I took a breath as I stared at the master bedroom door. I hadn't opened it since Mum died, and I think it was time that I started to clean it out. I reached out, taking hold of the doorknob and pushing it open. The chill of the room crept into my bones. I stiffened. I took a shaky step forward, into the darkness. I packed all of Mum's clothes into trash bags, only keeping a couple items. Her shoes met the same fate, but her jewellery was kept safe as they were family heirlooms. I loaded all of the bags into my car and headed to the second-hand store. Sumping them all, I headed back to my car. When neared, my phone went off. "Hey Cheryl." I greeted, unlocking my car.

"Lia, can you join me for a Will Reading?" Cheryl asked.

"Will Reading?" I repeated. "For…?"

"My Father, it turns he had a secret will and everyone's coming to hear it."

"Yeah." I agreed. "Sure, Cher, I'll be there."

"Thank you so so much Lia, I owe you."

TIMESKIP

"Baby, I agreed to come to the Will Reading, voluntarily surrounding myself with the family of evil Weasley's, but you know my opinion on makeovers." I said as I watched Cheryl sift through her closet. I had shown up for the event, but Cheryl insisted that I needed a makeover. Cheryl pulled out a black, see-through blouse that had black rose patterns all over it, "But, I can change my mind if I'm able to wear that blouse." I stood as Cheryl walked over to me, blouse in hand.

"Nice right?" Cheryl questioned, "For the record, j'adore your flannel-plaid-denim-leather aesthetic. I'm merely...augmenting it for the occasion." Cheryl and I turned as Penelope slammed the door open.

"What is going on in here, Cheryl?" She demanded.

"Hello, Misses Blossom." I greeted with a tight smile, "Cheryl was just helping me figure out what to wear for the Will Reading."

"And why on earth would you be there?"

"I invited her." Cheryl spoke up. "To be my emotional support." Penelope glared at me for a second before turning back to Cheryl,

"Just make sure you're downstairs before the guests start to arrive. We need to present a united front against those scavengers." Penelope then left the room, slamming the door behind her.

"I really wish I could punch your mother." I muttered. "She's an absolute nightmare."

"Isn't she though?" Cheryl agreed. I pulled Cheryl closer, gently kissing her temple. After I had changed into the top, and we were downstairs, I noticed Betty, Polly and Hal Cooper sitting off to the side. The rest of the Blossom's arrived, and it was clear that the Coopers and I were the odd ones out. I sat silently next to Cheryl as the lawyer spoke.

" I, Clifford Cochrane Blossom, being of sound mind and body, do here inscribe the terms of my last will and testament." He started. "Firstly, ownership of Thistlehouse will stay with our beloved matriarch, Rosane Blossom. To my wife and partner Penelope, I leave ownership of our greatest treasure, Thornhill. The exquisite mansion she made a home."

"The charred husk of an empty house." Cheryl muttered. "That sounds about right, Mother."

"Now the reason I contacted you and you all travelled to be here." The lawyer continued. "Any and all remaining assets of my fortune will be divided in half." Cheryl reached over and grabbed my hand which was resting contently in my lap. I laced our fingers together. "The first half will be distributed equally to anyone in Riverdale who can prove, with medical authentication, that even one drop of Blossom Blood flows through their veins-"

"I knew it!" A voice cried indignantly. I turned and saw Alice walking through the room with one Attorney McCoy.

"Alice, what the hell are you doing here?" Hal demanded, standing.

"Accusing you publicly. You only wanted a divorce so that you could cheat me out of your big, fancy Blossom payday."

"It's not just my payday, the girls share Blossom blood too."

"My lawyer is gonna rip you apart. Isn't that right, Attorney McCoy? I will be taking half of whatever blood money you get from this inbred cesspool of a family." I snorted softly, but covered it with a cough. "Yeah, that's right. I said inbred."

"Would you please just leave?" Penelope asked, standing as well.

"Shut your face, you half-melted ten-cent trollop!" Alice retorted.

"I am really sorry this is happening, Babe, but thank you for inviting me." I muttered to her. Cheryl eyed me. "What, this is peak comedy." After some more back and forth, Alice and Attorney McCoy left.

"Now that the interloper has been escorted from the premises, we can finish our business." The Blossom Lawyer said. "As I was saying...The other half of my fortune will go to my true heirs, Jason and Cheryl." Cheryl then stood herself She took the podium.

"As the one true Blossom heir, I feel it is my sacred duty to say a few words." She started. "The Blossoms have been bathing in blood since Great-Grandpappy Blossom killed his brother. The original sin of Riverdale. Well, I stand before you to say, no more. No more blood. No more madness. No more horror."

"Here here." A new voice spoke. I turned, and paled. Standing in the doorway of the sitting room was none other than Clifford Blossom. Nana Rose let out a surprised gasp. "Couldn't have said it better myself." I turned to Cheryl, seeing her eyes roll into the back of her head. I lept from my seat, catching Cheryl before her head hit the wood. I carried her over to a couch and laid her down, but instantly, I was told to leave, hounded out of the house by the Blossoms with the door slammed in my face.

TIMESKIP

It seemed that my banishment from the Blossom household was short-lived, as Cheryl insisted I attend a family dinner with her and the unknown man, who it turns out was Claudius Blossom, Cheryl's uncle. About halfway through an awkward, silent dinner, I spoke up. "So...Mister Blossom…" I started. "How do you feel now that you're back in Riverdale after such a long time?"

"Ignore that person Claudius." Penelope interrupted. I rolled my eyes. "I assumed tonight would be family only."

"It's alright, I enjoy meeting new people." Claudius said, "Did you know in my journeys as a sailor, I came upon the most wonderful island." I lifted my spoon filled with soup and put it in my mouth, "Lesbos." I choked on my food, putting my hand over my mouth to stop me from spitting it out.

"Oh my god." Cheryl laughed. I quickly swallowed my soup and picked up my glass, taking a drink to wash it down.

"It is the most beautiful, natural place on Earth."

"Oh, you're-you're not going back on the boat dear boy, are you?" Nana Rose interrupted. Claudius took his mother's hand. "You're staying here with us."

"Whatever I can do to make sure you, and this house, are well cared for, Mother. That is of course…" Claudius looked over at Penelope, "As long as I'm welcome." There was a pause.

"There's a room above the garage." Penelope relented, "It's freezing in winter and boiling in summer. It's there." Cheryl looked between her mother and uncle. Under the table, I gently squeezed Cheryl's hand. We didn't know, but this was only the start of Riverdale's downfall.