Chapter 22: Ominous Plans of a Scandal

"Talk further, sister? There is no need. He is going to Hell. It has begun."

-Neil Gaiman

By tradition, each Merteuil woman had been successful in marrying within their social caste. To them, the pathetic idealism of love transcending wealth, status, and age (though, if you've taken a look at some of Kathryn and Belinda's uncles, who are twice, if not almost thrice the age of their aunts) and the fairy tale stories of falling in love with a poor man and forsaking the family name was simply a preposterous idea. These women were born to continue living a life of luxury and power they'd been brought to this world with, and if they indeed had to do some form of work, it would be out of curiosity at how things go, rather than a necessity to make a living. Not all the Merteuil women had had to have a man by their side, some chose to use their influence to make a name for themselves, such as Belinda's case, but aside from that, even she desired a wealthy man. There was no room for falling in love with someone your family would never approve of, unless you wanted to do something pathetic like give up the family fortune and remain branded as an outcast throughout not only the Merteuil family, but also the entire society.

Even as a child, Kathryn had been taught only one thing: Never, ever, ever disgrace the Merteuils. No matter what you do, be it a social function or just performing well in your own respective academia, or even just attending to an afternoon tea with a woman sixty years of age but with the face of a freaky twenty year old due to repeated surgeries, a lady must always act accordingly. With these lifelong lessons in Kathryn's mind, even though she was itching for a hit from her beloved companion that hung around her neck like a reassuring friend, and even though her green eyes wandered all over the room looking for that familiar curly blond head she'd last seen in Marseilles, her Upper East Side upbringing indicated that she must remain primly seated with a smile on her beautiful face. And that she did.

Planning weddings were Tiffany's favorite thing in the world, aside from rich husbands, handsome pool boys, and Dr. Maxwell, her plastic surgeon (pity he was gay). As soon as she heard news of her daughter finally marrying the son of a billionaire from Paris, she immediately forgave Kathryn for ditching her duties as the social chair for the Hamptons charity event and they were now all seated as a 'family' to discuss the upcoming marriage. The Merteuil-Valmonts were all present, aside from Sebastian, who still seemed to be mysteriously back in Paris doing God knows what to God knows who (although he better not be slumming with that slut maid at her father's house). Belinda was seated with a perennial bored and wondering look on her face, as if she had no idea what was going on and didn't bother to ask, while Mathieu was seated beside her, doing that thing he did to charm Tiffany to gain her further approval.

Of course, he didn't know that he already had Tiffany's full approval the moment he mentioned his surname.

"What's going on?" the beautiful blonde finally asked, frowning and rolling her eyes at the way Tiffany was looking at Mathieu like he was made of gold or something. Gold digging bitch.

Her sister cast a surprised look, "Mathieu didn't tell you? We're getting married a day after the Hamptons event."

To any other oblivious bystander watching the famous, lithe model, they would have assumed that Belinda was going to throw one of her diva tantrums again, but the dark look that came over her eyes, the way her lips tightened and her body tensed, she could only reach to a single conclusion.

Belinda was fucking pissed. Actually, more than pissed that there wasn't even a word for the rage she was feeling. Now she fully understood why Mathieu had failed to mention that interesting detail to his old friend, and the way Belinda was now glaring at both her and Mathieu, she looked like she was capable of using her fork to stab them both to death. Kathryn had always known Belinda wanted him, but she was surprised to see that it was to this extent.

"Mathieu," she gritted her teeth, ignoring the inquisitive looks of their moron mother. "Might I have a word?"

He nodded, catching Kathryn's eye. "Of course."

The two excused themselves and headed to the library and Kathryn was left alone with her dysfunctional parents. Normally, she would have despised this circumstance, but now she was free to ask about Sebastian without arousing Mathieu's suspicion. It had initially been more than a month since their visit to Marseilles, and she hadn't seen nor heard from her stepbrother since that day. She wanted to kill that red haired slut and then possibly strangle him, or maybe use both her hands and strangle them both at the same time. She'd relish it either way.

