It had been several days since Alex and the others had arrived in the city, and the wedding day was getting closer and closer. On the first day they arrived in the city, Alex had already started making his plans. He asked Amelie to tell him where the Tarren Mansion was located, and she happily obliged.
Alex spent the next few days watching the Tarren house from afar, hoping to see anything. He observed their tendencies and family lives. Ellen Tarren typically stayed in her study away from her husband and oldest son. It seemed like only the youngest and a few select maids were actually allowed inside her study.
Meanwhile, there were a few other interesting tidbits of information that Alex had learned about the Tarren's, information he was sure to use at the best opportunity.
However, this wasn't Alex's only purpose for coming to the Tarren Mansion. Every day he'd check in on the room, and he found Raven was out to make sure she was okay, and luckily it seemed she was unharmed. She was without a doubt depressed, but physically, no harm had come to her. Through his observations, he picked up that it was because of Ellen. She made sure Raven was as comfortable as possible, which Alex was thankful for. And because of that, he decided to show her kindness and give her an opportunity she couldn't pass up.
*Ellen Tarren Perspective*
It was late at night, and Ellen had just gotten back from doing her rounds of paperwork. Mostly small things like shop supplies and things of that nature, which was pretty much her daily job since her husband and oldest son rarely ever paid attention to that sort of thing.
"Ma'am, do you wish to head to bed?" A maid asked Ellen.
"Yeah...I think I really need some sleep." Ellen responded.
"Very well. The other maids have washed your sheets, so everything should be ready for you." Dana said, bowing.
"As always, I am grateful. Tell me, how is our guest?" Ellen asked.
Dana sighed "We still have trouble getting her to eat, but things are progressing at least."
"I guess that will have to do for now..." Ellen said, sighing.
The two walked to Ellen's personal bedroom since she had refused to sleep near her husband since she caught him in bed with one of his maids.
Ellen walked inside her room as Dana left her to go do some of her duties. She walked over to her bed and sat down.
"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" a voice said from a dark corner.
Ellen jumped up. "Gua-!"
"It's okay, Ms. Tarren. I have no intention of harming you." The voice said.
"W-Who are you?" Ellen asked in fear. All she could make out was a figure sitting; she couldn't tell what he looked like at all.
The figure soon stepped out of the shadows, which made Ellen even more confused.
"A-Alex Blackwood?" Ellen said it in shock.
"In the flesh." Alex said. "I think we need to have a talk."
"A t-talk?" Ellen asked.
"Yes, about my sister's marriage, obviously, and about the future of the Tarren Family."
"Okay." Ellen said getting herself together. "Explain."
"Well, as you can guess, I don't want my sister to marry that shithead of yours, no offense. So during the wedding, I will kill him." Alex said.
"You're going to kill my son?" Ellen said in worry.
"Let's both be honest here, Ellen. Oliver is not your son; he's Duncan's. And we both know he shouldn't become the future of House Tarren." Alex said it with a smile.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Oliver is very honorable and will be a great future leader." Ellen argued.
"Honorable? Tell me, is it honorable to sneak out and visit a whorehouse four nights a week?" Alex said.
"What?" Ellen asked.
"C'mon, we both know he was sneaking out; don't act surprised." Alex retorted. "That bastard fell in love with a whore with long, dark blue hair who has five guys a night. For some reason, your little shithead thinks he's special to her."
"I..." Ellen tried to say.
"Now back to business. Oliver shouldn't become the head of the Tarren family, and your husband Duncan is just as terrible as his son; apple didn't fall too far from the tree there, but then there's your youngest boy, Randall." Alex said. "Tell me, how would you feel about him leading the Tarren family?"
"Lead the Tarren family?" Ellen asked.
"Think about it. If I kill Oliver and Duncan during the wedding, that leaves you in charge until Oliver becomes of age to rule, and without a certain father figure in his life, you'll be the sole voice in his ear, effectively giving the entire Tarren family and all of their resources right to you." Alex said.
Ellen sighed before thinking to herself. "Are you sure you can kill my husband?"
"Without a doubt." Alex said. "It will make quite the spectacle if I do say so myself."
"You know if you do this, you'll be branded a traitor, right?" Ellen asked.
"That I do; call it a necessary sacrifice." Alex said with a smile "So. Deal or no deal?"
Ellen took a second to think. If Alex succeeds, that would place her and Oliver at the top of the Tarren family, especially since Duncan didn't have a brother or a sister, and not only that, doing this would free Raven from her marital obligation.
"If you fail, none of this can be tied back to me." Ellen said, looking at Alex.
"The only person they'd blame is me and my family. My family doesn't even know about me doing this." Alex said. "This secret meeting doesn't leave this room."
Ellen took a deep breath. "Deal. Just make sure it works."
Alex smiled. "It will, Ellen, by the way. Thank you for taking care of Raven, please continue to do so until I'm able to save her."
Ellen said "I will. I have been since she got here."
Alex smiled one last time before jumping out of an open window. Ellen ran up to the window to look for him since they were on a third-story floor; however, there wasn't a single bit of evidence he was ever there.
"It was almost as if he was a Ghost..."
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