Here's chapter 52, everyone.
"We're here, Ma'am." Klein said as he parked the car, looking over to see how she'd react, only for Willow to nod. "Would you like anything before speaking with-?"
"No, it's quite alright, but thank you, Klein." Willow gave the butler a smile as she opened the passenger door and stepped out. "Summer, come on." She tapped the window, seeing that the blacksmith fell asleep in the backseat. "Ugh, of course you did." The white haired woman opened the door and reached out to nudge the blacksmith. "Wake up, you dolt."
Summer snored, but quickly opened her eyes. "H-Huh? Oh, are we here already?"
Willow sighed. "Yes. How did you even fall asleep that fast?"
"Uh… Easily?" Summer yawned and stepped out of the car, taking in the cold breeze. "Sheesh, still cold."
"Stop complaining and get your suitcase." Willow ordered as she walked over to the trunk with Klein. "Besides the whining as you called it, how has HE been?"
As Klein opened the trunk of the car, he lifted up both Summer and Willow's suitcases. "I've only overheard his talk with Master Whitley about their deal in Mistral. It sounds like it went well, in his sense of the word."
"Of course it did." Willow shook her head, taking the suitcase from the butler. "If Jacques ever takes pride in anything, it's his ability to make a deal go well… I only hope this won't be a problem for whoever he's made this deal with."
"I've not had all the details, but if I would make a guess, I'd say he spoke with the headmaster of Haven Academy. It was something he spoke about several weeks ago." Klein said as he was about to walk with Summer's suitcase, but the blacksmith quickly grabbed it from him.
"Hey, if Willow here gets to hold her suitcase, then I can too." Summer grinned.
Klein simply nodded respectively, not wanting to argue with either one of them since he knew Willow didn't like him always carrying her stuff for her. "As you wish, Mrs. Rose."
"If only you were a genie, Klein." Summer joked as the three made their way inside of the manor.
Willow wondered if she'd even be able to speak with her son after her talk with Jacques. The man was never one for allowing his son to waste any time on what he called, meaningless discussions.
"I'll find a good time to pull him aside from his studies."
"Thank you, father." Whitley bowed to his dad, and the Company President nodded to him. "I'd like to ask, will that headmaster in Vale be the one we… Uh, I mean you make a deal with?"
Jacques sighed and shook his head. "That foolish old man is too stubborn to accept my hospitality, so for now, I'll see to it that those other barbaric academies are dealt with first, then he'll see what my support can get him."
While Whitley was asking the question about Vale, he was mostly thinking about his sister, believing that his father's support would better protect her. "I-I do believe Vale would be best to go with next, father."
Jacques raised an eyebrow, his hands folded on his desk. "Oh? And exactly why do you believe that?"
"Well, for one, you mentioned that the headmaster of Haven spoke highly of the headmaster of Beacon. If he listens to him, then maybe the other headmasters do as well. Start with the higher up, and the underlings would follow suit, correct?" Whitley explained.
"Hmm, you bring up a valid point." Jacques thought about it for a moment. "That General Ironwood has also accepted some of my support as well, but not entirely. His talks with Ozpin tend to make him waver from my hospitality." He got up from his chair and turned around, arms behind his back as he looked out his window. "Son, you can go now. I'll consider what you told me."
Whitley bowed again. "Yes, father." As soon as he left the room, he saw his mother walking over. "M-Mother."
Willow froze, not expecting to see her son till after she and Jacques spoke, but something made her put her suitcase down and run over to him to give her son a hug. "Honey, I didn't know you were speaking with your father. Are you okay?"
She was always nervous whenever Whitley had a talk with Jacques, hoping her husband didn't yell at their son for whatever reason. "I-I'm fine, mother." He pulled away from the hug and noticed Summer was walking over. "You… Brought that woman with you again."
Luckily Summer hadn't heard him refer to her as 'that woman', and Willow sighed. "Whitley, don't be rude. You know that's Mrs. Rose. The blacksmith who did a fantastic job building Weiss her weapon. You've spoken with her before."
"Years ago. Apologies for not remembering well." Whitley said, while Summer walked over with a soft smile.
"Hey, kiddo. Been awhile since I last saw you. How've you been?" Summer asked, setting her suitcase down.
"Uh, well, I've been doing well. I apologize, but I only know of your last name." Whitley admitted, and Summer looked a little down about that.
"Ey, it's okay. You were pretty young when we last spoke. My name is Summer Xiao Long Rose. I stick to just Summer though, but if you're like your sister, then I bet you're only gonna call me Mrs. Rose." The blacksmith explained.
Whitley tensed up at the mention of his sister. "Honey, why don't you speak with Summer for a bit? I have to talk with your father, and I'm sure we'll be awhile."
"I barely know this wo… Mrs. Rose. Why would I-?" Before he could finish, Summer cut in.
"Hey, now, relax, kiddo. I'm not a stranger. Besides, you gotta be bored with all that business studying. Let me tell you some stories about my hunts." Summer grinned.
The boy looked hesitant. "You mean that barbaric-."
"Whitley." Willow's voice was stern, not wanting her son to continue his thought.
Whitley simply sighed in response. "Very well, but I do not wish to waste much time on this. I have a lot of studies I need to catch up on, due to the business trip father and I went on."
Summer gave him a thumbs up. "No problem. I'll tell you a short one."
Willow watched as Summer grabbed both suitcases and walked down the hall with her son. She was thankful that her friend was there to keep her son away from Jacques' office, since she knew what was going to happen.