"Edward?" she asked as nonchalantly as she could, taking a sip from the crystal glass. "Have you heard from Sebastian? I'm concerned that he'll miss the wedding… He is my stepbrother after all." And I can't wait to get my hands on his fornicating lascivious neck.

Edward frowned, "He should be coming along any minute, and it's very nice that you want him to attend your wedding, Kathryn, I know you've grown particularly close with Sebastian."

"Yes, Kathryn, how nice of you to care." A sardonic voice came from the outside and she felt that damn shiver at the sight of an impassive albeit handsome Sebastian approaching the table with a cold, unfeeling look in his almost-too-beautiful blue eyes.

Kathryn managed a smile, but instead of that knowing half grin on his lips, all she got was a frosty stare that could have rivaled her own. She had to remain pleasant even though she was feeling anything but. "Of course, you know how important you are to me."

Her reply caused him to waver for the merest of seconds, and the hurt look she'd seen when she told him she was going with Mathieu came and disappeared so quickly. "Yes, I know. But don't hold me in such high regard, Katie," He answered coolly, his eyes fixed on her ring. "I'm sure that within less than a day, you'll forget all about me."

"What, you've been engaged for less than a day and you're already molesting the help?"

"I hate you."

"I love you."

It was not so easy to make Kathryn Merteuil flinch, but she did at Sebastian's cutting remark. She felt her mother watching her, the almost carbon copy of her sister, an uglier, older, and more deformed Belinda, but she too, had that apt ability to read between very fine lines and Kathryn didn't want to know how her mother would react if she found out that her darling daughter and her stepson had slept together.

Chuckling with a smile that pained her to let reach her lips, Kathryn tried her best to give a condescending look to Sebastian. "Oh, Sebastian. You've always been so possessive of my affections… But don't worry, you'd still be my favorite brother, in fact, why don't you bring your girlfriend along for the wedding? I'm sure Annette would love to go."

"Annette and I broke up."

She almost dropped her utensils, "Since when?"

"Since before you left the country with Mathieu."

Tiffany cast a curious look, masking her inquisition for worry. Tiffany, along with everybody else who actually knew of Sebastian's player reputation, had always been interested in the sweet and virginal girl who had managed to hold Sebastian's interest for more than a day, mainly because the innocent Annette Hargrove had done what most of her friend's daughters (and some of her more beautiful friends) had been meaning to do, which was to get him to settle down. "Why?" she asked, "You had always looked good with Annette. I thought things made more sense with her around."

"That's what I thought so too." But it was now his uncomfortable stepsister he was staring at. "That things made more sense when I was with her. That I loved her and she loved me back, but it seems I was severely mistaken. How foolish of me to have believed such a pathetic concept, don't you think?" He took out the ring he'd purchased back in Kathryn's hometown and stood up, placing it near her table napkin. His eyes still unreadable, pouty mouth pursed in indifference, and entire body cold and remorseless as though Kathryn's dream had come true and he had indeed died. "You left this back at the mansion." He said, their gaze never wavering. "It's yours to keep."

"Sebastian—"

"Excuse me, I have other things to attend to." And just like that, he was gone. His plate untouched, his presence, or the lack of it, was causing her to immerse herself back in the coldness of her surroundings. She slowly picked up the ring and almost bit her lip and pulled out her crucifix, the other playing with the smooth circle while her mother watched her. Revenge is her cruciform and the ring was redemption. She was holding both things, weighing which one was better. Kathryn was back in the painful, awkward silence of her mother judging her and her stepfather, like her, wishing she was not where she was at the moment. As the light caused the ring to glimmer enchantingly, she briefly wondered what was going on in the library, but then again, she had a pretty good idea that things weren't as civil between Belinda and Mathieu as it had been between her and Sebastian.

---

Meanwhile, back in the library, Kathryn's suspicions had indeed been right. Things were not as passive aggressive as they were back at the dining table. In all his years, Mathieu had never seen her look so furious, her hauntingly gray eyes, the ones he'd admired the first time he saw her were too busy hating him at the moment, her breathing haggard and her beautiful face in that place between calmness and hysteria.

