Sorry to crash the party and all, but you know me, I just can’t stay away.

Now I know what you’re thinking. How could I bring my father to this?

The answer is simple. My sister has a weakness, and it’s him.

Finding myself staring down the barrel of a gun for the first time reminded me of just how small I really was. Candace St. Clair is powerless on her own. That’s why I need people at my side.

People like Leah Watts, who I knew deep down I could always trust to do what’s best for me, even if it’s something I’d never forgive her for. She would kill for me. She would die for me.

People like Aria Fairmont, who would never walk away, no matter how many times I failed to be the kind of person I needed to be. Because that’s what best friends were for.

People like Malcolm Peterson, who reminded me of what I was capable of. Ruthless and kind. Someone who believed in my ability to lead, even when I didn’t.

People like my father, who gave me the power to be who I am. When I found myself alone for the first time, somewhere I didn’t think I’d ever find danger lurking around the corner, my father alone was the one who saved me. If I wasn’t the daughter of the single most powerful criminal on the planet I never would have made it out of there alive.

Only I could defy odds in the face of death, defenseless and unarmed, and talk my way out of that alley unharmed. If Candace St. Clair could do all of that without lifting a finger, she could do this.

And yes, people like Sophia Cavalier, who always challenged me. Someone who could make me look in the mirror and help me see who I really was. This was someone who forced me to think for myself and become who I wanted to be. A woman who could change me for the better. A woman I would change myself for.

A year ago today I made the mistake of turning my back on her when I should have held her hand, and I wasn’t about to make the same mistake again.

As if my sister really expected me to stay home on a night like this.

We stared each other in the eyes, two heads of one table as far away as could be.

To Claudia’s right- her childhood rival, beloved daughter, faithful wife, my sister’s mother, the father she and I share, and a friend I needed but didn’t deserve on my left.

And on my right- a friend I deserved but didn’t need, my brother’s wife, my brother, not one but two of my sister’s slaves, gifts from her wife, and an empty seat- directly to Claudia’s left.

Malcolm, Anthony, Leah, and I had arrived together along with my father. The boys were here less as assistants and more as friends, just there to support us all. The newly engaged couple ran right up the stairs as soon as we got here, leaving me alone with this lot.

My family.

It was weird that Aria was so far away from her owner, but it wasn’t like there was room for her up there, and the only other empty seat was next to my sister. I sat between her and Leah, while my father sat on the other side of his assistant so that he could be next to his ex-wife, giving out flowers to the hosts.

Claudia got one, her wife got one, their daughter got one, even Zenna got one as congratulations for the baby. But Lilith got the rest of the bouquet. God, my father was too suave for his own good.

“Like I was saying-” My father continued as we waited for Darcey and Autumn to serve us all. “Happy birthday, Lilith. What are you, thirty-six?”

Lilith simply giggled at the older, albeit younger than her, gentleman’s attempts at flirting. “I’m sixty-two, but thank you.”

“You’ll have to tell me how you’ve stayed so beautiful.” He grinned, not once taking his eyes off of her as he spoke. “You don’t look a day older than when I last saw you.”

It was almost uncomfortable how well the two of them were getting along, and I wasn’t the only one to notice that. My siblings of comparable age to that of which our father was describing their mother to be were making these weird eyebrows at each other, like there was some inside joke that I was being left out of. Plus there was a particularly irked Leah sitting right beside him, pained to have to turn down champagne offered to her while she was forced to listen to her boss make jokes at her expense.

The math wasn’t very difficult. Lilith would have been exactly Leah’s age when my mother gave birth to me, meaning the two of them had both gone through their divorces at the same age. But only one of them had kids to show for it. Worst of all though was that their shared slave, and my mother, had died at age thirty-six.

I put my hand on Leah’s shoulder to try and comfort her, like my mother had done for me, and at least in the moment it seemed to help just a little.

“Candace.” Whispered Aria from beside me, trying to get my attention. “Miss Mariam is beckoning you.”

“Ms. Mariam?” I looked up at Lilith before quickly realizing that she was talking about my sister. “Is that what she has people call her?”

“Only colleagues and some slaves, but yes.” Aria nodded, trying to avoid eye contact. “Most others call her Master.”

“Well I don’t.” I bragged as I stood up, leaving my untouched glass of wine on the table. “And I’m not going to call her Ms. Mariam either.”

The blonde slave sitting beside the empty seat stood up and held it out for me as I approached, helping me into place as I sat beside my elder sister. I moved right in the nick of time too, just before receiving dinner at my brand new spot at the table.

“I thought Ms. Mariam is what people called your mom?”

Claudia only got a slight chuckle out of that. “Don’t think it suits me?”

“You’re married.” I quickly debunked. “And your last name is Jacquel.”

“Yeah, but don’t tell father that. We’re not supposed to share last names.” Claudia whispered, making sure to keep quiet. “Besides, Ms. Mariam sounds more imposing. Mrs. Jacquel makes it seem like there’s a Mr. Jacquel.”

“Wasn’t that kind of the point of becoming Mrs. Jacquel?” I retorted. “So that people know you’re owned?”

“I am not owned, thank you.” She stabbed her fork into her food, glaring at me. “Anyways, I called you over here for a reason.”

“And here I thought you wanted to have a friendly chat with your little sister.”

“That was the reason I called you over here.” She spoke with a full mouth. “Speaking of friendly chats. Those two have no business getting along as well as they are.”

“I know, right?” For once I couldn’t help but agree with her. “It’s weird.”

“He must be up to something.” Claudia snipped sarcastically before taking a sip from her sparkling white champagne. “Think maybe he wants to get one last hate fuck in?”

“No offense, Claudia, but I think your mom’s a bit too old for him.”

“You think his first wife is too old for our fifty-six year old father?”

“I think based on how he looks at younger women, yeah.”

“What, like your mother?”

“My mother is beautiful.”

“And mine isn’t?”

“Your mother is a dying old hag.”

“Your mother is a dead old hag.”

“Yeah, and I wonder who’s responsible for that?”

