Chapter 293 Verdict for the guilty

293 Verdict for the guilty

Music Recommendation: A thorough Education- Dario Marianelli

--

Vincent stared at his sister, who looked pale and in shock as if she was trying to process how and what had happened. He knew that Marceline had taken great measures to ensure not to get caught by any of the townsfolk, and though she could fool them, she had forgotten that he was in the picture.

But how could the poor vampiress know that her brother had his eyes on the governess she despised. And nothing went past his eyes.

"Are you sure you aren't mistaking her for someone else?" Lady Annalise still held a little hope, but that was only because Marceline had perfected the art of having the perfect image in front of everyone. The older vampiress stared at the human with narrowed eyes.

Patrick, who was still trying to wrap his head on why a vampiress of high society would go so far as to pose as a maid, turned his eyes to meet Lady Annalise, and he quickly nodded. He said, "She was the maid whom I spoke to. My mother will agree to it too. But why did she... I don't know," he muttered the last words with his eyebrows deeply furrowed.

"More than a week ago, Marceline went to Meadow," Vincent brought in the facts from the beginning. "My dear, lovely sister posed as a maid and spread wrong things about Genevieve Barlow being a woman with immoral character. She instigated this man and his mother, who suspected and were angry at Genevieve because she refused to marry him."

Eduard and Lady Annalise, staring at Marceline until now, shifted their gaze to look at the human.

Vincent, who had walked up to where Patrick stood, placed his hand on the human's shoulder, which shook under his touch and gaze. He questioned, "Isn't that right?"

When Patrick felt the vampire almost squeeze his shoulder, he remembered the painful day he had spent in bed that night, where he wasn't able to turn to any side as his body ached. Not to mention, his speech was no more the same because of his missing tooth. The bruises that he had received had not disappeared.

"Yes, I wanted to marry Genevi--Ms. Barlow," Patrick quickly corrected in fear, while he tried to cling to his male pride. He said, "But she rejected me, and I was very angry that she was being pursued by other men of higher status. It was a misunderstanding, but it started with this person!" He rushed the last few words, raising his hand to point his finger at Marceline. He wanted to go home and stay far away from Vincent Moriarty before he did any more damage to him.

Vincent let go of Patrick's shoulder and said, "What you heard about Eve in Quintin's mansion was spread by Mrs. Walsh, who didn't even know that her husband had a series of mistresses behind her back. But you have already heard about Mr. Walsh; the actual culprit is in front of us."

His coppery red met Marceline's eyes, who had failed to utter a single word until now. She felt everyone's eyes fall on her, and she moved her lips,

"This human is lying!" Marceline shouted in frustration. "He is delusional to think that I was the maid, whom he spoke to."

One side of Vincent's lips curled and remarked, "Funny, isn't it? Here you are so proud of who and what you are, yet you felt so threatened by a human's presence in the mansion that you went to the lengths of shaming her. Trying to strip her of the respect she worked for is something you could never aim for. Putting the people against her, having them hold a witch hunt because you are an insecure woman, knowing no matter what you did, you could never match up to her heights. Because she was becoming important to people here and you just couldn't take it."

Marceline's eyes widened, half in shock with what was going on and half in anger. She screamed, "What is wrong with what I did?! I am the daughter of the Moriarty family, I am the vampiress and have always been on the higher end! She just swept in, taking all the attention!" The young vampiress had turned livid, and she took a step backwards, placing her hand on her chest. "I have worked hard for it! I have done everything a high-status lady is to be doing, yet I am always placed second!"

Except for Vincent, everyone else looked taken aback by the vampiress's sudden outburst.

Vincent turned to Patrick, raising his hand, he waved two of his fingers as if shooing him, "Your work here is done, you can leave."

The human was happy to leave the room and run out of this place. To make sure he didn't wander around, the butler followed him to lead him to the front of the mansion.

Lady Annalise, who had been taking Marceline's side until now, questioned her, "Is this true, Marcie? Is what Vincent telling to be true?"

Marceline looked at her mother in disbelief and cried, "Are you taking her side? A human's! I am your daughter, I am the important person!"

Eduard stared at Marceline before he turned to his youngest daughter and said, "Allie dear, why don't you go to your room."

