https : *⋆❝ sadiesinkhergf ! ❞
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🪷 . . . chapter eight
┈➤ 𝗚𝗟𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗕𝗢𝗫,  jj maybank
❦༄

🪷 chapter eight !
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VALENTINA SAT MOTIONLESS on john b's worn-out couch, her body slumped and her gaze fixed on some indeterminate point in the room. the faint scent of saltwater and the musty warmth of the chateau surrounded her, but it barely registered. her mind felt like a storm- blank and yet overwhelmed, every thought blurring together in a chaotic mess she couldn't untangle.

she had seen her mothers lifeless body, so how could she have possibly get lost at sea with big john?

her fingers lightly traced over the frayed edge of the cushion beside her, the action almost robotic as she replayed her mother's voice in her head. every word, every sniffle, every promise, it all looped relentlessly, her emotions too tangled to make sense of. tears had long dried on her cheeks, leaving behind faint streaks, but she hadn't moved to wipe them away.

behind her, the pogues had gathered at the dinner table, their voices hushed as they deliberated about what to do next. their concern was obvious, but none dared to approach her yet, unsure of what to say or how to comfort her, their conversation occasionally punctuated by the creak of a chair or the scrape of a hand nervously dragging across the tabletop.

jj glanced at her from the corner of his eye, his expression softening as he watched her sit there,
a hollow shell of the sharp-tongued, bubbly girl he was used to- everyone was used to.

he nudged pope, who gave a small shake of his head, signaling to wait. even kiara, usually quick to judge, kept her mouth shut, her arms crossed tightly as she exchanged worried glances with john b.

valentina remained oblivious to it all, her mind far away, lost in the echoes of her mother's final words towards her and taking them all in.

she knew she was being dramatic, but she couldn't help it. her mother was gone, no matter the reason. but after what had happened with rafe and the fact that it was so late at night, her emotions were already stretched thin. everything from the past year felt like a carefully constructed lie, unraveling in the span of a single evening.

her chest ached as new doubts crept into her mind. had she ever truly known her mother? was the woman she idolized hiding a completely different life from her? and what about her father? did he know about her mother's obsession with the royal merchant? had he known all along and kept it from her? or was he also in the dark, believing the story of a tragic suicide like everyone else? was he complicit in something far darker?

the questions swirled endlessly, each one heavier than the last. It felt as though she was grieving her mother all over again. not just the loss of her presence but now the loss of who she thought her mother was.

her fingers brushed over her neck, the phantom sensation of rafe's unwelcome touch igniting a fresh wave of unease. the faint marks his lips left burned beneath her skin as though seared there, and her stomach churned with disgust.

"what the fuck." she whispered, the words feeling deafening in the stillness of the room.

everyone's heads snapped toward her at the sound, their worried expressions sharpening.

"val?" john b's gentle voice broke the silence, and her gaze darted to him as if she'd forgotten she wasn't alone, her wide eyes betraying her shock.

"oh, uhm-" she stammered, cutting herself off as she stood up abruptly, her movements stiff and uncertain. she grabbed her bag and slung it over her shoulder, inhaling sharply as she mustered every ounce of composure she could find. her lips curled into a forced smile, one that didn't even begin to reach her eyes.

"i'm gonna go, but thank you," she said, her tone overly bright and brittle. her wave was casual, as though trying to make her sudden departure seem normal, but they weren't fooled.

"val, wait-" pope started, stepping forward, but she shook her head quickly, taking a step toward the door.

"i'm fine," she insisted, though the tremor in her voice betrayed her. "i'm being dramatic, it's just a lot to process."

"at least let me bring you home," jj pleaded, his voice soft, and she almost caved. almost.

she blew a raspberry, dismissing him with a dramatic wave of her hand. "what? nooo, silly! i can get home by myself. i'm not drunk this time," she joked, but the words lacked any real humor. her tone was empty.

jj didn't even attempt to smile, his expression heavy with concern as he watched her.

"thanks for calling me, though." she threw up a casual peace sign, turning on her heel before she could second-guess herself. "peace out."

the silence she left in her wake was heavy, the group exchanging helpless glances as they grappled with whether to follow or let her go. jj broke the silence with a sigh, running a hand through his hair.