"You fucking bastard." Those were the first words that escaped her pretty little mouth as soon as the door was closed and they were in the safety of the thick walls and heavy oak door. "After everything I did for you."

Nonetheless, he tried to reach out to her only to receive a sharp slap on his left cheek. Mathieu was stunned, she had never been this angry before. "Everything you did? You only did it to get my attention, didn't you? Admit it. You knew about your dead father, and you used it to divert my attention from Kathryn. You were the one who had me fucked up by that man you called your deceased Papa."

"Don't turn this on me, it's your fault! You don't realize it, do you? Strangely enough, the impostor was a test of your loyalty to me, and you were so quick to have me shipped off to that mental asylum! So, let's see, my dear Mathieu, I owe you my revenge."

"My fault? How is it my fault?"

"You took it too far. You had lost, Sebastian had managed to get Kathryn from you and you cheated. You interfered, you sent that slut ex whore of yours to fuck Sebastian because you knew Kathryn would come back to him. Didn't that indicate something, you imbecile? You come to my house, drag my sister from my stepbrother, and she still finds her way back to him." Belinda let out a strangled laugh, her cherubic face twisting into anger and making her look anything but angelic. "Admit that, you self righteous bastard.

"I didn't tell Sebastian to go stick his dick into Nina, did I? He did it well on his own."

"You set him up to fail."

"I did not. He had a choice and we both know it."

"You will never have her." Belinda scoffed, noticing him finally cringe at the truth in her words. "Not really. You never had her, you never had Kathryn. Don't you see? The nightmares, those dreams she has, she wanted him. Always have and you're too fucking blinded by this attachment to her to see it. She's marrying you as a big final fuck you to Valmont. She doesn't love you, she owns you, but she never loved you."

To both their surprise, he let out a growl and backhanded her, sending the stunned Belinda to topple into the bookshelves. Her thin arms flailed as she caught her balance, a few thick books falling to the floor in process. There was a thin trail of blood that ran down her split lip and she angrily wiped the tears that had somehow collected into her hurt eyes. His cheek still stung from her slap earlier, but they didn't even notice the pain.

They had hit each other. They'd never, ever done that before. The atmosphere was changing, planes were shifting and an alliance was being torn apart by love and desire once again.

"I won, Belinda. You don't even have to fuck Valmont in front of her anymore. I told you I never had any plans of losing, and for the record, I meant what I said. I love you, but you will never own me. Not like I own you."

Belinda Van Ryan was many things; she was beautiful, wealthy, revered and feared. But Mathieu had forgotten one thing: she was also a Merteuil no matter how many times she changed her name. And Merteuils are vindictive, dangerous creatures of darkness and power that should never be messed with. Mathieu De Comte should have never forgotten that she was still Kathryn's sister, and she still shared her blood and every other trait that had been instilled into both of them as children.

"I'll destroy you." She said quietly, yet her voice was enough to send a slight chill through Mathieu.

"What can you possibly do to hurt me? I have no weakness, my darling Belinda."

A slight, ominous smile came upon the dangerously gorgeous woman. "Wrong. You have one, and she's seated at the dining table with my mother and stepfather."

He grabbed her wrist, pulling her to him. "Don't you dare." He threatened, the impassive expression leaving his attractive features.

"Your power over me… Consider it fucking broken, Mr. De Comte. She's my sister and while I may love her deeply, my utter hatred for you outweighs whatever semblance to my sibling affection for Kathryn could ever bring. I'll destroy her, because it means hurting you. I'll taint her, her squeaky clean reputation will be so tattered Kathryn would have nightmares that wouldn't include Sebastian and still end up with tears in her disgustingly green eyes."

"I'll never let you. I'll tell Kathryn about your plans."

