[h2][center][color=9e0b0f]ℳ𝒶𝓇𝒾𝒶𝓃𝒶[/color][/center][/h2]
[center]🂱[/center]
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Mariana raises a brow at her mother clearing her throat but says nothing, feeling it to not be worth arguing at the present moment. She settles into her seat, her eyes following her mothers hand to top her off. 
[i]Hell no[/i], she poured a glass. That was her kindness. That was it.
Marianas thoughts drifted off, thinking of something, anything to take her away from the present moment before she is pulled back by her mothers words. 


[b]“… I found your father dead in our bed.” [/b]Mariana takes herself from her unruly and never ending train of thought, her eyes finding her mother.[b] “At first, paramedics assumed some kind of cardiac arrest. A hemorrhage maybe. They believed he’d died somewhat peacefully in his sleep-“ [/b]A small sighs leaves the woman, her eyebrows furrowed and yet her eyes softened. To have to see that…someone you loved dead…


[b]“The police are saying, after their medical experts reassessed the scene, that your father was actually murdered…” [/b]Mariana freezes, her breath hitching, her sympathetic gaze gone. Murdered. [i]Murder[/i]. The word rang disgustingly clear in her ears. She expected it in all honesty. But…to actually hear it spoken so plain…

[b]“Asphyxiation is the conclusion so far but the post mortem will reveal more details. They’re not sure how long this will take but in the meantime, we need to prepare ourselves.”[/b]
Prepare themselves. She was a suspect. She would never be free from this family, [i]never[/i]. 

[b]“-It out of the public eye thus far, give us some privacy as a family, but my lucks about to run out.” [/b]Mariana snaps back to attention, her eyes on her mother, and for the first time, her emotions are on her sleeve, her eyes wide, like a porcelain doll frozen in fear, or a deer caught in a trap. 

[b]“The leeches can only stay away for so long before a good story brings them out of the woodwork. The vultures will descend and when they do, I want us ready.”[/b] Ready? Ready for [i]what[/i]? For the public to begin to speculate? Judge as they always have, but now being given a reason they can cling to. 

[b]“Katherine, I want you to deploy close-protection security to each of us. If Anthony’s murder is as suspicious as the police say, none of us are safe,” [/b]Mariana felt blood rush in her ears with each word, reality setting harder.
 [b]“The Will reading is tomorrow. You all need to be there. Not that I think you’d miss the opportunity to hear first-hand what small fortune you’re each inheriting… Ryland will be distributing the estate and assets. Funeral arrangements are being made. It’ll be on Friday next week, providing they release your Father’s body in the next couple days…”[/b]

Mariana felt sick. She had accepted the death. She hadn’t really cared much about it until now. At least, that is what she told herself. But this was too much. It was too real. She exhaled sharply, standing, her drink set down now as the dark haired woman surveys the room. Her family. [i]Killers. Bloodsuckers. Cruel bastards[/i], and she was no better. 

Mariana leaves the pool house, grabbing her purse and pulling her phone out, sending a fast message to Benoit to bring the car around. 

Tears unwillingly burn her eyes as she exhaled sharply, waiting for the dark vehicle to take her away from this cursed place.