"i should go after her-," he muttered, his voice tight, but kiara had grabbed his arm.

"no," she protested quietly, her brows furrowed. "i think she needs some time to think."

the moment the door closed behind her, valentina cringed, her stomach twisting with embarrassment.

peace out? what the fuck, valentina? she berated herself silently. the words replayed in her head, feeling like the most awkward, tone-deaf thing she could've possibly said in the moment.

sitting in her car, she gripped the steering wheel, staring at it as if it held all the answers to her spiraling thoughts.

"peace out?" she mumbled, the words tasting even worse as they left her lips again, her frown deepening. "peace out? who the fuck says peace out?"

her voice grew louder with frustration, and before she could stop herself, she slammed her hands against the steering wheel.

"you're so stupid!" she yelled, her voice cracking as tears welled up in her eyes again. the emotion she'd been suppressing  bubbled over, and she hit the wheel one more time for good measure.

the sound echoed through the car, and valentina sat back with a shaky breath, running her hands over her face. her chest heaved as she tried to steady herself, but all she could feel was the overwhelming heaviness of everything- the tape, rafe, the pogues' pity, and her own inability to keep it together.

she slumped against the seat, gripping the wheel tighter, unsure if she was angry at the world, her mother for lying to her, or just herself. maybe all.

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valentina stepped into her house with a heaviness weighing her down. her red, puffy eyes and smudged makeup painted a picture of her exhaustion, both physical and emotional. she let out a tired sigh, slipping off her heels and letting them clatter onto the floor as her bag fell with a loud thud beside them. 

the sound was enough to draw her father from the living. he rounded the corner, his glasses in hand, stopping abruptly when he saw her with her back turned to him.

"where have you been?" 

when she turned to face him, his expression shifted immediately. the sight of her tear-streaked face caught him off guard, and his voice softened, tinged with genuine concern. "what happened?" 

at that single question, her carefully held composure cracked, and her lips quivered as fresh tears welled in her eyes. she stepped closer, holding up the tape in her trembling hand like a piece of damning evidence. 

"did you know?" she whispered, her voice brittle and raw as she searched his face. 

his brow furrowed. "what do you mean?" 

"about mom." 

the silence that followed was deafening. she saw the flicker of guilt in his eyes, a fleeting expression that said more than words ever could. the answer was written plainly on his face. 

"why didn't you tell me?" her voice broke as she pressed him further, but he said nothing, the silence speaking louder than any defense he might have offered. 

frustration bubbled up inside her, and she scoffed, swiping at her tears angrily, realizing her father was the least reliable person she could talk to. turning away, she started to leave, her mind too cluttered to stay and hear excuses. but before she could take more than a few steps, his hand shot out, gripping her wrist gently but firmly. 

"come with me," he said, his voice softer than she'd ever heard it. 

confused, she hesitated, her brows knitting together, but there was something in his tone, something almost vulnerable, that made her pause. reluctantly, she let him guide her towards his office, a swirl of dread and curiosity settling in her chest as she followed.

"what- what are we doing here?" she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper as she followed her father into his office. he didn't answer right away, simply gesturing toward the bookcase in the corner of his room. 

she watched as he approached the safe tucked inside, typing in a code with practiced ease. valentina's sharp eyes followed the movement, silently committing the numbers to memory. with a soft click, the safe opened, and her eyes fell on a gun planted inside, along with folders, money, and jewelry.

her father pulled out a folder labeled AMELIA ARCHIBALD in bold letters, and he paused for a moment, gripping the folder tightly, before he extended it towards her. 

"this is where your mother kept her stuff about the gold," he mumbled, his usual commanding tone subdued. 

she hesitated before taking it, her fingers brushing the worn edges of the folder. as she opened her mouth to ask another question, her father continued, his voice suddenly firmer as if he'd rehearsed what came next. 

"i told people it was a suicide to keep up our reputation, kid. i didn't mean to upset you," he explained, straightening his posture and attempting to regain control of the situation. 

valentina's eyes narrowed in disbelief, her grip on the folder tightening. there it was again.

