Troubled Nott || Mattheo Riddle (ON HOLD)

35.

"I think it's in everyone's best interest if we all sit down," Voldemort said, slowly walking toward the head of the table where Lucius immediately jumped up from.

Scarlet was still frozen in her seat, staring at Voldemort and the power radiating off him as the whole room stayed silent. Theo gave Leila a small nudge toward the vacant seat in front of her and she sat down next to Enz who slyly moved his chair closer to her. Blade positioned himself closer to his mum like a barrier. Mattheo kept his eyes locked on his father. Both Kylo and Declan kept their eyes locked on Leila and Theo soundlessly sat back down beside his father, but his eyes stuck on his sister.

Siren cleared her throat, sitting down beside Voldemort. "I apologize for my daughters—"

"I didn't give you permission to speak," Voldemort cut her off with a look that made Scarlet feel physically sick with fear and Siren put her head down as an uneasy tension filled the room.

"Father," Mattheo spoke up, seeming to not care that his father just silenced Leila's mother. Voldemort only looked at his son, letting him continue. "What are you doing here?"

Voldemort slowly looked around at them with a serpent smile forming on his lips. "I'm glad you asked, son." Scarlet tensed even more, and her father seemed to pale, making her pray that they walk away from this—alive. "It has come to my attention that our family needs to create an alliance for the future war that is upon us."

"Alliance?" Mattheo questioned. "What type of alliance?"

Siren snapped her eyes to Mattheo with a slight glare. "You don't get to question your father—"

"I didn't give you permission to speak!" Voldemort shouted at her, making her flinch. "One more outburst from you and you won't be returning to your home!"

Nausea churned in Scarlet's stomach as she truly realized what was happening, where she was, and who the fucking hell was talking to them. The Dark Lord was sitting at the head of the table, a man powerful enough to kill them all with ease. The same man who had caused that scar on Mattheo's face and the man more that covered his back.

"My son may be speaking out of term, but at least he's asking the right questions," Voldemort stated, looking back at his son. "I've spoken with the families and after a long discussion, I've come to the decision that there will be an arranged marriage."

Straight away, Scarlet looked up at her father in panic and her heart shattered with pain as he didn't even spare her a glance, her body filling with betrayal. They had been worried about tonight being a trap, but none of them expected her to be put into an arranged marriage. She didn't want to be married. She didn't want to be forced into something others got to freely choose. It wasn't fair. None of it was fair and she finally understood Leila. She finally understood why her best friend disappeared, cutting them all off just to save herself...And now that was exactly what Scarlet wanted—to disappear.

"I'm not marrying Scarlet," Mattheo said rather aggressively, and Scarlet looked away from her father, her eyes softening as she looked at Mattheo who looked just about ready to hit his father.

Others may have been hurt if they heard the one they love say what he just said, but she was relieved. Yes, she loved him even though he didn't love her, but she never wanted to marry him or anyone at all for that matter.

"Ah," Voldemort drawled, his smile wicked. "You are correct." Scarlet felt a rush of relief wash over her body. Only to vanish as his eyes shifted over to Leila. "As I said, it's come to my attention that our family needs a strong alliance and we've all agreed that Leila"—the world turned blurry as Scarlet looked over at Mattheo who was already watching her, the both of them coming to the grim conclusion that he was going to be marrying Leila, her best friend—"will be marrying Theodore."

"What?" Scarlet, Leila, Kylo, Theo, and Matteo exclaimed at the same time.

Scarlet couldn't believe it. She couldn't fucking believe it. Theodore Nott, her older brother, was being forced to marry Leila Malfoy, her best friend. Oh Merlin, the same best friend that was dating Kylo Sabort.

Panic filled Scarlet's body as she stopped listening to Voldemort, her eyes glancing at a pale Theodore, a sickly-looking Kylo, and a teary Leila. This wasn't fair. None of it was fair.

Theodore loved Leila and Scarlet knew that, but she also knew that Leila loved Kylo. That meant that it was three friendships being destroyed in one night. And not to mention she was terrified of what that meant for her and Leila. Would they still be friends? She knew there was a high chance of Leila shutting them all out again and she didn't want that. She'd just gotten her best friends back.

"So what? Leila and I don't get a say?" Theo raised his voice, sending a glare at his father.

"You said our family!" Mattheo said, also raising his voice. "What does their marriage have to do with our family? This is cruel, even for you, father."

Scarlet kept her eyes locked on Leila as Enz sent the silently crying girl an apologetic look before his eyes shifted to anger as he looked at Voldemort who was staring at her.

"Your mother never told you the truth, did she?" Voldemort questioned Leila, and she stayed silent as Scarlet furrowed her brows, looking at Siren who had her head down. "Jacob was never the father of Leila," he announced, and Mattheo went pale as did Drae and Kylo. "You, Leila," he looked back at her, "are not a Malfoy, but a Riddle."

A throbbing pain bounced off Scarlet's skull as she dropped her head back against the chair, blinking hard a few times, trying—trying to take in the sudden news.

Leila Malfoy-Black wasn't a damn Malfoy or Black. She was a Riddle. A fucking Riddle.

Then Scarlet lifted her head back up, her eyes darting straight to a shocked Mattheo.

Leila was his sister.

"No," Leila choked out.

"What?" Mattheo breathed, looking at Leila and then his father. "You can't be serious."

"Oh, but I am," Voldemort said, standing up. "It's about time the world knows that I have not only a son but also a daughter."

Leila abruptly stood up, accidentally pushing her chair over behind her. Deezy shot out of his seat with Kylo and Drae, the three of them staring at her as Scarlet's heart shattered for her best friend who looked beyond broken.

"This-This is a cruel joke," Leila mumbled between her rapid breathing. "My father is Jacob Malfoy, not you. You killed my real father. You took him away."

"I killed him because he found out that you were my daughter and not his!" Voldemort shouted and she took a step back, shaking her head. "You are Leila Riddle, my daughter!"

Scarlet shot her brother a worried look mixed with a plea as Leila took another step back, slightly swaying on her feet.

"My name is Leila Malfoy and I am the daughter of Jacob Malfoy," Leila weakly stated. "I am not a Riddle! I am not the daughter of a monster!"

Anxiety prickled Scarlet's skin as Leila reached out for the wall. And then she screamed for her best friend as Leila's eyes rolled to the back of her head and she collapsed.