“Ahem.” Zenna coughed, clasping her hands over Lilian’s ears as she loudly cleared her throat. “Not in front of family, please?”

Claudia did not like being made to look weak in front of said family. “Pay no mind to what we are doing and focus on your own task, slave.”

“Look, Ma’am. I know you’re not afraid of saying these things in front of your parents.” Zenna said with a frown. “But can we please keep it away from our daughter?”

Claudia froze and Zenna’s point stood.

“Congrats on the baby, Zenna.” I smiled, taking her hands with mine as she let Lilian listen again. “My mom was a slave when she had me too.”

“So I’ve heard.” She squeezed my palms. “I hope I can live up to those kinds of expectations.”

“You’ll do great. I believe in you.”

Zenna was the most terrified woman in the world right now, having just finished announcing her pregnancy to two families over dinner. Now came the hard part, carrying the baby to term and eventually giving birth. But she was going to do amazing.

“Aunt Candace!! Aunt Candace!!” For right now though, all of the attention in the world was drawn to my niece across from me. “Mommy said you were gonna sing tonight, right!!”

“Oh.” I nervously glanced at my sister beside me, which returned a look of guilt back at me. Clearly she didn’t want to get her daughter’s hopes up just to crush them. “I don’t know, honey.”

“Please?” The little girl begged. “Mommy told me you were going to sing my favorite song?”

And with a look like that, I just couldn’t crush her hopes. “Maybe after dinner, okay?”

Lilian’s smile brightened at the thought of that. “Okay!!”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes as I stood up from my seat after I’d finished my food, needing to return to the drink I’d left all the way across the table. But when I stood up and pushed my seat back in, I made eye contact with my sister one last time.

“Thank you.” She delivered with a genuinely grateful smile. “That means a lot to me.”

“Of course.” I smirked, winking at Lilian across from me. “Anything for my niece.”

By the time I’d made my way back to my seat, someone had finished my champagne for me, of course. So I flagged down the girls for a new one, which they were more than happy to bring me.

Leah just eyed my drink for the longest minute of her life, trying to ignore Claudia’s parents flirting beside her. “You know what. I’m going to go.”

I tipped the drink back, sipping at it slowly. “You’re not leaving are you?”

“No. I wouldn’t leave without you.” She politely gave with an obligatory smile. “I’m going to find Xander.”

Petrified for a moment, I couldn’t help but watch her get up and walk up. “Be careful.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.” She said right within earshot of both my father and I. “If I get shot, I get shot. It’ll make a great backstory for the kids I don’t have.”

I wasn’t the only one who frowned as she said that. It kind of killed the whole mood in a split second.

“Christ, who invited her?” Lilith spat with a spirited dispassion.

“I did, mother.” Claudia quickly responded, a bit upset with both of their tones. “She’s my best friend.”

“She was your best friend.” Lilith snarked, quickly pointing straight at Zenna. “After that one dropped you like a burnt out cigarette.”

The newly pregnant slave felt very on the spot at that moment, but luckily she had Claudia there to defend her. “That was my fault as much as it was Zenna’s. We were the ones who screwed that up, Leah was always there for both of us.”

“Only because she had to be.” Lilith leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms. “Her dad was your father’s right hand, and she was your little sister’s babysitter. She had no choice but to stick around. She doesn’t care about our family, she’s just here to pay off her debts as fast as possible. She’s queen of the peasants. It’s why she let herself get married off to her own father’s assistant.”

“Her father killed himself over what your family did to him.” Zenna stood up and snapped, falling into Claudia’s protective grasp. “Please treat her with some dignity.”

“Don’t you dare speak back to me, slave. It’s a mercy she doesn’t have kids, and I’m beginning to think you shouldn’t have any either.” Lilith responded with a cruel gravel to her voice. “She doesn’t deserve dignity. She deserves the same fate as the rest of her family.”

“Is that why you gave a teenage girl her first bottle of gin at sixteen, or did you just want her to keep quiet about feeding cigarettes down your daughter’s throat?” Claudia held Zenna close as she fought her mother. “Or is there something you’d like to say to her face?”

“I wasn’t trying to make her an alcoholic. I was trying to toughen her up just like any of you. She made herself an alcoholic.” Lilith spoke with casual distaste for the girl. “I’m not saying she’s not a good girl. I’m saying that you all give her too much credit. She’s not family, she’s staff, and she’s particularly destructive and disruptive staff at that.”

“Come on, you guys. Mom brings up a good point.” Cyrus said, much to the displeasure of his wife beside him who responded by clinging tighter to him. “She and her sister were both gold diggers.”

“Exactly.” Lilith let out an exasperated gasp. “I’m not saying she hasn’t been a friend of the family, I’m saying she’s never been a family friend. She’s here because she’s in our debt and she’ll do anything to change that. She’s here for the family. She’s not here for any of us.”

A disgusted silence rang true over the dinner table, as everyone silently nodded their heads and agreed with her. This was Lilith’s birthday party after all, she was the reason everyone was here, and they wouldn’t be here if they didn’t love her.

Or at least most of us loved her.

“She’s here for me.” I left my food and drink on the table untouched, making my intentions clear before I walked away. “None of you love me like she loves me, and if this is how you’re going to talk about her, I think I’d rather be with her than with you.”

“Candace, sweetheart.” Lilith pleaded. “We’re your family.”

“No.” My eyes made sure to meet Lilith’s as I rejected her. “She’s my family.”

Silence hung heavy in the air as I walked away, and only one person in the world had the charisma to follow that up.

“That’s my girl.” My father smiled at me as I took a stand. “At long last, someone’s thinking for herself.”

“And I’m better off for it.”

“It’s good to see that you’re finally using that fire of yours. I’m proud of you.” My hand fell into his as he grabbed it. “Be decisive. Make sure Leah gets the job done before dawn.”

“Don’t worry about her.” I gave my father his own smirk as I pulled my hand away. “I plan on doing it myself.”

I caught Claudia’s glare as I walked away. Like a snake, she glared unblinkingly, like I’d just made the worst mistake of my entire life. Or at least one of the worst, but before she could do anything about it, I was already gone.