She laughed, wiping her split lip. "Go knock yourself out. After you're done, send her to me and I'll tell her all your deliciously underhanded schemes to keep her and Valmont apart. I'm sure she'd love to hear about our bet in particular and how you practically swore that you would do anything to win… Particularly cheat in our little game by calling Nina up… I'll tell her the other calls you've made after… How you've been having that Lenny guy follow her and Valmont around… I'll tell her that you and I have made her into a pawn with our wager, and we both know how much she despises being called that… See if she still wants you then."

"Bitch!" he yelled, his arm swiping through the desk and causing a few of the items to fall loudly to the floor.

Belinda turned around smirking. "Now, look at that mess you've made."

"I'll kill you."

"Good idea... Kill me like you helped me kill Papa."

Mathieu gasped, his entire face turning an ashy white color at her words. "How do you—"

"Those thugs I hired, I caught one of them talking on the phone with you before they went to the house that night. That's why they were so afraid of me even though I was only fourteen and didn't know any better in the underhanded world of hired killers. You were there; your influence helped me get them to do my bidding. That's why you disappeared, isn't it? You were still keeping a close eye on me, and don't you think I was smart enough to realize that our second meeting after his murder was not at all coincidental? You didn't want to save me, Mathieu, you wanted to own me. And you did… For a while. That's why you love Kathryn; we're just a part of your fucking collection, her and me. You love her more than you love me because you realized that I wasn't a challenge anymore, and my sister still was. You knew all along that she loved Sebastian, and that made you all the more convinced that you had to have her. She will never stop being a challenge because she WILL NEVER STOP WANTING HIM! You've finally come up against something you can never have, and at what cost? Now what we have is lost, stained, shattered and thoroughly fucked up. Just like your dear fiancé will be."

For once, he was at an utter loss for words. Knowing this woman for as long as he had, sure, Mathieu had witnessed her particular evil moments that had made even the most powerful and influential go down on their knees to beg her to have some form of mercy, but never had he actually thought that she would turn on him. Desire makes a person do powerful things, but so can love. And she did love him, in her own twisted way; too twisted he was going to feel the repercussions of scorning and dealing with a Merteuil. He remembered her offhanded words before this entire debacle had happened, and while he'd laughed at her frankness, her words now loomed over him, turning into flashing red warnings of just what she was indeed capable of.

"The power, my dear Mathieu, might seem to lie in the hands of those who think they own me, but the reality of this, and pay attention because I hate to see you…Lose track of me, is I control them. I'm the puppeteer pulling their strings. I allow them to see and believe the lie that I work for them, when in fact they'd soon work for me. Do you honestly believe that I'm this wealthy based on endorsement alone? I'm the unattainable, influential woman in the fashion industry and being in that position of lucrative influence, I'm privy to a lot of dirty little secrets most people would do anything to keep from surfacing."

"Be reasonable, Kathryn has nothing to do with this!"

"Wrong once again. Were you reasonable when you rejected my offer to love you? You've underestimated me, just like you've underestimated Sebastian's connection with her. If you kill me, I'll make sure you regret it. Consider that a promise. As for now… I'm going to prepare for that lame ass event at the Hamptons… Watch your back, my arrogant friend, and congratulations by the way… Welcome to the family." Belinda took one long look at him, and even went back to stand in front of the hesitant, handsome man. She stared at him, into his golden eyes, and with the last dying flicker of devotion and love slowly fading away in her gaze; she kissed him, her full lips against his own.

"Au revoir, my love. The war between us has begun."

And so as the eldest Merteuil sauntered back to breakfast, waving a careless hand at their mother's shocked question about what happened to her face and meeting Kathryn's piercing gaze with a half smile on her face, Mathieu De Comte sat down the arm chair, his head reeling and his mind busy at work, wondering how to stop the beautiful snake called Belinda.

---

It was a beautiful day New York City, contrasting her darker mood that even darkened some more once she'd realized that Dorothy had also stayed behind along with some of the other models and brought her new boyfriend along and that said boyfriend was now going to be stalking her.

