You know I used to read Victorian novels and I always pitied the female characters. They were closeted and caged due to society's expectations. Even their attire symbolised that with the corsets squeezing out their breaths. I think I also sympathised with them. To always be what others dictated them to be must be a pitiful existence. Trust me I would know. I lived it.
My mother's estate was a property where I lived, it was never home. The dorm room that I shared with my room mates from college was my home. Mami and Papi's house was my home. Even my dad's penthouse condo in Los Angeles was my home. But my mother's estate was never my home.
This property has no good memories for me. I hated it when I lived here. I was so happy when I turned 18 because it meant I could leave this place.
One of the reasons that I didn't want to attend Felicity's wedding was because I would have to come back to this house and face my mother again. And I had rejected the Maid Of Honor position too. But Felicity begged and pleaded. She never does that and my sisterly feelings took over. I should have never said yes but I did. And look where it got me now.
Back to this house.
But this time it would be different. I know it because this time I was no longer starving for affection. This time I no longer had any inclination to blindly follow through with my mother's and sister's plans. This time I was going to separate myself from them and face them as an opponent.
I was ready. It took a long time but finally I was ready.
***
"Good afternoon everyone and thank you for being here. I welcome you. Thank you again for respecting the privacies of the families and giving us time. We will try to answer all your questions to the best of our abilities. The press conference is a joint effort from the Carters and Dwight families. Please take your seats and wait for them to arrive. Refreshments for the members of the press are arranged in the back lawn. Please enjoy them after the conference ends." Matilda Haines, my mother's personal assistant, was greeting the press. Poor thing had to plan this whole event herself. But she's used to mom giving no notice for such things. See my mom believes that all publicity is good so we should be ready for press conferences like always. Thats the reason why we have a conference hall in her mansion.
The press conference should have begun 15 minutes ago. But I guess my family decided to be fashionably late again. Punctuality is a hard to find in my family. But since I was going to gatecrash a press conference, it really was difficult for me to throw stones at them for being late.
Finally, the people of the hour made their entrance. My mother and sister entered the hall followed by the Dwights- Ronald and his parents.
"Goodmorning. I am Virginia Carter and I welcome you all to my home. Thank you for being here. We shall begin the conference."
"Sophia Milton, Fox News. Miss Virginia Carter why the joint statement by your and Mr Ronald's family? Hasn't the wedding been cancelled?"
"I am sorry Miss Milton but you have been misinformed. The wedding has just been postponed. The joint statement is being given because we still consider Ronald as part of our family. This is not a joint statement per se. We are coming together as a family to address the media. Next question please." Good one mom. You can support Ronald but when it comes to me I don't even get invited to the conference.
That is just so damn pissing off. But its so familiar too at the same time. I feel like I was Cookie and my mom was Lucious Lyon from the Empire. And hell yeah I was gonna channel Cookie.
"Penny Robins, CBC News. Where is Miss Lavinia Carter? Shouldn't she be here as well if you are addressing the media as a family?" Finally showtime is here.
"Yes mom how come I don't get invited? Do I not count as family now?" The sea of press reporters parted to let me and Alex push towards the centre stage where the so called 'family' sat in attendance. Going by the expressions on my mother's face she clearly expected me to mope around and not show my face here. Well point one goes to Livvy for shocking her mother.
"Lavinia what are you doing here?"
Seriously mom not gonna answer the question. Fine I will answer it for you.
"Well you did say the whole family was going to address the press. Did you forget that I am a part of this family too? Well its not as if it is a new thing. You forgetting I am your daughter too. Except this time you did it in public. Careful mom your old age is catching up."
If it was possible her face which had paled at seeing me now flushed red with anger. Yeah my mom pays half a million dollar every year to make people forget that she is old. And I just reminded her that she is old. Another point for me and none for mommy dearest.
"How dare you show your face after what you did to your sister?"
"I barely did anything and I get anger. What about that moron standing behind you? No anger for him? And what part of Alexander being my boyfriend escaped your notice?"
"You were always jealous of me Livvy. No man could fall for you so you went after mine." Finally sister dearest has entered the fray.
"Of course I was jealous of you. Why wouldn't I be? You managed to get her love and affection while I got treated like dirt. To her, you were perfect without even trying while I couldn't ever do anything correctly. And about the men..... I didn't want to date those jerks that she chose for me. They only wanted me for two things- my family name or sex. One more thing, I never liked Ronald."