The small vampiress didn't question and instead walked away from the room before looking at her sister, who looked just like her scary self when they were alone. When the people in the room heard the receding footsteps of the young girl, Eduard returned to ask the question,

"Why would you do something like that, Marceline? I doubt Ms. Barlow has done anything to you, for you to repay her kindness in such an evil way."

"Look at all of you," the facade that Marceline had built over the years started to crack and crumble, revealing her true nature. Tears formed in her eyes, and she cried, "I am your family, and instead of taking my side, you are questioning me!"

Eduard sent a glare, something he hadn't done with his children, and this had Marceline turn weary by her father's look. He said,

"The matter isn't who is and isn't family. It is about what you did and why you would go so far as to hurt her. The reasons you have listed sound silly like an errant child asking for a toy in the shop, Marceline. I never pegged my daughter to be someone with such ill and evil intentions," his lips set themselves in a thin line, with an unmistakable look of disappointment on his face.

Marceline was so used to her father's sweet and kind words that she didn't expect him to look at her the way he did now. She shook her head and tried to reason,

"You don't understand father. I didn't mean to hurt her."

"So what were you expecting by spreading false rumours about Eve?" Vincent's eyes narrowed at Marceline, who still failed to understand what wrong she had done.

"She is a lowly human! And it isn't like you have never hurt any human before or killed them!" Marceline glared back at Vincent and demanded, "Why do you want to protect her! I am your sister."

"Unfortunately we share the same blood, else you know well what I would do to you, Marceline," Vincent glowered, looking down at his sister. He knew that Marceline wasn't like Allie, and her mind worked differently or maybe somewhere similar to him, but he would have never expected her to stoop so low.

Now that Marceline was cornered, she turned frantic and questioned, "Why her! She is like any other human!"

"You have problems when it comes to listening, don't you?" Vincent continued to glare and said, "Because I have decided to make her my wife. And by relation, she will deserve all the respect, status and name that you tried to use and hide behind. She is already a woman of status, and I won't let even you, my sister, drag her through dirt."

Marceline's mouth went dry as she remembered his previous words. He had given his word to their parents that if he couldn't prove her guilty, he would agree to marry any women they showed. She swallowed the bitter feeling that bubbled up her throat. But the vampiress didn't know that there were other more important things to worry about, that worry about Eve's dynamics with her.

Lady Annalise wanted to comment and argue on what Vincent said, but with how things had turned in Marceline's case, she remained quiet and let her husband talk.

Marceline continued to stand as if what she did was right and tried to justify it, "She is a woman of low status! A human, who comes from Meadow and you know how father's wife died, when she couldn't even protect u--"

Eduard raised his hand, slapping Marceline before she could complete what she had started. He looked furious, while the young vampiress was shocked to be slapped by her father for the first time.

"I have been lenient with you, letting things pass. At first because you lost your mother and then because you were a grown woman, but you make me regret for not taking action during the early stages." Senior Mr. Moriarty stared at his spoiled daughter, his eyes holding sorrow, "During her final moments, Katherina loved and tried to protect you in the best way she could. Even Annalise knows about it, yet you, instead of being grateful, you continue to berate her. I did not expect this from you, and I cannot tell how disappointed I am."

Marceline's lips trembled while her eyes held anger which was meant for Eve.

Eduard walked away from Marceline, holding his hands behind his back. Vincent then questioned Marceline, "How would you like to be punished, my dear sister?"

Marceline's eyes widened, and the anger was replaced by confusion, "Punished?"

Vincent hummed, "Mhm. If you go unpunished, you might think it is alright to do something the next time. And we don't want that, do we? As much as I am not happy having you as my sister, I still prefer you alive now."

Marceline softly chuckled in sarcasm and she replied, "No, I refuse the punishment!" She turned to her mother and pleaded, "Mother, even you don't like that human! Why are you standing quiet!"

Eduard turned back to look at Marceline, "Your mother knows what you did was wrong, Marceline. Instead of asking for forgiveness, you continue to justify your cruel actions to the poor human. Vincent is right."

Marceline shook her head in denial.

"You brought her physical pain. Stripped her respect and had her drag through the streets," Vincent recollected and then said in a sinister voice, "You will be stripped from what you are so proud of. From being a vampiress. Allie was able to grow her fangs back, let us hope you can too."