“Dinner is adjourned.” Claudia shouted over the length of the table like it was some sort of meeting. “Slaves, clean up after yourselves and your owners. Leave my sister’s leftovers out for her. My slaves will clean up the rest.”

“Pray tell.” Lilith said with an eager smile. “What happens next?”

“What else, tonight’s entertainment.” Claudia turned to her brother and nodded. “Bring in the performers.”

“And I was beginning to think you’d never ask.” Cyrus jumped to his feet with an intensity rarely seen from him as he called out to his crew. “Boys and girls, get the nobodies.”

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It became clear that Leah had been listening to everything we’d been saying through the balcony by the time I turned the corner to head up the stairs, because as soon as she saw me following her she spun around and fled to the conservatory.

She had been crying, and I realized I’d been doing the same as I wiped my eyes clean to save face. Through still foggy eyes I watched Leah bump shoulders with a limping redhead as she stepped into the conservatory up ahead.

I paused for just a moment, staring at the disappointingly unfamiliar girl as she stumbled slowly down the opposite stairs. It must have just been my personal bias, but I couldn’t help but keep noticing redheads everywhere I went.

And none of them were the one I wanted to find.

I loved my family. But we all had our issues, myself included.

Claudia still owned the love of my life, and whatever it took, I was changing that tonight.

Chloe was my girl. I went behind my family’s back to kidnap her once, I could do it again. Leah might not like it. My father wasn’t going to like it. My sister definitely wasn’t going to like it. Hell, Chloe probably wasn’t going to like it. But it was happening one way or another.

I just couldn’t face her until I got that necklace back. Even after everything I did to her, Chloe still looked up to me. Sophia Cavalier looked up to me. She made me that necklace because she loved me, and if the girl who humiliated me a year ago today could see us now, she’d be devastated.

She was the only person who could save me. I just needed to save her first.

Following Leah into the conservatory, I was instantly met with how silent the room went the moment she stepped inside the room. It was like everyone dropped dead as soon as they saw her.

“Look, I’m not here to chat.” Leah sighed, keeping one hand on her gun around unfamiliar enemies. “Just tell me where Xander Mallick is and I’ll stop spoiling your fun with my presence.”

“He’s not here, so look somewhere else.” A younger voice called out. “The little dicked prick got pissy and stormed off. Probably because Barbie’s got bigger balls than he does.”

“You.” Leah quickly turned to her, biting her tongue for now. “Name.”

“That’s Pyra Nouveau.” I said as I stepped inside, trying to hold Leah back. “She’s harmless.”

The brunette was more than a little bit happy to see me. “I’m Candace’s friend-”

“You’re my lawyer.” I snapped, scoffing at the thought of it. “Leave this to me, Leah.”

My current accomplice didn’t seem too keen on the idea of leaving me by myself, especially after what had happened yesterday. “But-”

“That’s an order, Leah.” I left no room for arguing. “Everyone is leaving the table anyways, go sit down and eat.”

She mulled it over for a few seconds before relenting, knowing better than to think anyone here would give her any information even if she asked. “Just don’t get me fired, okay?”

“Don’t get yourself shot and I won’t.”

It hurt to see how distraught she was right now, but I couldn’t exactly help her. I had more important things to worry about.

“First of all.” I turned to Pyra with hands on my hips. “Where’s Xander Mallick?”

“I haven’t seen him.” She snickered. “But I have seen his new doll.”

“And where is she?”

“Last I checked she was actually handing out drinks up here for no good reason.” The evidently drunk woman had to pause and think that over after she said it. “Or maybe she was collecting drinks.”

“Did you at least see where she went?”

“No, but somebody else might have.” She rolled her eyes at me. “You can kind of see the whole ballroom from down here.”

“Right, fine. Have a good night, Pyra.”

“You too, Candy dandy!!”

She was little help at all. But there were countless others just loitering around I could question like NPCs. I just needed to pretend it was a game, like Chloe usually did.

“I hope you boys are having a nice time tonight.” I said to Anthony as I approached him. “Where’s Malcolm?”

“Things were going fine.” He supplied while pointing across the room towards his future husband. “Before he got stopped by a particularly intense hispanic woman.”

“Hispanic woman?” I glanced over and within a microsecond, proceeded to panic. “Oh shit.”

Malcolm was too sweet for his own good, at least usually. In a rush, I dropped everything I was doing and hurried to his side. He was caught between not one, but two older hispanic women, neither of which were very keen on letting him out anytime soon.

“Holy shit, Eva.” I let slip as soon as I got to his side. “What are you doing here?”

The intenser of the two women looked up at me for just a moment, before her eyes dropped back to her tablet. “That’s not exactly a proper way to greet someone, but hello Candy.”

“Answer the question, Eva.”

“Because I was invited.” This woman was not one for parties, not in the slightest. “It’s not exactly my environment, but I’m making do. Right now I’m just catching up with Malcolm and getting a read on his mental and emotional state is all.”

I turned to the wide eyed Malcolm beside me with an equally shocked look, just in time to see him silently mouth the words help me .

“And why exactly are you doing that?”

“Because he used to be my charge and I care for him.” Eva supplied, gesturing towards the other woman. “Plus I want to get him referred to a proper free person doctor, and not those quacks at the facility where you were born, no offense.”

“None taken I suppose.” The other woman sort of just shrugged that off. “I did work in that facility, and I’m pretty sure I was the one who helped deliver her, so I think that’s a compliment?”

I turned to her and shook her hand, giving her a polite smile. “Doctor Renee?”

“That’s me.” She nodded her head, returning my gesture. “I remember your mother. Ask Dr. Larkin, she was my protege at the time, we were the only place you could take a slave to have a baby delivered.”

“And that baby just so happened to be me.” I blushed just a tad. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“And it’s a pleasure to meet you as well.” She actually gave a small bow, holding her hand out towards Eva. “If either of you want you know what , you know who to call.”

“Here’s his referral for that.” Eva said as she slipped a note into the doctor’s hand. “Just in case you need it to approve him.”

“Thank you.” The woman replied, just a bit awkwardly. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m leaving now.”

