A/N- Sorry you guys for waiting so long to post. But you know how things go in your senior year. Anyway, I hope you like this chapter. I think it's kinda crappy, but I was  in  a rush to get it up. So…..here it is.

Act 3 - The New Royal Family

I stood in front of Anya as she sat attentively on her bed, and went on and on about my recent family crisis. "Shit, Anya." I said. "It has been a week and I've yet to hear from my mother. Troy has that woman over the house everyday since the wedding, and I haven't seen Sebastian since this all happened."

.

"Just calm down." Anya consoled "I know your going through some critical family issues. But you're not helping your problem by panicking. This is so not like you."

"You're right." I replied. "It's just that Anya.... I don't know what to do. My mother usually has an answer for things like this. But she's disappeared off the face of the earth, with no intentions of contacting anyone. Ugh. And to make matters worse, Sebastian is losing his mind."

"Why do you say that?" I looked at her with a cocked eyebrow. "Janessa no. Please don't tell me that."

"I don't want to say it to myself, but it's true. But he's smitten with another. And she's not either of us."

"Well who the fuck is she? You think anyone will miss her?"

"I sure as hell won't. And judging from what I've seen so far, it seems like her mother won't miss her either. But for the rest of the student body and their parents that are buying her bullshit facade, it's conceivable."

"Just tell me who she is. You say the word, and I can have her offed in less than two hours. You know I don't give damn about who she is, particularly if she comes between my friends."

"No. Let's not execute her just yet. I have plans to end this."

Anya stood up, put her hands on her hips and walked toward me, as I paced back and forth, grinning devilishly. She got in my face, and put her hand under my chin, and looked directly into my eyes as she said, "This isn't just any random wench is it. This whore is really getting under your skin; otherwise you'd be setting up a male at this moment instead of here with me. This can't be any normal peasant of yours. This is the one causing all your problems. No ordinary woman. This is your mortal enemy. The fact that she's now in your life more than ever is killing you. This skank wouldn't happen to be Kathryn Merteuil, would it?"

I scoffed, and moved away from her as she sniggered. "I hate it when you do that."

"What can I say? It's a gift." She went to the chaise lounge, and lay upon it. "So what are we planning to do with this...'little' problem of ours?"

"See that's the thing. I usually have a plan by now. But I don't. And that's what's killing me. That bitch, and her gold-digging whore of a mother, managed to slither into my life. And I don't want them there."

"So remove them."

"Oh I intend to. The thing is, I want it to hurt. I want them to suffer..."

"All praise to the heavens above. The queen is back."

"...I want Kathryn to experience pain like she's never felt before."

"Now she's getting back into the spirit."

"And Anya my dear...?"

"Yes, Janessa darling."

"You are going to help me through tonight. In order for me to size up my plan of attack."

Anya smirked devilishly. "I love it when you talk like that. So when's this going to go down?"

"Tonight, at Troy and Tiffany's dinner party with The James, Timberlake, Vanderbilt, and Caldwell, Rockefeller, and Reynolds families."

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--That evening around 8pm--

Sebastian, wearing a suave, dark gray Armani suit; stood in front of the bar, fixing himself a drink. The thought of himself spending an evening at home doing the "family thing" with his father, made him feel nauseated. He downed his drink as he watched his father parade around the mansion with this new woman that he knew would milk him for dime he was worth, and dip into his inheritance.

As Sebastian poured himself another, I sauntered down the stairs in a red, curve-hugging Gucci minidress. When Sebastian saw me, he stopped pouring the drink, apparently stunned. "Well, Well, Well." He spoke smoothly. "Mademoiselle Cattivo, I thought you weren't going to show for this gala tonight."

"Well, Monsieur Valmont. My plans were canceled when I was told of tonight's festivities."

"Cut the bullshit. Who are you doing later?" He began fixing another drink.

"I'm serious. And I am admitting it, I had no one better to do this evening."

"Janessa, are we losing our touch?"

"Fuck no. I'm losing my touch just as much you're losing yours. I simply wanted to be here to witness the meeting of the Valmonts and the Merteuils."

He left the bar and stood next to me, with drink in hand, graciously passed a drink to me. "Will you be accompanied by anyone tonight?"

"As a matter of fact, I will be. It's just a couple of old friends. So nothing you should worry about. Unless, Valmont..."

Sebastian turned into me, lifted my leg up around his hip and kissed me gently. "Now Janessa does that make me seem like I'm jealous?"

"Do it again, and I'll clarify it for you."  Our lips meet again for a longer embrace. As we parted, that intense feeling came between us once again. But I had to snap out of it, so I moved away from him. "Judging from the taste of your lips, I'd say you were right..."