"reputation?" she repeated, her tone laced with contempt. 

"well, yeah," her father snapped, his voice growing harsher. "do you know what people would think if they found out she was spending most of her time with that- that freak?" 

his hand came down on the desk with a resounding slam, making valentina flinch despite her best effort to appear unfazed. her heart raced, but she remained silent, her expression unreadable. 

her father inhaled sharply, his anger seemingly dissipating just as quickly as it had flared. he turned toward the door, his tone measured once more.

"look through it. when you're done, leave it on my desk." 

with that, he strode out, leaving the girl alone, a heavy silence settling over the room. she stared at the folder in her hands, opening it slowly.

inside was a collection of items that seemed to hold an entire lifetime's worth of secrets. a worn map of the town lay on top, its edges frayed and smudged with marks that had clearly been added over the years. beneath it were small notes written in her mother's delicate handwriting, the ink faded but still legible, each one feeling like a whisper from the past. her fingers trembled as she leafed through the contents, uncovering more- scraps of paper filled with cryptic thoughts, sketches, and detailed information about the royal merchant that seemed untouched by time, as if they'd been hidden away for decades.

she carefully scanned each page, her eyes lingering on every detail, unwilling to overlook even the slightest clue. her breath hitched as pieces began to fall into place, fragments of a puzzle she didn't know existed before now. her mother's odd behavior in the weeks before her disappearance, the late nights, the hushed phone calls, the evasive answers- all of it began to make sense

the room seemed to close in around her as her eyes moved back to the map. her mother had been searching for something- no, fighting for something- and it cost her everything. she swallowed harshly, before regaining her composure.

her fingers shifted through the contents of the folder, carefully selecting what she thought was the most important information, her mother's notes, a few key documents, and the map, taking it from the folder and folding it in her hand.

her heart pounded as her mind immediately shifted to the pogues. if anyone could help make sense of this mess or find some use for it, it was them. she wasn't sure if she wanted to uncover more truths about her mother herself, but she knew john b might want it for his father. he deserved answers just as much as she did, maybe even more. 

casting a cautious glance toward the door, she moved quickly to the safe. something about the gun tucked away in the corner of the metal box seemed to call to her. she hesitated for only a moment before typing in the code she'd memorized earlier. with steady yet trembling hands, she retrieved the gun and slipped it into her bra, its cold weight against her skin both unsettling and strangely comforting. 

she shut the safe with a quiet click, returning the folder to a spot on the desk to avoid suspicion. she clutched the stolen papers tightly against her chest, ensuring they hid the gun from view as she moved swiftly out of the room. her heart raced as she navigated through the house, praying her father wouldn't cross her path. each step felt heavier than the last, her mind swimming with questions and emotions.

she hid the gun under her pillow and tucked the other stolen items away in a bag, before taking a deep breath, and she hesitated for a moment at the top of the stairs, gathering herself before heading downstairs

her father was sitting at the bar, a martini in hand, while their maid cleaned the kitchen. louis archibald looked composed, as usual, but there was something in his eyes that made her stomach turn. he was pretending everything was normal, and that only made her more furious.

"valentina," he greeted her calmly as she stepped into the room, but there was an air of practiced coolness in his voice. "how are you feeling?"

the question caught her off guard. and she wasn't sure how to respond. she wanted to scream at him, tell him how much she hated him for everything he'd kept from her, for how he had treated her, but instead, she swallowed hard, trying to maintain control.

"i'm fine," she muttered, her voice a little shaky. she wasn't sure if she was lying to him or to herself. "i just don't understand why you didn't tell me."

"kid, it was necessary. what good would it have done to tell you the truth? she's gone either way." he sighed, setting his martini down with a soft clink.

her jaw tightened, her hands gripping the edge of the counter.

"yeah, well that wasn't your decision to make. you let me believe she killed herself- do you have any idea what that did to me? how much i hated myself, thinking i might've been part of the reason?"

her father's face hardened, his carefully maintained composure beginning to crack.

"you don't understand the bigger picture here. your mother's choices... they endangered us all. i did what i had to do to protect this family."