“It was nice to meet you.” Malcolm just as awkwardly followed up. “Th-thank you.”

“Eva.” I turned to her, knowing how hard it was to get her to take a hint. “I think Malcolm would like you to leave now.”

The other woman had just a touch of emotion in her face as she looked up from her tablet towards Malcolm, and even though her words would usually come off as sarcastic, she said them genuinely. “Oh. My apologies. It should have occurred to me that just by seeing me again you might be experiencing discomfort. I’m sorry, Malcolm.”

“It’s okay. Thanks for checking in.” Malcolm said out of pure politeness. “Tell the girls hi for me?”

“I’m sure your sisters will love to hear from you again, really. They miss you a lot, and I can tell them the same if you’d like.” Eva Moreno smiled, putting her tablet away for now. “They would love to catch up, Margaret especially.”

“Please tell Molly and the girls that I miss them too.” Malcolm chuckled. “And maybe we’ll catch up sometime.”

“Of course.” The other woman nodded as Malcolm slipped away. “As for you.”

“Yes, I get it.” I groaned. “Robin still hates me.”

“Actually. Robin wanted me to ask if she could see you sometime.”

I paused as she said that, thinking it over before giving her the go ahead. “Please excuse me.”

“Take care, Candy.” She called as I left. “I’ll give your sisters your regards.”

For Tallulah’s right hand, she didn’t have much in the way of charisma or common sense. But I was more than relieved to see her take the hint and leave the room once that little interaction had concluded.

“I am so sorry she had to do that Malcolm.” I furiously apologized as I went back to the pair of boys. “I had no idea she was going to be here.”

“It’s fine.” Malcolm assured me, clinging happily to his mate. “Anthony has to go help set things up, and I’m gonna go with him.”

“Real quick, before you go.” I pleaded with them, still catching my breath. “Have either of you seen Xander or Lucy?”

“Yeah.” Anthony nodded, pointing towards the window. “He was smoking just a bit ago. I think he was outside, but I haven’t seen him since.”

“And Lucy?”

“No idea.”

I groaned under my breath. Another lead burned at the stake, just great. Trying to stay sober was already a hard enough task with all of this running around, and now I had to go out of my way to get back my mother’s locket from some dickbag I hardly even knew.

“Relax, pretty thing.” Behind me was an imposingly large woman with sheek black hair and a native complexion. Clearly she could sense the tension, and she and her slave, a tall white girl with curly green hair who still paled in comparison to her master’s height, didn’t quite like the mood I was creating. “Tonight’s not the night for dealing with hobgoblins, this is a party. Please don’t bring down the atmosphere.”

“I’m not bringing down anything, I’m doing my job.” I spun around and snapped at her. “Do you know who I am?”

“Yes. You’re Candace St. Clair, Cardinal’s daughter. I’m sure you haven’t noticed, but we’re all friends of Lilith’s so we don’t really like your father or his assistant all that much.” The woman held her hand out for me to shake. “I’m Ella. Ella Maddie, and this is my escort.”

“Briana Alison.” The girl bowed, holding her master’s cane for her. “I should thank your family for helping to bring Master and I together.”

“You’re very welcome.” I took her master’s hand and shook it, quickly noticing just how much jewelry she had on. “You have a lot of rings.”

“I have a lot of brides.” She beamed proudly, showing all ten of her gorgeous platinum wedding rings off for me to see. “Izzy, Briana, Valerie, Sarah Lyn, Zaya, Trisha, Nora, Ariana, Demi, and Marie.”

“That’s a lot of slaves.” Even I couldn’t help but be impressed. “Did you buy them all?”

“No, actually.” She winked. “Your family helped, but I kidnapped them myself.”

“They like to think it’s hard, but I did the same thing.” I rolled my eyes. “Kidnapped my own slave.”

“It’s more satisfying that way.” The lady took her slave by the hip. “I hope you and your slave have a nice night.”

“We will.” I assured the both of us. “I’m going to make sure of it.”

✶ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✶ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✶

“Are you okay?” Aria asked as Leah sat next to her boss, her eyes heavy with regret. “You don’t look well.”

“I look like if a hangover was a person, what else is new?” Leah scoffed, and not one person questioned her as she picked up a champagne flute that wasn’t hers and emptied it into her mouth. “Don’t pretend like you care, pitter patter.”

“How about you save my wine for the actual guests, Mrs. Watts.” Lilith scoffed, drinking her own champagne without a care from the seat opposite Cardinal between them. “And don’t speak to my slave like that.”

The furious drunk inside of Leah came back with a vengeance. “So that’s how it is. The slaves get to be treated with a modicum of respect, but I don’t?”

“Watts.” His voice carried weight that his ex-wife’s couldn’t, weight that Leah had to help carry. “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

“Yes, Sir.” There he went, treating her like a child again. She hated it, but she couldn’t afford to lose this job. “But for the record, my last name isn’t Watts anymore.”

“It’s about time.” Claudia chuckled, trying to be genuinely friendly with her. “Is it Fischer again?”

“No, actually. My father’s last name isn’t much better than my husband’s last name.”

“Then what is your last name, Leah?” Lilith asked sarcastically, making sure to push it further than she needed to. “Actually, no. What’s your full name? We’ll need it for your tombstone.”

“It’s Ashley. Ashley Caesar. It was my mom’s last name, but Watts is still fine.” She groaned, ignoring Lilith’s warning and swiping a new drink from the tray of a slave as she stepped past. “Because you’re totally going to live long enough to see my tombstone.”

Aria paused, raising an objection before anyone could snap at her friend for her attitude. “Your name isn’t Leah?”

Here we go again. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes, setting down another empty wine glass. “Claudia, can you tell them the story?”

“If I’m remembering it right it’s spelled Ashleah, but on the first day of school one year our homeroom instructor pronounced it like Rhea, and it just kind of stuck.” Claudia giggled. “Did you get the spelling fixed?”

“No.” She shook her head. “It’s technically still Ashleah Mary Caesar-Watts, but only because my mother came up with the dumb spelling. Why?”