To give Trevor a little credit, he was cute. He was even sort of handsome if he wasn't so damn pathetic, Belinda momentarily wondered how it would feel like to strangle her mother's neck for putting her in a particular situation wherein she'd had to sneak out of rehearsals just for a damn cigarette break without being ogled at by that idiot Trevor while she made small talk with other useless pathetic women at the Hamptons.

"Hey, you." A pair of arms wrapped around her waist and she jumped in surprise, her mood quickly going from bad to worse when she realized that it was him.

"God dammit, you fucking imbecile! When are you going to get a fucking clue?"

Trevor turned a bright red shade in embarrassment at the way his object of love, infatuation and lust was addressing him. "I-I did it, I slept with Annette, now we can be together, right?"

Hmm… On second thought it might be quite fun. Trevor might still have a use after all… Belinda loved this part, in fact, she thrived on the cruelty. It was the equivalent of a very intense orgasm for her, and she shrugged to herself. This had been a very fucked up month for her, why should she deny herself a little fun? After that whole incident in Marseilles, she'd let Mathieu and Kathryn have their own fun while she went back to traipsing around the world in hopes of relieving the fucking tension she'd been experiencing ever since she agreed to go with this insane plan of Kathryn's, only to find out that he was actually going to marry her, and now they were at war, and she was going to fucking destroy him. Yes, that did indeed count for a very stressful period.

Opening her sensuous mouth, she laughed uproariously at his confused expression, her gray eyes watering in delight and her flat stomach aching from the guffaws Trevor had helped incite out of her very stressed and manipulative body. Finally deciding to stop, she wiped the humor induced tears from her eyes, the remaining giggles at the absolute amusement this idiot was giving her dying at last. "We can be together, right?" she mimicked in a high pitched, whiny voice. "Don't you get it, you loser? I don't give a shit about your relationship with Annette. Knock the bitch up, if you want. I just used you to get Dorothy out of the way."

What? He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Visions of him and Belinda making love was slowly dissolving back into the world of dreams, the unattainable impossibilities that were beyond his reach… Where it rightfully belonged. "What-What are you saying?"

"You were the means to an end, my poor, sweet, pathetic Trevor. Now you've served your purpose, fuck off. I would have never gone out with you, have you taken a good look in the mirror lately? You're a dork, you're dirt poor, and you're easily manipulated. In what way, aside from the last part, could I possibly benefit from involving myself with you? And by the way, I'd start applying to another school, if I were you. Now that it's almost over, I have a feeling your scholarship's about to be denied."

Weak hearted as Trevor was, the image of Belinda's beautiful, scornful face blurred and he angrily wiped the damn tears that hadn't been from mirth as hers had. She had scorned him, and he felt angry for betraying Annette over a chance he never even had in the first place.

"Take a look around, sweetheart. You see all these men? They're wealthy, handsome, and they have an incredible amount of influence. They want to get into my pants. What do you have? A disgusting apartment that's probably as big as my closet back home, your idea of a perfect date constitutes a movie and pizza afterwards, and you're abso-fucking-lutely no challenge whatsoever. I just used you to get Kathryn and Sebastian back together while poor virtuous Annette became torn with her own morals of love and loyalty. I, no wait, make that Kathryn and myself, wanted to make her suffer, to become so torn with indecision that she'd cheat on Sebastian with you, you were a distraction designed to want me so you could hold Annette's attention and divert her suspicions from me. Congratulations, Trevor. You've corrupted her, and I've corrupted you. Now you have a right to be here almost as much as a disgusting hobo has a chance at attending the opera."

They both heard a sniffle coming from behind and saw Annette's large blue eyes filling with tears at Trevor's apparent betrayal.

"How could you?" she cried out, lashing towards Trevor with balled fists while Belinda gave another chuckle. Perhaps her day had brightened up after all.

"Annette, I'm sorry…" he didn't know what to say and just stood dumbly while she continued to attack him.

"Christ, I almost wish Kathryn were here. She would have loved to see this… It's always fun to watch when you're with someone who truly appreciates the fine art of revenge."

Annette whirled at her, fury written all over hear tear stained features, "And you! I trusted you!"

