𝐔𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 | 𝐊𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐗 𝐅𝐞𝐦!𝐎𝐂

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔 - Suspicions

"Shall I let them off the hook?"

Veronica held onto Sunny tightly as she could since she was being held by one of the hook-handed man's hooks. Count Olaf gestured for the children to sit down and the hook-handed man let go of them. Veronica put Sunny down on the armchair beside the table and sat on a chair in between Klaus and Violet. It was a moment of wind gushing and silence as Count Olaf showed a tray of cupcakes towards the children. "I spent all morning making these cupcakes for you." He said. "Thank you..." The brunette and the elder Baudelaire siblings said together, confused while Sunny said "They're store bought."

"Aren't raspberries delicious?" Count Olaf smirked and Veronica felt uncomfortable it. "They were my favourite berry when I was your age." Olaf continued. "But we're all different ages except for Veronica and Klaus." Violet mentioned. Count Olaf said nothing in reply, he just simply slided across the table towards the children. Veronica and Klaus shared a look of confusion together at the man. "I want to talk to you about something. I recently received a call from Mr. Poe." Olaf said, putting some of the icing in his mouth. "Is that so? I'm sorry Mr. Poe bothered you, Father." Veronica replied. "I'm glad he did, because I want you four children to feel more at home here, now that I am your father." Olaf chuckled. The brunette gulped nervously, thinking that something bad was going to happen, since Olaf was the man she knew who did nothing nice. "As you know, I have been working hard with my theatre troupe, and I'm afraid I may have acted a bit standoffish." Olaf continued to the children.

As Veronica knew the word standoffish is a wonderful word, but from her view, it did not describe Count Olaf's behaviour towards them. Standoffish refers to a person who, for various reasons is not associating with others. It is a word which might describe somebody who, during a party, might stand in a corner instead of talking with another person. It would not describe somebody who provides one bed for four people to sleep in, forces them to do horrible chores and strikes them across the face. There are many words for people like that, but standoffish isn't one of them.

"Therefore! To make you feel better at home here, I want you to participate in my next play." Count Olaf said, putting a raspberry in his mouth. Veronica nearly fell off her chair at those words, the last thing the brunette wanted to do was star in one of her father's plays. One time, not long ago, she had watch one of them from backstage and she found it rather repulsive and not very good entertainment, if she had to be honest. "Participate how?" Veronica questioned. "I'm..." Count Olaf started but then began to choke on a berry. He then stood up on the table, having a very proud face. "The play is called The Marvellous Marriage and is by the great playwright Al Funcoot. We will give only one performance this Friday night." He said to the children. Veronica raised an eyebrow when he mentioned only one performance. She found it suspicious as most public plays had several days where the performance was shown. "It tells the story of a very handsome and good-looking man, played by me." Olaf continued as Veronica sniggered under her breath. "Whoever did the casting for this show obviously picked the wrong choice..." Veronica muttered, as Violet and Klaus chuckled in response. The villain gave the brunette a grim look, finding anger from her comment.

"You, Klaus and you, Veronica will play as a married couple with their child played by you, Sunny and as three cheering people in the crowd!" Veronica blushed when Olaf mentioned she and Klaus had to play a couple and Klaus blushed a little as well. "B-But me and Veronica are most shorter than most adults. W-Won't that look strange to the audience?" Klaus mentioned with a short stutter. "A-And, Father, don't you think it will look a bit w-weird for people me and Klaus's age to look like we've had a kid?" Veronica questioned. "You'll both be playing two midgets." Olaf simply replied, giving the two bookworms a glum look. "And what will I do? Build the sets?"

Count Olaf looked down to Violet with a scoffing chuckle. "Build the sets? Oh, heavens, no." He said, kneeling to Violet. Veronica gave a worried look towards Klaus and he held her hand to comfort her. "My sister is very good with tools." Klaus said, looking away from Veronica and up at Olaf. Veronica bit her lip in concern, she could tell from her father's look that he was plotting something. "A pretty girl like you shouldn't be working backstage." Olaf smirked. "But I'd like to." Violet pleaded. "Sunny, Sunny, Sunny..."

"Violet." Veronica corrected him to only get a heartless glare.

"Violet, Violet, Violet...you will be playing the young woman I marry." Olaf repeated, turning back to the brunette beside his daughter. "It's a very important role, although you only have one line, and I think you know it is." He continued. "I don't..." Violet muttered. "No, no, no, it's 'I do'." Olaf smirked as Veronica tightened her grip on Klaus's hand. "Count Olaf..." Violet started by Olaf stopped her, saying "What did you call me?" Violet took in a deep breath. "Father...I'm not sure I'm talented enough to perform professionally. I'd hate to disagree your good name and the name of Al Funcoot. Plus, I'll be very busy the next few weeks working on my inventions!" Violet explained to Olaf. "And I'll be helping the Baudelaire's how to prepare roast beef, Father." Veronica added. Olaf stood up and stomped his foot. "You will participate in my theatrical performance!" Olaf whined, like a little spoiled brat.

"I would prefer it if you participate voluntarily, but as I believe Mr. Poe has explained to you, I can act loco parentheses." Olaf continued. "In loco parentis." Veronica corrected.

"Poco De Laurentiis."

"In loco parentis."

Olaf stamped his foot once more. "The point is, I can order you to participate, and you must obey." Olaf yelled, kneeling back down to the children. Veronica gave him a little glare, and Klaus squeezed her hand, calming her down.

Olaf then took one of the cupcakes and ate it like a sloppy animal. It was another moment of silence as the children watched him scoff down the cupcake. "Now go talk to the woman in the wig. I can't stand looking at you anymore..." Olaf muffled, mouth full of cake. The children stood up from their chairs and Klaus went to grab Sunny and they walked out. Veronica turned back to look at Olaf, who gave her grim look while still eating. She knew Olaf was up to something but she just had to find out what it was.