"Those boys were from perfectly repsectable families and any girl would be lucky to have them. I was doing you a favour."
"Were you doing me a favour or yourself? Because selling me to the highest bidder hardly sounds like matchmaking efforts. Remember Henry Fontaine? The first guy you sent me out with. Yeah he tried to seduce me and when that didn't work he added roofies in my drink. He could have done anything to me but dad saved me. You remember the Delaneys. I had heard the conversation you had with them in the library. You think I didn't know that I was just a pawn for you to use to get influential connections. You made me date playboys and casanovas while Felicity gets the creme of the suitors market had to offer. She got to choose while I wasn't even given the choice." Shocked silence greeted us after my reply. The only sound that could be heard was from the cameras snapping pictures.
"All I ever wanted from you both was to be loved. All I ever got was being used by you both. Felicity you never wanted me as your Maid of Honor but since Alicia ran away and your colleague couldn't make it and you couldn't ask Dahlia, you asked me. More like got mom to order me to be your MOH. And for the first time I felt like you called me for help because you needed me. I left everything in New York for you. And you think I tried to sabotage your wedding. Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"You know what I am done with this family. I mean why is that its always me who has to prove myself to this family. You all haven't done anything for me to call you family. Mom you haven't even attended one birthday of mine since I was 13 years old. And Felicity you knew I was bullied but you never helped. So yeah I owe you people nothing. Nothing of me and what happens to me should affect you and the same goes for me. From now on, I am officially withdrawing myself from this family."
"What are you saying? You can't do that."
"I can do that and I will do that. Plus you can't stop me since I am not a minor. You will get the legal papers soon."
I could see my mom paling with shock. But I didn't understand her reaction. She should be happy that I no longer would trouble her with my presence but it looked as if she was panicking over my decision.
"Lavinia lets talk about this. I get it now that this is all a misunderstanding. You don't need to do anything this drastic. Come on lets go inside and talk."
"Talk about what mom. If it was just this once maybe I would have let it go. But you can't fix years of neglect with just a talk. Bandaids don't fix bulletholes mom. You can't just apologize for all the hurt you have caused me for all these years. I am leaving."
"Where will you go? This is your home. You have to stay here."
"Oh Peggy darling don't you worry. She will be staying with me. After all you only got her custody because you wanted her trust fund." My dad Blaine Knight finally made an appearance with his girlfriend Rubina Ahmad. Wait a second I have a trust fund?
"What trust fund? I have a trust fund?"
"Yes Livvy you have a trust fund amounting to 2.3 million dollars. It was established by my parents when they found out about you. This was at the time when your mom had agreed to marry me after your birth."
"You mean all this time......"
"Yes she kept you because of the money. Even the men she threw at you were from impeccable lineages but almost poor. Bankrupt most likely and hence willing to do anything for the money. Listen to her too."
"But what your mother didn't know is that the trust fund places me as the guardian to my daughter's fortune until you get married or turn 22. And I managed to get the legal papers. According to my parents wishes, even after you are married the money will remain under you and cannot be transferred. So Peggy darling I am sorry to inform you but all your efforts were wasted."
"Oh my god you are such a bitch! All those years you took my custody you were actually doing it for the money. You are seriously sick."
"Oh since we all are here I have some other good news. Ruby and I are getting married!"
My father is getting married. My father the eternal bachelor proposed and is getting married to his girlfriend. Wow!
"Ummm I have something to say. I will not be marrying Felicity. I am sorry but I can't do it. Not after hearing this. The Dwights no longer have any relations with the Carters." Ronald surprised me again. I thought he would fall in line with his family's plans but I guess the poor guy has grown some backbone.
"But I will continue to pursue my interest in Miss Lavinia Carter." Wait what did he just say? This guy is so annoying.
"For the last time Ronald I am not in love with you. I don't even like you and I have no interest in you. Get that in your head."
"I know you are not in love with me but I am going to try to make you fall in love with me."
"I can't fall in love with you. You and me don't have a chance. I have a boyfriend. In case you don't remember he punched you at the wedding."
"You can't pursue her. You are my fiancé and she is my sister." I guess selective hearing runs in the family because Felicity ignored everything that just happened.
"I am not your fiancé. I am officially breaking up with you. And I am going to date your sister."
"You will date me when hell freezes over and it snows in july. No way!"