Chapter 1:
"Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves." Confucius (504 B.C)
When I was a little girl, my understanding of revenge was as simple as the Sunday school proverbs it hid behind. Neat little morality slogans, like do unto others and two wrongs don't make a right. But two wrongs can never make a right, because two wrongs can never equal each other. For the truly wronged, real satisfaction can only be found in one of two places: absolute forgiveness or mortal vindication.
Labor Day Weekend
South Hampton, NY
I mess absentmindedly with the large swan ice sculpture in the middle of the tent. The irony is not lost on me.
"Emma!" I hear as a voice cries out my name. I turn around and I look down to see sand on my hand. I wipe it off before Tamara is standing in front of me.
"I've been looking for you. Where's Neal?" Tamara asks me.
"Uh, he's walking the beach. We're having a thing" I respond.
Tamara rolls her eyes at me and scoffs. "Same thing or different thing?" She questions, her eyebrows raised.
"Same thing. But don't worry, he's right behind me." I tell her, a forced smile playing on my lips.
"It's my job to worry. Your job is to enjoy yourself. It's your job to enjoy yourself. It's your engagement party. Can someone get a 20 on Neal Mills?" Tamara says in a walkie as she walks away.
I see August waving to me from a table on my right. A man walks by and wishes me congratulations and I thank him. I make eye contact with August again. I make my way over to him. I do not like the look on his face. I come to his table but look away as we talk.
"Nice night for it." August tells me sarcastically.
"Nice night for what, August?" I bite back.
"Celebrating" He responds with a smirk.
I shake my head at him. "You should be here, August." I say through my teeth finally making eye contact with him. He stands out in his fire red suit. But this is a fire and ice party so he blends in well with the theme.
"That makes two of us, Em." He tells me.
I hear a voice in the distance call out, "Emma, where have you been hiding?" Another voice shouts out, "Come on, let's see that ring, girl." I put my left hand up and smile to acknowledge both of their comments. At this point in the night, I can barely remember the guests at this party. I walk towards them and August gives me one last look before I break eye contact.
"Hi" I say to both of the guests. I make small talk with them. Smiling and laughing with their comments. I lie about how happy Neal and I are. I grab a flute of champagne to make the night more bearable.
I watch as Regina and Robert Mills take the small stage in the front of the tent. I am grateful that the group of women around me have turned their attention to the stage to hear Regina speak. I take another sip of champagne as Regina grabs the microphone preparing for what she has to say.
"Fire and ice. When we first sat down to discuss tonight's occasion, I was immediately taken with the idea of an evening inspired by primal bookends, fire and ice, beginnings and endings and the love between a man and a woman." Regina says with elegance, grace, and composure.
Regina stands on stage in her red strapless gown with the grace of a queen, well more like an evil queen. But her opening comments are met with a round of applause by the audience. I pull out my phone and try to call Neal again. I smile as I put the phone up to me ear. People are gazing at me as they clap. I watch as Robert scans the tent. The phone keeps ringing as Regina continues her speech as she walks down from the stage and toward me.
"Tonight not only marks the final weekend of a remarkable summer in the Hamptons, it is also the celebration of my son Daniel's engagement to the lovely and beguiling Ms. Emma Swan." Regina gestures towards me after this sentence and the audience applauds. I put down my phone and smile. Regina continues to walk towards me.
"And though we've only known her for a few short months, Emily already feels like the piece of the family puzzle we never even knew was missing. In a word, I approve. And as anyone can tell you, approval is not something I give away freely." Regina says with a smile as the crowd laughs at her comment.
Regina has finally reached me and she has reached out to take my hand. She takes a step towards me and whispers, "Where the hell is my son?"
I look back at her with a composed face. I do not know where the hell Neal is but it wasn't supposed to be like this. Screaming comes from the beach and we all turn our heads towards the sound. I can see Violet running up the path from the beach. I hear her screaming something about her brother. Once Regina and Robert here her mention her brother, they start making their way to the beach.
I turn around and share a look with August who just stares back at me with an "I told you so look". I follow Regina and Robert as they run towards the beach. I can hear Regina crying out her son's name.
I stop at the edge of the tent and I hear Regina's screams all done the beach. It wasn't supposed to be like this.
A/N. If you cannot tell already this is a retelling of the show Revenge with Once Upon a Time Characters. Plot points will change as necessary.
