Marquee and Marchioness Hooke returned to Lady Camille's mansion along with their daughter Rosetta. The butler helped in removing the coats from the trio, and inquired, "Would you like me to bring some tea?"
"No, we would like to be left alone, thank you, Myles," Lady Aurora dismissed the butler, and the butler bowed before leaving the place.
As the Hooke's walked away from the hallway and further into the corridor, Marquee Hooke said to his wife,
"I spoke to Eduard, and it seems like the Viscount has indeed decided to allow the marriage of their son with the human. And he had no clue about Camille's whereabouts."
Lady Aurora walked further inside the mansion with a grim expression, and when her family entered the room, she said, "The murder took place there and by Vincent's commands. I am sure of it. Especially considering all the facts that point to them." The older vampiress turned to her daughter and demanded, "What do you think you were doing earlier, Rosetta? Especially when you like the man."
Rosetta looked at her parents cluelessly and asked, "What did I do?"
"When Vincent Moriarty mentioned about you not marrying him, why did you deny it?" Her father questioned with a disappointed look.
"Because I don't want to marry him. I already told you he is not the man I want to marry," Rosetta explained and stepping forward, she said to her parents, "He likes Eve, and Eve likes him back. Isn't that perfect? What am I going to do in the middle wh--"
SLAP!
"In the middle?" Lady Aurora asked her daughter in a low tone while her palm burned after striking Rosetta's face. "You have the nerve to question us on the decision we take for you? How long are you going to live in your little world without knowing what is going on in the Hooke's family? We are trying to fix things here and you are intent on ruining it! If you don't marry Vincent, things are going to turn bad for us."
Rosetta felt the sting on her cheek and looked taken aback by the slap and her mother's words. She screamed back, "I am not marrying him! Why am I being forced to do this!"
"What is wrong with you!? Instead of having him as your husband, you are willing to throw it away for that human?"
"Why are you so intent on having me married to him?!" Rosetta questioned, feeling tears prick in her eyes even though she talked back to her mother, who looked furious at her.
Lady Aurora held a proud look but didn't look at her daughter. She said, "Because if you don't marry him, soon enough we will end up not being in high society and be out of it. The wealth we had has been depleting and we don't know how long we can survive. Your father is going to get the documents processed through the Council and we will be acquiring the money that your aunt has left behind. Do you want to move into a middle class family? Where you will be forced to work!"
"Father is a Marquee. Where did the money go?" Rosetta asked her mother, but neither of her parents answered her question.
Marquee Hooke ordered his daughter, "You have to marry Vincent. Not only is he a pureblooded vampire, but the wealth the Moriartys possess is enormous. We can sustain like this for maybe for ten more months, but we need to find a way to help our condition. The best is for you to marry someone of status."
Lady Aurora's eyes held a glare that scared Rosetta. The older vampiress said, "I know how to get Vincent to agree to me. With the murder of your aunt, I will make sure he gives in and has nowhere else to go. And for that I need your help, Rose. I know you won't disappoint me." She stepped forward and kissed her daughter's head. "You are a Hooke, you need to preserve our names. I am sure you have seen how people treat the ones in the lower status, and you don't want that now, do you?"
Rosetta shook her head, while still staring at her mother.
"I knew you would understand it if I explained it to you," Lady Aurora smiled at her daughter, and she said, "It's time to snatch the man to your side, Rosetta."
"I should snatch him back?" Rosetta repeated her mother's words.
Her mother responded, "Well, yes. I know you are friends with that human, but let us get back to reality here. You need to have a better life than her, unless you want to belong to a lower status and have everyone insult you. You are a rose, my daughter, and you should get the best. Now go get ready, and take advantage of being a 'friend' to that human. Go back to Moriarty mansion and change everyone's mind. In the meantime, your father and I will visit the Council."
Rosetta stared at her parents, questions in her mind about what led to the depletion of the family's wealth. She didn't want to court Vincent's affections, but at the same time, her mother pushing her to meet him also meant that she would get to meet Eugene.
She couldn't have her parents pushing her for marriage like this, and she knew she would have to let her feelings be known to the man she was in love with. With that thought, she walked to her room to get dressed again.
Once Rosetta wore a new dress, she went back to visit the Moriarty's mansion with nervousness marrying her face. She was greeted by the Moriarty's butler, who politely told her, "Ms. Barlow is at the moment teaching Miss Allie, would you like to wait for her in the drawing room?"
"Yes, I would like some tea and biscuits," Rosetta made herself at home, and for a moment, Alfie stared at the spoilt vampiress.
"Of course, milady," the butler bowed while Rosetta turned jittery.
She wondered if she should find Eugene. Or ask him to come to meet her? But would that be strange? But where was he now?