Cardinal smiled at her, reaching over her shoulder to grab a champagne from the tray they were being offered. “Lilith can’t put your name in her will if she doesn’t know it, Mary.”

“Pfft. Yeah, sure. I'll sooner put her name on a slave registry like her sister’s.” Lilith looked through her and to the slave at Leah’s side. “Pass me a champagne glass, Watts.”

Oh how she hated everyone here. Leah couldn’t believe she had to pretend to be friendly with these people. “Yes, Ma’am. Whatever you say.”

She took a deep breath and forced an agreeable look onto her face, taking one last glass from the girl’s tray. Only then did she notice who exactly was holding the tray, because it was neither Darcey nor Autumn. It was Lucy.

Leah was moments away from tipping the wine upside down and pouring it onto Lilith’s head, but truth be told, she didn’t want to end up like the other women this family ruined. Instead she sighed, setting the glass on the table as gently as she could, bowing to appease the old hag’s anger with her. “There. Happy birthday, Miss Mariam.” She stood back up, and unfortunately for her, the girl was gone. Frustrating, but not the end of the world. At least now she had some booze to tide her over.

“Sir?” Leah forced herself to speak with respect, sitting back down next to her boss. “Did Candace mention that one of your ex-wife’s thugs attacked her and made off with her mother’s cross?”

The table went wide eyed and the sound of that, especially Lilith, quickly choking on her drink. Cardinal on the other hand just wondered why he didn’t already know about this. “Not to me, she didn’t. But she told you?”

“I was the first person she called, Sir. She was crying in an alley somewhere. Apparently it was Xander Mallick.” Leah gestured towards the stairwell as I came down. “She asked me not to say anything, but I thought you should know.”

“Hmm.” Cardinal subtly stared at his assistant and then back at me, setting his drink down untouched. “I see.”

“That doesn’t mean anything. She shouldn’t have been alone in the first place.” Lilith snatched the drink the moment it hit the table, finishing it for him. “Claudia honey, wasn’t there going to be music?”

Claudia’s eyes locked in on me as soon as I stepped into the ballroom, and in a moment she was quickly storming from the table in my direction. “Excuse me.”

Leah squinted at her former best friend, careful to note her actions. Something was off here, she just wasn’t sure what it was.

“Pitter patter.” She mumbled, left alone with no one but Aria and the old guard couple beside her. “What was on that tape of Claudia’s?”

Fairmont nervously glanced towards her mistress, unsure of what she was and wasn’t allowed to say. “I never saw it, Ma’am.”

“Alright, that’s enough.” Lilith had just about had it with this woman. “You might not be a slave, but you’re still a menial. You have no right to ask questions like that.”

“And you have no right to order around my right hand like she’s your slave, Lilith.” Cardinal held up his hand, shaking his head at her. “I respected you keeping it a secret when I thought you were doing it to protect my daughter, but not if it’s just you trying to protect your own ass.”

Hearing someone finally stand up to Lilith gave Leah just a bit of relief. “You know what’s on the tape, Sir?”

“Of course I do, it’s Claudia’s weakness. I was the one that put it on tape.” Cardinal spilled his ex-wife’s secrets just to spite her. “She killed her own step-mother, it was caught on security footage.”

Leah’s heart wrenched in her chest. “She did what?”

“Look. It’s really not that big of a deal. Family is family, but not every family can be perfect. It’s common mafia stuff. I’ve had relatives sent to Alcatraz for worse, things even I won’t bail them out for. This was nothing.” He frowned, staring into his empty champagne flute. “This was nothing.”

As if he was trying to convince himself of those words, he repeated them. Clearly it wasn’t nothing. “You don’t blame her for your wife’s death, Sir?”

“Do you blame that whore for your husband’s death?” Cardinal responded, shattering the glass in his hand. “No. You blame yourself. Just like I blame myself.”

“Did you love her, Sir?” She stuttered. “Did you love your wife?”

“Of course he loved his wife, Leah.” Lilith responded for him, oddly straight forward about it. “He wasn’t the only one either. We both loved her, just like we both loved each other once upon a time.”

“You used to love her too?”

“She was mine first, of course I did. But when push comes to shove, you have to make a decision. My decision was to leave her with him.”

“No it wasn’t.” Cardinal shook his head again, correcting her. “It was Charlotte’s decision to stay and become Alecia. Not mine, and certainly not yours. She made that choice on her own.”

It was shocking to finally be discovering what actually happened to my mother after so long. She used to know my mother very well. After all, if it hadn’t been for my mother hiring her, Leah and I would have never met.

Even if it wasn’t enough to make her smile, Leah’s expression lightened up just a bit when I returned. “I’m glad at least one good thing came out of that.”

I’d spent too much time on distractions already, I needed to get back on track. Storming down the stairs was easier said than done with so many people moving between rooms as they prepared for the show, but I managed to make it back to the ballroom nonetheless.

“You.” Claudia hissed as she saw me. “Here. Now.” And into the sitting room behind closed curtains we went.

“Don’t tell me you’re planning on using this room for side hookups.” I remarked as I examined the large viridian curtain. “Because I’m flattered, but you know, we already tried that and I’m not interested.”

“Must you both turn to making jokes in response to everything?” Her response came out as dispirited bordering on concern. “Not everything is a laughing matter.”

“I know that.” I was pretty sure. “I’m just an entertainer out of habit.”

“Well if you’re here to entertain you had better entertain.”

“Excuse me?”

“Did you mean it when you said you would sing? Because Lilian has really been wanting to hear it.”

“Of course I meant it. I just need time to get warmed up, you know what that song means to me.”

“It means a lot to Lilian too. She refuses to go to bed until she’s heard it.”

“The sun is just starting to set. Is she getting tired already?”

“Not per say. But I do want her to be in bed before the main event. She’s done her part and been seen by the important guests, and the show is going to be a little too adult for her.”

“And you think I’m much better?”

“Than a group of unwanted slave dancers we’re planning on giving away as party favors?” Claudia raised an eyebrow. “Yes.”

I didn’t know what I was expecting about the entertainment they had planned for tonight, but it wasn’t that. Comparatively, the act my sister and I had been planning for the last few weeks was shockingly tame.

