exposed, but it was because of the boy behind me. He kept snapping my bra and when I ignored him he pulled down my straps.”
Bastien grinned as he watched Liza’s face morph in rage. Any meetings with the principal or teacher had become more entertaining since Liza came into his life. He just sat back and let her deal with the incompetence.
“So what I’m hearing is that Olivia was the victim to sexual harassment and yet she’s being sent home for a dresscode violation?”
“Umm… well…” the principal sputtered. “We weren’t aware.”
“You weren’t aware because you wouldn’t listen to the victim. I want the boy punished.”
“We can’t interrupt his education based on hearsay. If someone had seen it, it would be different.”
“But you can interrupt her education based on a bullshit dress code violation? Her education has been interrupted twice now. Once by the boy, once by this meeting, and you want to interrupt it a third time by sending her home when she did nothing wrong. If you refuse to punish the boy but punish her then the problem is you and not what she’s wearing.”
The principal stared at Liza. “Very well, Olivia, you may return to class.”
“Thank you. Next time maybe listen to her before you try to punish her.” I can’t wait to be done with this goddamn school.
Present day; Trenton, New Jersey:
Raven gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth as they grew close enough to see the cause of the commotion. Her stomach churned and she had to fight the urge to vomit. As much as she hated Madeline, she never expected to see her like this, her body still, a bullet hole between her blank eyes.
“They didn’t.” Liam’s blood boiled, his hands clenched into fists by his sides. As much as he wanted to deny it, it was clear by the familiar platinum blonde hair and lifeless green eyes staring up at him that they very much did. “She was mine. Mine to deal with, mine to kill.” All the crimes committed by the woman lying crumpled at his feet were done against him; he was the one who should have handled it. A new wave of rage washed over him. They stole his kill and sullied his mother’s funeral. Bastien may not have been the one who initially took his mother from him like he believed but he took his one chance of retribution from him today. Why did they feel they had the right to be here? To do this? He felt consumed by his rage. They clearly had no respect for him. His need for vengeance was pushed to the side. They may have taken his kill but now they left him to clean up the mess.
He considered a cover up, but with so many present a missing body would draw more questions than leaving her be. Police were the last thing he wanted to deal with, but he was trained to handle them. They would question him and take names of the guests, soon they would leave and eventually the trail would go cold. He owned this city, this state, even with the report he could make this go away with ease.
*
Finally, can I just lay my mother to rest?! Liam nodded at the squat detective in cheap, ill-fitting suit rejoined him and Raven. Raven truly was the woman for him, easily turning on the waterworks playing the bereaved friend with ease. “Did you get everything detective?”
“We spoke to the mourners who stayed, were able to gather names from your guest book of those who left. We also spoke to a few mourners who were visiting the cemetery. We will contact those who didn’t hang around, I feel confident we will find the perpetrator.”
Liam suppressed a laugh. He highly doubted that they would have signed the guestbook. It was just as well, the case would soon enough be cold. “Thank you, I trust that you will find however was responsible and they we pay.”
“I’m sorry this put a damper on an already bleak day.”
“Detective!” A young man in uniform shouted. “We have a problem.”
“What is it officer?”
“It seems our victim had a restraining order.”
“Okay, on who.”
The officer swallowed thickly his eyes falling on Liam. “Liam Rhys.”
“This is outrageous. It’s my mother’s funeral.”
“Mister Rhys, I’m afraid you’re going to have to come to the station to answer a few more questions.”
Liam seethed, everything she’d done to terrorize his family and she filed a restraining order against him? All the stars had aligned in the worst possible way leaving him as their number one suspect.
He would clear his name.
He would make them pay.