"protect us?" valentina's voice rose, disbelief laced through it. "you mean protect yourself. protect your reputation, your power, your connections. you don't care about me, or about her."

"watch your tone, valentina. you don't know half of what you're talking about." louis leaned forward, his expression turning cold.

"then tell me," she shot back, her eyes blazing.

for a moment, silence hung in the air, thick and suffocating. her father sighed deeply, his gaze shifting to the martini glass as though searching for answers in its depths.

"your mother got herself involved in something dangerous, something bigger than she could handle. she trusted the wrong people and paid the price," he said finally, his tone firm and loud. "i tried to tell you-"

"no, you haven't," she shot back, the anger bubbling up inside her. "you told me it was a suicide. that's all you've told me. you've never even tried to explain why she'd do something like that." she paused again, swallowing as the next words left her lips.

"we never talk, dad."

louis sighed, running a hand through his hair. "i already told you, your mother got herself involved in things she shouldn't have. people she shouldn't have trusted. it's complicated, not something you should be worrying about."

valentina felt a sharp sting at the fact that he completely disregarded what she said, her heart racing, but she pushed it away. her father hadn't cared about their relationship- ever, so why would he care now?

"so, you expect me to just accept that?" her voice rose as the frustration started to crack through. "you expect me to believe you just happened to find her, and that she was involved in some shady business? it doesn't make sense, dad. i saw her lifeless body in that casket."

her words trailed off as realisation hit. she had seen her mothers lifeless body in that casket, so how could she have been lost at sea with big john? nothing added up, and she was getting dizzier by the moment.

her fathers fist slamming down on the counter broke her from her thoughts, making her flinch.

"i'm doing this for you, valentina! for our family. you don't get it. if people found out what really happened, it would ruin us. ruin everything your mother worked for, everything i've worked for." his eyes were intense now, his words edged with anger. "making people believe she killed herself was the safest option."

"i don't care about that!" she shouted, the floodgates of emotion opening. "you never cared about me! you care about your reputation and your money, and that's all you ever cared about!"

louis stood up abruptly, his chair scraping loudly across the floor.

"enough!" he yelled, grabbing her arm harshly as he yanked her towards the door.

"don't talk to me like that. you don't understand. you can't understand. i did what i had to do to. everything i've done was for your future, valentina."

she shook her head, backing away from him, her hands trembling. "no, it wasn't," she said softly, tears brimming in her eyes. "you were protecting yourself. what difference would her death make for my future? your words don't add up!"

louis stared at her for a long moment, his face unreadable. then, with a final exhale, he pushed her out the door.

"i think it's best if you go to your room. we'll talk about this later."

"talk to me when you have a straight story that adds up. instead of some bullshit filled with lies." she let out a scoff, the sound sharp and filled with frustration as she turned on her heel, rolling her eyes at the quiet curse her father muttered behind her.

she didn't care. she was done with this house right now, with him, with everything. she just needed her best friend.

upstairs, she hurriedly packed a bag, tossing in clothes, makeup, the gun, papers, and whatever essentials she could grab. once her bag was packed, she sat down on her bed and grabbed her phone, her fingers shaking slightly as she clicked on sarah's contact. the ringing filled the silence, growing louder with every passing second, until sarah's groggy voice finally broke through the noise.

"val? it's..." sarah paused, sounding confused, "two in the morning?"

"can i crash at yours tonight?"

there was a long pause on the other end of the line, and valentina's anxiety grew as she waited for sarah's response. she could practically hear sarah shifting on the other side of the phone, likely waking up and processing the request. finally, after a beat of silence, sarah's soft voice echoed in her ear.

"my window is open."

🪷 . . . MAISSA !
hi angelssssss

did ppl see the haley from modern family sneak when she went "k??? who says k😭😭😭"

i have literally no idea what to think of this chapter GOODBYE i didn't really execute it in the way i wanted but ok 💔💔

before ppl call my girl dramatic pls keep in mind that her relationship with her dad is ASS so him suddenly 'telling her the truth' and it not adding up with the original story is frustrating

anyways love you allll🧸💌