“I get that your daughter wants to hear me sing, but aside from her, give me one good reason I should go up there and perform at all.”

“I distinctly remember you and I both uninviting you from this party. I know you’re up to something, and I can’t fathom why you would bring our father to this, but you’re not one of our guests or our servants. So you had better entertain.”

“Or what, you’ll kick me out?”

“Or my daughter will be very sad, and I don’t want her to think it’s her fault when she doesn’t get to hear her favorite song in person. She’s always wanted to sing it to her.”

“If all she wants is to be sung to, why don’t you sing it to her?”

“Because I’ll ruin it for her.” I could see a single tear in her eye. “I could never do it like your mom used to.”

“And you think I can?” Words slipped out as gasps. “I may be my mother’s daughter, but I’m not my mother, and I never want to be either.”

Silent, Claudia took a step back. Her mouth moved to the tune of soundless syllables for a few moments, unable to form even the slightest of words. Then she looked back towards the curtains, knowing her daughter was on the other side, waiting for her mom to do something good for a change.

“I’ll sing for her.” I stepped forward and proclaimed. “Just this once. But after that, you need to learn how to do it.”

“I’m sorry about your mom, Candace.” Her eyes shut tightly. “It was a mistake. I didn’t mean to hurt her.”

“So you admit it?” My whole body shook with bitter rage, eyes set upon my vulnerable sister before me. “You killed my mother?”

“Yes.” The answer came from her lips at long last. “But it was an accident. I can prove it.”

“I don’t need you to prove it.” My fists slowly uncurled themselves, more disappointed than angry. “I don’t want to see the tape. I don’t want there to be a tape. I just want to know how. How could you keep a tape of my mother’s death?”

“I wanted to preserve her.” Claudia forced through shriveled lungs. “I felt like as long as I had those last moments with her, she wasn’t really gone.”

“But that’s not how it works, Claudia. That’s just a way of trying to ease your own guilt. You can’t preserve someone who’s already gone. All you’re doing is trying to convince yourself that it’s not your fault she’s dead, instead coming to terms with it.” An accusatory finger thudded pressed into her chest as I closed in. “You can never be forgiven unless you confess. That’s the first step.”

“I can never be forgiven for what I did to her, Candace. Once you found out we would never be close like we used to. We would never be sisters again. I kept it from you so that maybe we could be sisters again.”

“We can be sisters again, Claudia. But not if you won’t treat me like I’m family.”

“What?” Her eyes went wide with sudden confusion. “You don’t care that I killed your mother?”

“Of course I care that you killed her. I feel hurt, angry, betrayed. But not because you killed my mother.” All but the most destructive of emotions slipped through my gritted teeth, locked tight to keep them at bay. “You didn’t kill my mother. You killed our mother. I know how it feels to blame yourself for your own mother’s death because I’ve done it for the last twelve years. I’m mad that you let me feel that way for so long. I’m not mad that you killed her. I’m mad that you never told me.”

“What good would have come from telling you all this time?”

“Forgiveness, Claudia. I could have forgiven myself for her death. We could have been sisters for the last twelve years. I could have forgiven you, and you could have forgiven yourself.”

“No. Nothing will ever get me to forgive myself.” She spat back like she couldn’t believe a word I was saying. “And nothing will ever get me to destroy that tape.”

“If you won’t do it.” My eyes drifted towards the door to her office, threatening her with a fate worse than death. “I’ll do it for you.”

Claudia simply smirked, reaching into her jacket pocket and holding out a single key, waving it dangerously close to my face. “You can try.”

With little more than a determined snarl, I snatched the key from between her fingers and bolted towards her office, leaving my mentally limping sister in the dust behind me. Inside I found pretty much what I expected, an office. Full to the brim with shelves and cabinets, a single desk at the far end with a television stand in front of it.

My sister didn’t follow me inside. All she did was stand in the doorway and watch.

“If you’re looking for the remote, it’s in the cane, remember?”

“Shut it.” I snapped, snatching the cane from the top of her desk and pointing it straight at her. “Where’s the tape?”

“I don’t know. Check the tape deck.” Her lips curled into a devilish grin. “Maybe press the eject button?”

I glared at her in disbelief, knowing that this was some sort of trick I was walking straight into. But I proceeded with caution, pressing the eject button and watching a VHS tape slowly pop out of the VCR.

My heart sank as I held it in my hands, setting the cane down not with a furious thud but with a gentle tap. This was the last thing I wanted to find.

“What did you do?” I held it close to my chest, unable to even look at the number written onto the label. “What did you do to her?”

“You already know what I did to her.” Claudia finally stepped inside, her arms crossed at her chest. “I killed her.”

“This isn’t my mother.” And I didn’t just say that in the symbolic sense. I meant that literally. The woman on this tape was not my mother. “This is Chloe.”

“I must have forgotten which tape was in the tape deck, my mistake.” She lied straight through her teeth. “Should I destroy that one too, or would you like to keep it?”

“She’s not dead.” I growled angrily, able to see the tears in my eyes as I looked up at her. “Tell me she’s not dead.”

“She’s not dead.” Claudia smiled, staring at the tape in my hands. “She’s right there.”

“You monster.” I shot to my feet, about ready to snap the damn thing in two. “How could you do this?”

“How could I kill Chloe?” She confirmed, not needing to even ask that. “After she made a fool out of you. After you got rid of her. After I gave her the chance to live in my home. After she almost destroyed my marriage. After she made a fool out of me in front of both of my parents. After she ruined all of my plans. After she trapped me in this collar. How could I kill Chloe?”

“She didn’t trap you in that collar.” I cried out. “I trapped you in that collar.”

“And you’re lucky that this collar means so much to me.” Claudia cried back. “Or else I might have made the same mistake with Chloe that I made with your mother.”

The tension between my fingers eased just in time to save the tape from being destroyed. “Wait-”

“There’s no time for waiting.” She tapped her foot impatiently. “If you don’t sing now, I’ll never tell you what really happened to her.”

