Hiram Lodge's re-emergence into Veronica's life had ratcheted-up the tensions in their stately residence. It was as though the prison mentality had followed him home. The silent family dinners, controlling text messages, and awkward hugs made Veronica extremely unsettled. She used to just call Betty or Kevin, but for some reason, all she wanted to do was sit in her room and hide from the world. Archie was Cheryl Blossom's boyfriend now. There was no way to wrap her head around it. The world might as well just burn like Thornhill Mansion had. Nothing made sense to her anymore. Everyone had something good in their life now except her.

Hiram's knuckles rapped against her bedroom door lightly as he made it slightly ajar. "Mija, it's me, Daddy..."

"I didn't say come in." Veronica was adamant about being alone.

Hiram entered into her room despite the reproach.

"I didn't say..."

"When you start paying some of the bills around here, THEN maybe you can tell me where I can and cannot go...Ok, Ronnie? I had quite enough of that when I was away..."

Hiram did have a point. "I'm sorry, Dad. I am just still really...I don't know...just emotional I guess. I'll be fine."

"Still with this 'Archie Andrews Thing?' I thought you would be over him by now...what has it been?...3 weeks? I mean there's plenty of nice boys you could be interested in by now...let's see..uh..there's that guy you're always talking to...what's his name...Kevin...he seems like a nice clean-cut handsome upstanding..."

"Kevin is gay, Dad. I'm pretty sure I told you that." Hiram made a whimsical inquisitive face and was intentionally pretending not to remember so as to get a smile out of his lonesome daughter.

"Okay, okay, but seriously now...have you talked to Reggie Mantle at all? Bulldog, reformed bully not unlike myself, he has potential, right?"

Veronica got a worried look on her face as though she could read in her father's eyes that he had been up to no good again.

"Now, before you throw a Ronnie Lodge tantrum, hear me out. I have spoken to Reggie's parents, Ricky and Vicky--lovely people I might add--and they seem to think you and Reggie might hit it off."

"DADDY?!" Veronica was horrified. "I can't believe you would do such a thing...I mean, come on..." Neither of them were aware that Hermione stood draped in her silk robe cowering in the shadows of the door frame listening intently to Hiram's every word. She dared not cross the impatient man. His fiery temper was legendary. Since he had returned, there was no peace. "You don't know the kinds of things Reggie has done to girls, Daddy...I mean..."

"Just think about it. That's all I ask, okay, mija?" She begrudgingly allowed him to kiss her forehead before exiting her room. Sensing he was walking toward the door, Hermione ran into the bathroom and pretended she had been brushing her teeth. "And as for this Archie Andrews...uh...let's forget that he ever dared to break my charming little princess's heart, ok? The whole Andrews family...well...let's just leave it at that..." Hiram calmed down before leaving her room.

Veronica dared not let Hiram know that she knew about Fred and Hermione's affair. She wasn't 100 percent sure he hadn't been partially responsible for Fred's death either. But he couldn't know her misgivings about him. "Ok, goodnight, Daddy."

"Goodnight, princess." He spoke through her closed door. Walking down the hallway like a prison guard, Hiram's rapping knuckle impacting the bathroom door was next to startle. "Everything all right in there, Sweetheart? You almost finished? It would be nice if I could have some quality time with MY WIFE...if you know what I mean..."

Hermione put her face in her hands and slid down the wall until she sat on the cold bathroom floor in a fetal position. Wiping her eyes, she tried to smile so her response would sound more positive. "I'll be out in a minute, Hiram." Thankfully Veronica didn't know about the beatings or the threats. But it wouldn't be long until they all knew the whole truth. The question is, was it already too late to make things right?

Veronica Lodge bravely grabbed for her cell phone to text Betty. Her message question sent shivers down Betty's bare spine. Betty rolled over in their makeshift bed and showed the glowing phone to Jughead. His hair spilling onto her and her sweaty torso rubbing up against his, he opened his eyes.

"Veronica wants to join 'The Serpents?' What the--?"

Betty's eyes were wide open in surprise as she shook her head 'yes' slowly.

"Can you PLEASE text her back tomorrow? For Me??" Jughead begged for their romantic night to resume.

Betty smiled knowing she had Jughead right where she wanted him. Leaning back and sliding down the length of the bed as a playful way to tease him, she put down the phone after turning the ringer off.