"Isn't it funny…?" Belinda replied thoughtfully, "This is the second time you've been dumped for a Merteuil."

"I-I have to go." Trevor muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets and heading off without a backward glance. His heart ached, his conscience returning and now weighing a heavy guilt at what he had done. He had sold his soul to the devil, and he truly regretted it.

"I'll fucking tell Sebastian all about your little scheme!" Annette screeched in anger at having been betrayed once again, she should have seen this coming. How many times had her rationality yelled at her to stop trusting Belinda?

"Okay, but let me warn you, if you do that, you will never, ever get into any kind of building except for rehab, honey. Those cigarettes you've been smoking with me? They're laced with enough heroin to forever discredit you, my darling little Dorothy. I'll simply approach your ailing father, by the way, Kathryn never had anything to do with his sickness, that's just plain bullshit, and tell him that as a concerned friend, you'd gotten involved with the less than reputable acquaintances of mine and have picked up a nasty habit."

"So what? I'll just tell him how you and Kathryn snort more coke than anyone could possibly snort. I'll demand a drug test for all three of us, because if I'm going down, I'm taking you scheming bitches with me."

Her grin widened at Annette's confidence. Maybe she'd had an influence on the loser after all, and it thoroughly delighted her to watch how much Annette flailed. "Go ahead. Kathryn and I have been taking pills to combat any sort of trace. We'll come out clean, you, however, will not. And how do you think your dying father would react when he finds out his daughter's a heroin addict?"

Her shoulders slumped, "Bitch." She whispered again, the fight drained out of her.

"Kathryn's my sister, what did you expect?" She raised her eyebrows, raising a hand to motion to the fallen blonde. "Oh, and one more thing, sweetie. I'm going to need that copy of Sebastian's journal."

"Wh-what?"

"The… journal… I need it. Now."

"But… I didn't bring it…"

"Then I suggest you have it sent here before your sick daddy finds out you've been abusing a certain substance."

Belinda's lower lip went out in mock pity, "Poor Annette…" she murmured, patting her blond head as she headed out. "Have fun at the fashion show tomorrow and don't forget to get some sleep!"

Within mere minutes later, she held the copy of Sebastian's journal in her hands. Overcome by curiosity at how something as seemingly insignificant as a journal could drive her sister to leave for Paris, she flipped through it, and was shocked at all the hateful things he'd said about her. Interesting… She took the copy and went to Mathieu's hotel, planning to gloat and make the fucking asshole squirm at the thought of his precious Kathryn sinking heavily amidst the scandal this messily written journal would incite… But first… She made a quick turn, causing the tires of the rented convertible to squeal.

It didn't hurt to have a little collateral, especially when it came to dealing with Mathieu.

---

Love outweighs hatred. Sometimes, it's frequent, other times, it's very rare, as with Kathryn and Sebastian's confusing lustful moments before Mathieu came to New York to set things right. This was the reason why Belinda Van Ryan found herself standing in front of Mathieu De Comte, the supposed love of her life turned sworn enemy, with the copy of Sebastian's journal in her hands and a defiant gleam in her gray eyes. She still craved him, his attention, his touch, and she hated herself for letting him have this control over her. She should have realized long ago that that was all he wanted from her, and being the twit that she was, Belinda gave it to him, the control he relished, in its entirety. He was watching her closely, his golden eyes immediately noticing the journal but he kept an indifferent façade. His business deal making face, as she once commented when she saw him in the midst of making deals with his business associates. She used to find it endearing; now it was cold and lifeless, just like their past was.

"One last chance, Mathieu." She said, trying to keep her own features the mask of placidity. "I meant what I said, I love you. Come back to me and I'll burn this so she won't have to suffer the humiliation of being unmasked in front of my mother and the others. Choose one. Would you rather have her utterly destroyed and brimming with self loathing, or would you actually take the high road for once and admit you've lost, you and I both know she would be happier with Valmont. You know the trite saying about love, if you love Kathryn, and really love her, then you'll admit your loss and fulfill the terms of our wager. You'd let her go. It doesn't have to be like this, it doesn't have to end this way. I care about Kathryn, it might not seem like it, but I do... But if destroying her would mean destroying you, then I won't hesitate."