My heart slowly began to beat again as I slid the tape into my purse for safekeeping. “This isn’t over.”

“Yes, it is.” Claudia grabbed me by the wrist as soon as I tried to slip past her. “Now drop it.”

Our eyes locked as she extended her hand, holding it open expectantly. With a fierce scowl I grinded my teeth, dropping the key I’d swiped from her into her palm. “Let me go.”

“Not until I get what I want.” She slid the key back into her pocket before once again holding out an open hand, and when I didn’t return what I’d taken, delivered a fierce backhand straight to my face. “Now drop it.”

My free hand went to rubbing my sore cheek, debating my chances of taking her on in a fight before deciding against it. After a few moments of hesitation I reached back into my purse and retrieved the bracelet I had snatched from her desk when she wasn’t looking, reluctantly placing it back into my sister’s hand. “There.”

“Don’t think you can get away with whatever you’re planning.” Claudia kept a firm grasp on my wrist, turning and shoving me forward onto the ground outside of her office before standing in the doorway to block me out. “There’s nothing you can do to win.”

“We’ll see.” I said as I stumbled to my feet, shaking it all off. “I know someone you love who might have something to say about that.”

Claudia smirked with eager anticipation, locking the door to her office behind her. “And who might that be?”

“The one person you can’t say no to.” I returned her challenging glare. “I’d hate to spoil the surprise.”

“Enough already.” A justifiably fed up Josephine interrupted us as she stepped through the curtain. “It’s showtime.”

“That’s my cue.” I said without a care, skipping through the curtain towards the rest of the party. “Wish me luck.”

“Good luck.” My redheaded sister-in-law smiled politely as I hurried away towards my solo, leaving the two of them alone together. “It’s a tough crowd out there.”

“You’re telling me.” Claudia responded with crossed arms and an even more cross attitude. “What’s my father doing?”

“Still just chatting with your mother.” Josie shrugged. “Find out why he’s here?”

“No idea.” Claudia shook her head. “He’s the one that wants Chloe dead, I don’t know why she would bring him.”

“I don’t either.” Her wife frowned. “I just think it’s weird to see your parents talking.”

“You and I both.”

A moment later, the curtain slid open and closed once more. The two lovers turned to see what was up, finding a fairly disheveled pair of slaves arriving hand in hand.

“M-Mistress?” Autumn mumbled, her cheeks bright red. “C-could we talk?”

Her mistress looked at her with confused hazel eyes. “What’s up?”

“Ummm.” She beat around the bush, not wanting to say it out loud. “Can we go somewhere private?”

“No, Autumn.” Josie shook her head. “We’re busy, whatever you have to say, say it.”

The poor girl hesitated, a bit too distraught to make another peep, relying on her companion to help speak for her. “What Autumn’s trying to say is that we both ummm- we both just got- accosted?”

“Accosted how?” Claudia crossed her arms, tapping her foot impatiently.

“One of the guests, Master.” Darcey blushed, hanging her head in respect. “He wanted to have sex.”

“Okay.” Her master responded, not seeing the big deal. “And did you have sex with him?”

Darcey blinked nervously, looking to Autumn for a moment before nodding her head. “Yes, Ma’am.”

“Good girl.” Josie smiled at them both, rolling her eyes. “My wife and I are a bit busy right now, you two. But you’re doing great, girls. Keep it up.”

“If you’ll excuse us, we’re just about to find Zenna and take the floor.” Claudia gestured for the two of them to leave. “Now go on, help make the guests happy.”

Autumn fumbled to respond. “But-”

“Go. Now.”

“Yes, Mistress.” Darcey and Autumn both bit their tongues before mumbling in unison, promptly leaving the two of them alone again, which the pair very much appreciated.

“So.”

“So?”

“That dance you promised me?” Josephine smiled seductively, batting her eyelashes. “I hope you haven’t forgotten.”

“I could never forget.” Claudia held her wife by the hips and kissed her once on the lips. “But first, there’s someone else I think deserves the first number with me.”

“I had a feeling you’d say that.” She rolled her eyes. “Go dance with her, we’ll be right behind you.”

“I love you, Josiepie.”

“And I love you, Claudibear.”

Josephine just smiled warmly, holding hands with Claudia as the two headed back to the dinner table towards their new respective dance partners.

“Alright sweetheart.” Claudia smiled as she stepped towards Zenna, holding her hands out to instead welcome her daughter into her arms, leaning in and kissing Lilian on the forehead. “Let’s go listen to that song I promised you.”

Zenna smiled, releasing her daughter into Claudia’s arms. “Have fun, you two.”

“I’ll want a dance with you in a while as well.” Claudia smiled, spinning the cane in one hand, grinning at her and her wife. “After you take Lilian to bed, of course.”

“May I dance first, Mistress?” She smiled, letting Josie take her arm. “I’ve always wanted to attend a ball with my lovers.”

Josie smiled back, giving her a kiss. “I don’t see why not.”

Claudia rolled her eyes as her wife took the concubine to the dancefloor, her heart warmed by the sight of them almost as much as getting to dance with her own daughter for a change. “Ready when you are, little Dorothy.”

“Can we go up to the front, mom?” Lilian pleaded with her, snuggling excitedly against her chest. “Please?”

“You did say please, so I guess we have to.” Claudia smiled, forgetting her worries for a moment as she walked her daughter onto the dancefloor, past crowds of guests and towards where Candace would be singing. “Hold on tight.”

✶ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✶ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✧ ✦ ✶

Follow the sound of music to find the stage. Now that all of the guests were here, the front entrance had been closed off with another huge curtain to help keep people where they were meant to be, right where the entertainment was.

But I went backstage, pushing past the curtain into the small lobby behind it.

“A band, huh?” I smirked, looking the group over. “You guys have been playing music all night?”

“Y-yes.” The lead musician, a male pianist, nodded his head in confirmation. “Ma’am. Yes, Ma’am.”

With crossed arms and a raised eyebrow, I stared at the collar around his neck like they were his eyes. “A newer slave I take it.”

He swallowed nervously, glancing at the rest of the band behind him. “We all are.”

