Lady Annalise, who had been keeping her cool until now about Marceline's matter, couldn't keep her thoughts to herself anymore and stood up from where she had been sitting until now. She exclaimed,
"This isn't funny, Vincent! You shouldn't create things like these for your amusement."
"Which is why it isn't a joke, mother. I have already proposed to Genevieve for marriage and she has accepted it," Vincent remarked with an elated mood and continued to sit with his legs crossed and one of his arms resting on the back of the couch.
Lady Annalise glared at him while Marceline was trying to recover from the slap of shock her brother's words had brought upon her. The young vampiress didn't know how Vincent even chose a woman with low status like Eve to be his wife, until now she had thought him to be someone with great standards, but it appeared now that her brother was proving her wrong.
"Just because your father and I haven't stopped you from doing whatever you have wanted until now doesn't mean we will accept this absurd union," Lady Annalise glared and breathed fire at him. Her eyes held anger as she clenched her hands. "Even though she is the Moriarty's governess that doesn't mean she is eligible to be part of this mansion or the family."
Vincent calmly said, "My apologies, as I didn't seem to make my words clear." He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his legs. He said to Lady Annalise, "I wasn't asking you for your permission, but stating my decision."
Eve's existence repulsed Marceline because over time, the bitterness had been mixed with her sour moods directed at the lowly human. She continued to stand in front of her parents, while staring at her brother now.
"I will never accept a woman of that low stature in this mansion, to be part of us," Lady Annalise's voice had turned higher, and her words spilt out of the drawing room. She continued, "It was one thing for Eduard to marry a human before because Lady Katherina came from a high-standing family. But the woman you have chosen belongs to Meadow, a town where the lowly humans occupy. Eduard, are you not going to say anything to him?" She turned to her husband with a bewildered look.
Before Eduard could say something, Marceline's soft words spilt out of her dainty pink lips and she said,
"Brother, may we know the reason why you chose someone like her?" She decided to use a deceiving approach to trap her brother the way he had used her a few minutes ago, just so he could trick her.
Vincent stared at Marceline, tilting his head, "She's excellent in bed." His coppery-red eyes turned amused when he noticed his sister's eyes widen.
Marceline's jaw fell on the floor as she didn't know what to say, along with Lady Annalise, who looked at him with horror. The older woman said, "Have you no shame to speak so crudely. Your younger sister is in the room!"
"Nothing she will not know in the future," Vincent then turned to Allie and said, "Knowledge is everywhere, hamster."
"That's enough!" Lady Annalise snapped in anger. She looked at her husband, who appeared to be quietly listening to the drama unfold while gauging the situation around him. She said to him, "Something came to my notice a few days ago and didn't want to mention it before. But Vincent leaves me no choice. This woman, Genevieve Barlow was condemned to have slept with multiple men for money." Her voice then lowered and she asked her husband,
"What would people say if they were to find that we are associated with a woman of such low character?" She then looked at Vincent and questioned him, "I am sure even you didn't know about it."
Vincent's eyebrows furrowed, and he stood up as if in shock. He questioned Lady Annalise's words, "That happened?"
Lady Annalise nodded, "You think you know everything about this woman you want to marry, but you don't. If you want to sleep with her, do it, but she will not be part of this family. If she comes here as your wife, I will leave this mansion."
"Anna, there's no need for such a thing," Eduard sighed, trying to calm his wife, who had been riled up by the thought of having Eve as her daughter-in-law.
"No, Eduard," Lady Annalise raised her hands as if she had enough. "Marceline will be marrying Horace, and Vincent will be marrying a pureblooded vampiress or someone from the high society."
"What?!" Marceline's voice turned high pitch, not liking she was put in the mix again. She protested, "Father has already given me his word that I have a week's time before you decide, mother. You cannot take that back. Until now, I have done everything I was told and have been the most obedient one out of the three, you cannot do this to me!" she shook her head in denial and then looked at her father. "Father, please!"
Lady Annalise stated, "I have been more than patient with everything, but it is time we bring some discipline as purebloods." She then looked at Vincent and questioned him, "So what is it going to be?"
Vincent nodded as if he had finished thinking and said, "Father and you should go enjoy the view up in the North. Unless you don't mind living here."
Lady Annalise stared at him, knowing there was little to nothing she could do to change Vincent's mind, but she couldn't sit still and watch her family being colluded. She said, "You think I am lying about what I heard," she placed her hand on her chest.
"Don't be harsh on yourself, mother. It isn't that I think you are lying, but it is your source that I don't trust," Vincent offered the older woman his thoughts.
By now, Marceline had stiffened at the topic being discussed and the direction in which it was going. Her mother then said,
"I heard it from Marceline. Not to mention, word about Ms. Barlow had started since we attended the Quinn's soiree."
Vincent's now darkened red eyes shifted from Lady Annalise to look at Marceline, where the humour in them had disappeared like vapour because of the anger that sizzled beneath his skin. He asked, "Where did you hear it from, dear sister?"
"It was from—from a friend. Stella told me," Marceline tried to keep a straight and innocent face as if she was only the messenger of the rumour.
"And what did she tell you about it?" Vincent took two steps towards where Marceline stood.
Marceline shrugged her shoulders, and her head jerked as if she couldn't control its movements. She responded, "She said that Ms. Barlow was sleeping with men."
"And who are these men?" Vincent's question unnerved the young woman, who stared back at him.
Lady Annalise started, "What does it matter which men she slept with? The bottom line is for a human, and for a governess, she has been compromising her character. Didn't you just tell you slept with her?"
A wicked smile appeared on Vincent's lips, and he answered, "I lied."
Lady Annalise and Senior Mr. Moriarty frowned at his reply, while Marceline continued to stare at Vincent without letting fear seep into her expression.
Lady Annalise began, "What are you trying to get—"
Vincent raised his hand and offered the same smile with his eyes holding a hollowness before they turned to look at Marceline. He questioned her,
"Anything you would like to confess, dearest sister? Now might be a good time."
Marceline was firm, and she replied, "About what? Ms. Barlow has a reputation as much as a whore would—"
Vincent didn't let her finish as he slapped his sister across her cheek with his open palm.
"Call her that one more time and don't think I will brush it away," Vincent glared at her.
"Vincent! What do you think you are doing?!" Lady Annalise quickly came to stand next to them; this time, even Senior Mr. Moriarty had gotten up from where he had been sitting. He said with a deep frown,
"You cannot go slapping your sister for her speech."
"But I can if her actions has cost someone's reputation, right?" Vincent questioned with his smile deepening into a maddening one.
