Scandal

"What's this letter for me?"

"What the?! No no no no..."

"Listen. I know, you're not happy with Father right now, and I admit there may be some favouritism on his part-"

"Some? Really? It's okay for you. He's nice to you."

"But he's not a bad person, Zeus! He has a stressful job, okay, and you're being overdramatic."

"...He banned us from our sister's wedding."

"Mum's taking us, isn't she?"

"Behind his back! What does that say to you?"

"Does he need some extra persuasion?"

"No. Fuck off, Hazel."

"But there's something you all need to hear."

"Is it that your dad died and will leave us alone? If not, still not interested."

"No. He's well. Look, I told you he cut up your dad, and Edward. I didn't say why."

"Because he's insane?"

"No-"

"Then why was he in an asylum? Father told us all about how they locked him up."

"That was because of Tate."

"...What?"

"There was nothing wrong with him before then! It's Tate who put Dad in that shit-hole!"

"And how the hell would he do that?"

"He conspired with Olivia to do it. Remember her?"

"Of course we do."

"So you know how awful she was. Did you ever find out her husband was shot and killed?"

"...Yeah, we read it in the newspaper that time, didn't we?"

"Oh yeah, we did..."

"Tate did it."

"No way. That's bullshit!"

"Didn't you know he was a hitman? I'd certainly be shocked if you've never seen a gun in your house. Olivia hired him to kill her husband – my grandfather, by the way! Thanks to your fucking father, I never had a grandfather! And just so she could be sure to get away with it, she put my dad away in a hellhole so he wouldn't get his inheritance. They took a grieving man and ruined his life when he'd done nothing wrong! He finally got out once the place was shut down, then he tried to take Edward as bait. You want to hear the really fucked up part?"

"No..."

"Tate was given the option of saving his brother or keeping the money. He chose the money. He left Edward to die. Not that my dad tried to kill him-"

"Oh, that's normal, is it? Cutting up an innocent man? But it's fine that he tortured him because hey, he didn't try to kill him!"

"Spare me the sentimental shit. I'm just telling you what happened."

"And it's really true?"

"Of course it's not! She's just stirring it because her dad's a fucking psycho, and so is she!"

"Every word. Ask Edward. Hell, ask Tate, not that you'll get an honest answer."

"No, Dad can't be that bad..."

"Oh, yeah, and he's Vincent's biological father. He fucked a secretary."

"Seriously?!"

"Charon, you live with him. Isn't it true that one day you came home and a baby was there? What did he say about where he came from?"

"He's his son..."

"From where?"

"A short-lived previous relationship... that's what he said."

"Have you ever, in all the years you've lived with Edward, seen him with a woman in any capacity?"

"Well, no..."

"And does Vincent look anything like him? No. He's got black hair and green eyes."

"Father's got yellow eyes, and there's no black hair on his side of the family."

"But Vincent resembles him facially. He's still a bit too young to tell, but just you wait until he's older. Anyway, that's all. Now you're up-to-date. Goodbye."

Elsewhere...