He moved in behind me, wrapping his hands around my waist, and began kissing my neck.

"Sebastian? What is it with and Kathryn Merteuil?"

He stopped. "What do you mean?"

"Valmont cut the bullshit." I turned around and faced him. "You've been swooning over her since she first started Manchester."

"Janessa? You should know by now that I do not swoon over anyone. Women swoon over me."

"Whatever. So what is it?"

Before he could come back with some smart-assed answer, Mai Lee interrupted us.

"Master Valmont, Miss Cattivo. Your guests arriving. Master James and Miss Newman are here."

Mai Lee left as Austin and Anya emerged through the door. Anya wore a slinky yet sultry black halter dress; and Austin looked gorgeous in a navy dress shirt and black slacks. Anya winked at me when she passed me and walked straight to Sebastian to start chatting it up with him. I got behind the bar and began to prepare a drink for Austin. Austin came and stood in front of the bar.  I decided to break the silence. "So how are you?"

"Good. You?" He replied as I handed him a drink.

"Fine."

"That's great."

"So are things awkward for you? I mean now that our thing is over."

"Not really. Why have they been with you?"

"A little actually." Lying to him yet again. Gosh, I just don't know when to quit.

"Like how?"

"Like when I see you. I've gotten used to mauling you every time I see you. But now, I have to control my animal instincts and act like a lady."

"Really?"

"Yeah. We had some good times didn't we?"

"We did didn't we? Well you have a lovely evening, Janessa."  He took his drink and trollied off to a corner by himself.

Have a lovely evening Janessa?! Did he just walk away from me when I brought up a sexual topic without attempting to persuade me out of my dress? He was up to something. I could smell it.

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All of the guests arrived within the next hour. It was going to be an interesting night. What do I mean by this? Not only was Kathryn Merteuil there. But Troy invited his sister, her husband (whom he most despised), and their only child, Dante. Dante was not very well liked by Sebastian either. Ever since the two began attending Manchester, they've had the exact same goal; causing them to cross paths many times.  I'd actually taken a liking to Dante at one point, he was charming, witty, and quite handsome if I must say. The only thing preventing me from actually getting to know him was my loyalty to my friendship with Sebastian. Sebastian hated him, therefore I hated him. I never fully understood why he despised him so. Though, I've never fully understand the Valmonts all together.

Troy and Tiffany managed to bring forward Manchester's ever-feuding kingdoms of ill repute. Kathryn: the red queen, Dante: the red king; Sebastian: the black king, and myself being the black queen. But also in attendance of this soiree happened to be other titleholders in Manchester's web of deception. There was the red princess, Kathryn's sister Michelle, the red prince, Austin, the duchess to the red queen, Krystal Timberlake, and the duke to the red king, Fredrick Rockefeller. Then there was the black princess, Anya , the red prince, Krystal's brother Justin, duchess to the black queen, Krystal and Justin's sister Marly, and the duke to the black king, Blaine Tuttle. Sure they were flunkies in attendance as well. But they were mainly there to witness any occurrences to report the next week on campus. But there were people present who were of great significance to myself and the other members of the court. I.E:  Cecile Caldwell, Court Reynolds, Dylan Nicolas, and the new girl Annette Hargrove.

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During dinner, Sebastian showed off his interest in the Merteuil sisters by giving them persistent sly glances. This didn't annoy me as much as Kathryn's "disinterest" in him. I "accidentally" dropped a fork on the ground and took a peek under the table. Not to my surprise she had her had her hand on his inner thigh rubbing. I had plans for them later. I soon took notice to Austin. He'd been glancing at his watch ever since he sat down. What he waiting on?

All of a sudden, one of the butler's came in with an announcement. "Ladies and Gentlemen, Miss Brandisha Cattivo." What the fuck? Sebastian and I instantly stared at each other, as the petite brown-skinned adulterous teen came through the door. "Good evening everyone." Brandie greeted with a smile. Austin stood up, as through he was relieved. "God, I thought you'd never get here." He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a very affectionate kiss. My eyes widened as I watched my ex shove his tongue down my sister's throat. Once they were through with their sickening PDA, Austin made room for my sister to join everyone.

I was so furious with Austin at that point. I knew he wasn't smart enough to just leave me alone. He was screwing my little sister. I could have killed him. But I didn't want to blow up at him during dinner, it wouldn't be very ladylike. I'd have to deal with it later and act as if the sight wasn't bothering me. Because not even ten minutes after Brandie arrived, Troy announced his engagement to Tiffany. Troy was set to wed not even a month after his and my mother's wedding. Oh there would be hell to pay, if I could only think of who would catch it first.