I was almost impressed that my brother had managed to kidnap an entire band from off the streets somewhere. “Congratulations, this is your big break.”

“Thank you, Miss.” His smile reeked of anxiety. “We’re ready to play anything.”

“Anything?”

“Anything.”

He almost got a kick out of my little challenge, which I planned to make good on. A back alley band like this weren’t the kind of musicians I usually worked with, but I was up to teach them some new things.

“What about sugary sweet, think you can do a stupidly cheesy little love song?”

The pianist practically gagged, the bassist snorted, and the rest of the band just shrugged nervously. “I don’t see why not?”

“I’ll sing.” I tapped my foot, snapping my fingers as I pointed at each of them. “You just have to play along.”

“You want us to improvise your accompaniment?”

“It’s not like we have time to rehearse. Do you think you can handle it?”

The band gave each other a few glances and nods, smiling confidently. “Definitely.”

“Then let’s give them a good show. I’m counting on you.”

Back through the curtain and up on stage, I stood in front of the entire ballroom with the foyer behind me. There were so many faces I didn’t recognize.

All eyes were on me.

“Happy Birthday, Miss Mariam.” Was how I led, the crowd quickly silencing with my words. “I hope it lives up to expectations, Lilith, and I’m glad all of you are here to celebrate it with her.”

Across the entire ballroom everyone turned to see Lilith, sitting next to her ex-husband and accepting the warm attention from the rest of the ballroom. After a few moments she proceeded to relinquish the spotlight to me, either unable or unwilling to get up and dance.

There were other couples in the crowd too of course. After their announcement, it was nice to see Josephine and Zenna taking the first dance together tonight.

But the most important pair of all were right there in the very front, excitedly anticipating my performance. My sister Claudia, and her daughter Lilian.

“We’ll get to the main event soon, I promise you. But first-” I said to a small round of quiet chuckles and slow claps. “You’ve been an amazing mother to both my older brother and sister, and part of me wishes I could have shared in that with them. But given the song I’m about to dedicate, I think it’s only fitting. This one goes out not only to you, Lilith, but to my mother as well. This was a song my mother taught to me as a kid, and it’s a song I haven’t sang for twelve years, ever since I sang it at her funeral.”

My eyes fluttered down towards my sister, able to see the pain in her eyes as she smiled at me, nodding for me to keep going at her expense. But the little girl in her arms was what really did it. Seeing the light in her eyes was all I needed to keep going.

“But most importantly, I would like to sing this song to the little girl in the front row. You, right there, Lilian Marigold Jacquel.” I smiled at her, watching her eyes light up as I said her name. “As well as her mother, my sister, who made all of this possible tonight. Mrs. Claudia Rosegold Mariam-Jacquel.”

There was a quiet round of applause for them both, as my sister blushed and her daughter held tight to her in pure happiness, unable to properly appreciate the gravity of the situation.

“But before I start I want to welcome you, all of you. If you know the words. Please. Sing along.” Eyes locked with my sister’s as I spoke, making sure she knew what I was saying. “The storm is behind us. You might just make someone’s sky just a little bit more colorful.”

The look we shared in that moment was nothing if not one of patience and understanding, happily smiling as we awaited what was to come.

And with that behind me, I had a song to sing to anyone who would listen, and two little girls in the front row who needed this just as much as I did.

The music began.

“Somewhere over the rainbow.”

I sang.

“Way up high.”

People danced.

“There’s a land that I heard of.”

And I cried.

“Once in a lullaby.”

Lilian was the happiest little girl in the world, but her mother was a close second.

She was finally getting everything she’d asked for, but even as I sang, my voice wasn’t the one Lilian was listening to.

My words carried through the whole ballroom and into the ears of almost everyone here to listen, but my sister’s words flew from her lips like doves, singing for her daughter, as her mother used to do for her.

Josephine and Zenna looked on in awe at their daughter, sharing a precious moment in the arms of her mother, as happy with and proud of them as I was.

I sang, the song in my heart eventually beginning to wind down.

Finally, I understood what was important to her.

And Claudia was happy.

“If happy little bluebirds fly.”

But I wasn’t.

“Beyond the rainbow.”

Something was missing.

“Why, oh, why-”

The love of my life wasn’t here to dance with me.

“Can’t I?”

My Chloe wasn’t here to listen to my song.

All I heard when the song was over were the sounds of my own sobs as my audience clapped and cheered me on. My eyes found themselves fixed to the glowing lights of the chandelier above, and the only thing I could think of was her, and just how badly I wanted to dance with her.

My heart broke knowing she couldn’t hear my voice.

And I couldn’t help but feel like I had failed her.

No .

Tears shook free from my eyes as I forced myself back together.

Not like this.

I stepped into my sister’s arms below, quickly finding myself holding Lilian once it was all over.

“Thank you.” Claudia whispered to me, and she meant it. “That meant a lot to me.”

“Of course.” I smiled, holding my tired niece in my arms as she snuggled into me to say thank you. “We’re family.”

She smiled, wiping tears from her own eyes. “We’re sisters.”

“We’re sisters.” My voice broke as I said it. “Please, Claudia. We’re sisters.”

“She’s safe.” Claudia assured me, stepping aside as Zenna accepted Lilian from my arms. “She’s family.”

“Please.” I begged her, heart breaking as the two of us found ourselves alone. “Give her back.”

“No.” My sister refused, as still and unmoving as one can be on a dance floor. “I’m going to punish her.”

“You can’t.” I shook my head. “I’m begging you.”

“She deserves this, Candace.” Claudia whispered to me. “If she’s going to live, she’s going to spend the rest of her life being punished for what she’s done.”

“I can’t let you do that.”

“I’m not giving you a choice.”

“I love her, Claudia.”

“She belongs to me, Candace.” Her words turned the already shattered pieces of my heart to stone. “And you can’t have her.”

Silence left my lips like a white flag, unable to say another word.

“Now if you’ll excuse me. I’m going to spend the rest of the night dancing with my wife.” She finished. “You’ve already lost. Go home.”

And I was helpless but to watch my sister walk into the arms of the woman she loved, while I was left utterly alone.