chapter 4
•in the Crowhurst estate*
Seraphina Crowhurst
*shouting*
THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE! My daughter—my poor girl—do you even comprehend what she's been through?! She has to leave the country now! Abroad! She’s shattered!
Edmund Crowhurst
Seraphina-
Seraphina Crowhurst
No! Don't you dare placate me! That woman—it's her. It's all her fault!
Edmund Crowhurst
Serephina- please-
Seraphina Crowhurst
No, you listen, Edmund! Your daughter’s reputation was dragged through the dirt, and you're just sitting there?! She’s locked in her room, hasn’t eaten in days! She’s not speaking to anyone! What if—what if she tries to end her life?! What then?!
Edmund Crowhurst
*takes a long breath*
Seraphina, I need you to listen—if we make a move now—
Seraphina Crowhurst
Oh, spare me the if. You’ll do nothing. Just like always. "If we do something..."—what a joke. No action. No consequence. You know why? Because she’s not really your daughter, is she? Hm? Is that why you don’t care?!
Edmund Crowhurst
*Snaps* Seraphina!
*sighs, quieter* You’re not seeing clearly. Sit down. Breathe. We'll figure this out.
Seraphina Crowhurst
*Voice breaking*
Figure what out? There’s nothing left to figure. If I had just… If I had...
*starts crying*
Edmund Crowhurst
*Softly*
Seraphina… come on. Come here. Just breathe.
Seraphina's phone starts ringing.
She answers.
Seraphina Crowhurst
📲📞[hello?] *mouths to Edmund* it's the Blackwoods
Elara Blackwood
[Darling Seraphina, how are you holding up? Corvin and I were hoping we could stop by… talk about the whole Aveline situation. Can we come now?]
Seraphina Crowhurst
(The “Aveline situation”? She makes it sound like a casual luncheon mishap...) [Oh, how convenient. We were just about to call you.]
Elara Blackwood
[Well, I beat you to it.* laughs*, ever so smugly Funny, isn’t it? Even the Ravenscrofts are joining us—just a little gathering.]
Seraphina Crowhurst
[Ohhh, absolutely. Come by. The sooner, the better.]
Elara Blackwood
[Fabulous. See you in a bit. Bye~]
Seraphina Crowhurst
[Bye~] *ends the call, scoffs* She still thinks she’s royalty, doesn’t she? If it weren't for that second chance they gifted her, she'd still be what she always was—a glorified house pet.
Edmund Crowhurst
Seraphina… don’t drag up the past.
Seraphina Crowhurst
Too late. The Blackwoods are coming—and of course, without warning, like they own this estate and we’re the servants.
Edmund Crowhurst
*deep sigh* When they arrive... please. Don’t say anything rash. Don’t start anything.
Seraphina Crowhurst
Yeah, yeah. "I’ll be the perfect host."
Crowhurst Estate — Living Room
The doors open. The Blackwoods and Ravenscrofts step in, elegance veiling tension like perfume over blood.
Elara Blackwood
Oh, I hope we’re not intruding. You two must be in such… distress. We came only to help, of course.
Lysandra Ravenscroft
Naturally. We’re here as well—not just the Blackwoods.
Seraphina Crowhurst
*smiling coldly* Oh, always so helpful. I especially rely on you, Elara… for guidance.
Elara Blackwood
*smirking* I know. I’ve always guided you, haven’t I? Practically held your hand through everything. *side-eyes Lysandra*
Lysandra Ravenscroft
(I’ll make you both bleed for this. Just wait.) Let’s not forget who handled the appointments. The deals. I still do that, don’t I?
Elara Blackwood
*eye twitching slightly* Of course, darling. How could I possibly forget you?
Corvin Blackwood
If you ladies are done chatting, shall we sit and discuss?
Seraphina Crowhurst
Of course, Corvin. *sweet smile* Please, everyone. Make yourselves... comfortable.
They all settle onto the silk-trimmed couches, tension as thick as the silence.
Elara Blackwood
Now—regarding this mess—I’ll be blunt. I don’t want a single hair harmed on my daughter’s head.
Lysandra Ravenscroft
Same. We’re on the same page there. *sips tea, unbothered*
Elara Blackwood
*glancing sideways* It was your daughter who crumbled first, wasn’t it? The weakest link... naturally. If anyone’s next, it’ll be yours, Lysandra.
Seraphina Crowhurst
(you think my daughter is weak?!) *voice like frost*
Or maybe… they’re starting with the strongest. Ever think of that?
Lysandra Ravenscroft
I’m inclined to agree with Seraphina.
Corvin Blackwood
What if… it’s not a pattern? What if we’re chasing shadows? And the one we think is behind this—maybe she isn’t.
Edmund Crowhurst
Corvin has a point. We might be misdirected.
Alaric Ravenscroft
And who exactly is “she”?
Lysandra Ravenscroft
It’s not a she, Alaric. It’s a they.
Elara Blackwood
Still- "they" have their husbands wrapped around their dainty fingers. You can’t tell me that’s not... suspicious.
Lysandra Ravenscroft
Let’s focus. Aveline. That’s the issue at hand. We handle her first, then chase ghosts.
Elara Blackwood
I won’t allow my daughter to be dragged further into this. And tell Aveline—she’s to meet my daughter at Labyrinth Café. Today. She wants to “share sadness,” apparently.
Lysandra Ravenscroft
Mine wants the same. Honestly, I don’t even know why we came. Nothing’s changed.
Elara Blackwood
*muttering*
Says the blind one.
Lysandra Ravenscroft
*snaps* ELARA. Don’t push me. You think this is all random? No. She spared you. You were born to be a house pet. Even after school, even in adulthood—you were nothing without her mercy.
Elara Blackwood
*stands, shouting* LYSANDRA. ENOUGH.
Seraphina Crowhurst
*quietly, cutting* She’s just telling the truth.
Corvin Blackwood
Ladies—please. Enough of this.
Alaric Ravenscroft
Oh, says who? A man who’s had a pathetic crush on that woman for years—and still does.
Corvin Blackwood
Coming from the man who nearly killed his own woman—for her.
Elara Blackwood
What... WHAT?! *under her breath, shaking* (I hate her. What is so special about her?! She’s a leech. A mistake. A curse wrapped in silk. She should’ve been given nothing.)
Seraphina Crowhurst
Wow. A little projecting, Elara? Maybe you want her husband because, oh I don’t know—he has more power than Corvin? Is that it?
Elara Blackwood
*snaps* SEREPHINA, SHUT. UP.
Corvin—we’re leaving. Now.
Lysandra Ravenscroft
Alaric. We’re done here too.
Seraphina Crowhurst
*smiling darkly* Bye-bye~
Edmund Crowhurst
*low, disappointed* Seraphina… I told you not to do anything.
Seraphina Crowhurst
Softly* But I didn’t. They did.
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