She didn't knock, not caring how her husband would react as she simply walked in and saw that her husband's back was turned. "Jacques."
The President of the company slowly turned around, glaring at his wife. "So you finally showed up. Take a seat." He said, sitting down at his desk.
"I'd prefer to stand, thank you." Willow crossed her arms.
Jacques rolled his eyes. "Very well. Now I would hope you know why I requested to speak with you."
"Let's not play dumb here, Jacques. We both know this isn't a simple chat. So tell me, what is the matter with you?" Willow questioned in a serious tone.
"I have no issue here. You however feel it's appropriate to ignore any of my calls, so tell me, what is the matter with you, Willow?" Jacques kept his glare up.
"You. How you behave, how you treat our children." Willow clenched her fists. "How you treat people in general. You're not the same man I married…"
"Oh please." Jacques spoke, his care not showing. "Your father chose someone smart to run this company, and I am a blessing to have been married to."
Willow stomped over, getting a few feet in front of his desk. "No, it's not a blessing. You hurt more people than you help, and I don't care how much dust you refine. All you've done is tear our family apart."
"Watch your tongue, woman!" Jacques yelled as he stood up from his chair, slamming his hands against the desk in anger, losing all patience with his wife by that point. "I have given them a home and allowed them to live their own worthless lives!"
A slap rang out through the room.
It didn't register in his mind that it happened till moments later, but when Jacques took a step back and raised his hand to his cheek, he stood in shock. "Dont. Ever, and I mean ever! Say that about them again! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!" Willow screamed.
"You… Struck me?" Jacques kept his hand on his cheek, stunned still.
"And I'll do it again if you dare say something like that again." His wife's voice was filled with venom, her last shed of care for the man gone. "My children are not yours to judge!"
Jacques finally snapped out of it and quickly moved to grab her arm, making her gasp as he pulled her over and slammed her against the wall, the painting of their family falling over from the impact. "You will regret laying your hands on me, woman."
Willow's arms were pinned to the wall, but she refused to let her husband keep her that way. In response, she kneed him in the crotch, getting a pained gasp as he backed away, letting her go in the process.
All Willow did at that point was get to the door, holding her hand up with a glyph ready for use. "Come near me like that again, and I swear… I will make sure to right this mistake of staying with you here and now."
Jacques was still recovering, knelt on the ground in pain since he obviously didn't have his aura trained whatsoever to have it up. "You despicable woman... " He groaned, trying his best to stand. "I'll have you arrested for assault!"
"Is that right?" Willow challenged. "I believe you have cameras in here that will show you pinning me to the wall, telling me how I will… What was it, regret laying my hands on you?" Sadly for her, she herself couldn't get access to that recording, since it was all linked to his terminal.
"Willow… Stop acting so rash." It was the time for him to attempt making deals with his wife, a tactic she knew all too well. "Just let me grab you a drink, and let's discuss this like civil-."
"There's nothing civil about this, so be quiet and listen." Willow kept the glyph in her hand ready for anything. "My children, are not yours to ridicule or control. My father's company, his name, is not for you to stain, but clearly you do these things anyways."
"I have done nothing wrong, you despicable woman!" He yelled, finally able to stand, but was still feeling that pain. "This company is much more than your father ever made it, and those kids were given everything they needed."
Willow hated his tone, feeling like he truly believed he was a good person. "You didn't give them a father who loved them. Even your own son is a pawn to you!"
"He is the only one who has shown any promise! Winter joined that idiot general's army, and the orphan-." Before he could continue, Willow yelled.
"Stop calling her that!" Willow marched over, not afraid of what the man could do. "She is my daughter!"
Jacques wanted to raise his hand against his wife, easily he would be able to erase the footage the cameras in his office captured, but the sight of the glyph in his wife's hand was intimidating. "You're making a big mistake, Willow…"
"The biggest mistake I made was staying with you… I told myself over and over again, that it may be possible to have a life with you, but all it's done is bring me pain." Willow somberly spoke.
"And exactly what do you plan to do about it…" Jacques questioned, taking a step back from his wife.
Willow slowly moved back as well, shaking her head. "Nothing… You need me to be around to keep the Schnee name afloat, right?" Both were not dumb. If Willow was gone, his influence on the company would falter as well. "And you give my son a home… So I'll continue this… Fake life. But I'll say this, don't you dare hurt my children. If you do… I'd rather give up my entire family legacy and leave with my son."
"You dare speak to me like this? Do you believe you're untouchable?" He grit his teeth.
"No, but I learned a lot from you, and I believe you once told me, keep your friends close, and your enemies closer, correct?" Willow crossed her arms, her husband staying silent. "I thought so. I'll be taking my leave. Enjoy the rest of your day… Dear." She stepped out of the room, not looking back as she heard something breaking in his office.
"I can't let that man control me like this. When I find a way, I'll strip you of your role as President here. Then I'll make sure you can never hurt my children again. That is a promise, Jacques Gele."
For the easy solutions, sometimes the easy way out isn't the way you can do things. So Willow will play the waiting game for her time to strike. Until then, she knows the man she married, and she knows her children. Her children mean more to her than the man she married.
To JJ- With Yang and her hair, I didn't want to use that every time, since it would be a repetitive joke with her. For Weiss and how she and Whitley have been, you are correct. She needs to talk more with her team, her mom and Whitley. And Blake, well I was giving a nod to a certain chameleon Faunus, so we'll see how far that goes.
I hoped you all enjoyed chapter 52. Remember, reviews are welcomed, but not required. See you all in chapter 53.