He approached her, his entire demeanor changing. "What reassurance do I have that you don't have other copies left?"

A part of her wanted him to stay with her just so she could prove that Mathieu loved Kathryn with a selfish love, because that would be less painful for her, but the other part wanted him to come back to her, because she'd wanted him since she first saw him and the years had only turned that insatiable desire into a disease. Mathieu caressed her face, and she swallowed thickly, already missing the warmth in his brown eyes and almost smiling when he found the affection in them once again. He took the journal from her gently and placed it on the table, his eyes never leaving her face. "You don't get any. You'll just have to trust me."

He didn't trust her. Not since she'd waged a war against him. "You win."

She scarcely couldn't believe what she was hearing and almost reached out to him, "What?"

Mathieu leaned in and kissed her, but unlike his other kisses, this one was different somehow. It was almost as if he was forced, and almost as if he were…

She paled when she saw the cold barrel of his gun aimed at her head. "You don't love her." She said softly, her gray eyes staring bravely into him, the love of her life and her would be murderer.

"She's mine." He said simply, the faintest trace of regret in his eyes. "Goodbye, Belinda."

A shot rang out, and Belinda Victoria Merteuil slumped to the floor, a smoking red hole on her beautiful head. He wanted to kiss her, really he did, she was his girl, his little Lolita whom he'd rescued only to kill. Mathieu took out his cell phone and made a call. Minutes later, a walking saleslady from the local coffee shop spotted the beautiful blonde, her gray eyes still open and blankly staring at the sky while her body was left in the dumpster.

Mathieu De Comte checked his watch, unfazed when he turned on the television and saw her angelic yet smoldering face smirking at him, almost as if she was mocking him from beyond the grave. She was, because Mathieu might have suspected it, but he chose to ignore it. She was dead. Disposed of, and he felt a little guilt because he treasured Belinda. But once again, Mathieu had underestimated her, because dead or alive, Belinda Van Ryan was still a Merteuil, and she would get the last laugh.

"What reassurance do I have that you don't have other copies left?"

"You don't get any. You'll just have to trust me."

Once, he would have said he did, but now, things were very much different.

A/N: I actually have the next chapter done too, but I'm going to post it later. A little trivia: By definition, the name Belinda really does mean beautiful snake. Oh, and I just like that name because I just finished reading Belinda by Anne Rice. Great book. Oh well, to those who didn't like her, there you go. Haha. That's why I chose it… As for this fic… It's nearing its end… How sad… I'm already planning the next one, it might be a sequel to this one (old enemies, new alliances...), and it might be not. Let me know what you guys think. Aaand… We're nearing the confrontations, (but haven't we all had enough of them? Sebastian doesn't even know about the damn bet yet and they're already fighting like hell)

Keri: You're sweet. That's a really high regard coming from you, whose website I had visited (why oh why don't you update as much?) in the past to read your fics. Kay, that sounded like an overeager fan. I apologize. Lol About your conspiracy theories about how this all goes, they're actually not amusing. They're pretty great theories, but, like I said, I can't comment on them. I guess I'll just have to show you in the upcoming chapters.

Sam: I know. I hate Kathryn too, for doing that to poor Sebastian. And they were getting along so well… Your redemption chapter, however, will have to wait.

Nicole: Yes, you are spoiled. It's my fault for writing so fast and for being too addicted to this story. Lol

Katie: I suppose I have you to thank for holding this off as long as I could. It helped me clear out any confusion. I'm writing like a fiend now, and I'm going to have this story finished within the week. Thanks for ending my anxiety, by the way. If you're still sick (you were, right?) get well soon!

Kittyfantastic: Update? Here you go. Haha

To the anonymous person who reviewed: I'm sorry you got confused, but it certainly makes things interesting, don't you think? Yes, the tension's very much rising. Can't wait for you to read the other finished chappies.