lost in the dream.

His first utterance was to point out the waste on his desk — a neat-freak, how interesting — and she smirked, picking up the core from its stem and tossing it into the trash with a flippant flair. “Better?” She asked, a fake obsequious tone entering her voice and she put her elbows back onto his desk, minimizing the space between them once more.

Of course, he didn’t react. His face was unmoving, but in a way that felt calculating, like he always had a few more tricks up his sleeve than he let on. But Vale had enough facial expressions for both of them, and she raised a brow, acrylics tip-tapping on the wooden surface.

“Oh?” She queried, unable to mask the minute curl of her lips. “I didn’t think you talked to anyone else besides Sera, Mr. Turtle-Head.” That’s how Vale imagined Ledger; a turtle, retreating into his little shell whenever the world encroached into his space. “Oh, babe — I’m not looking for your approval. God knows I couldn’t give another shit about anyone’s approval.” No, she kept the adulation and praise to her social media, her carefully crafted persona of the sexy little sweetheart — but the real Valentina? There was nothing even remotely likable about her snarky sass, and she knew it best herself. “But really, I’m quite offended that you don’t trust me, considering we’re in this shit together. I’m sure you’ve Googled my entire life and background; go ahead, what have you found about me?” She leaned back into her chair, arms crossed, a challenge for him to lay out what he saw in her.

A neat-freak, he was. It wasn’t a shocking revelation considering the moment you stepped into the Westington Estate, everyone was asked to take off their shoes and proceed around in slippers. In all of the years of his life, attending gathering’s amongst the wealthy, people tend to be catastrophic and inattentive. Whilst he did not have a sea of people floating in and out, regardless of who came had to abide by the requests of the owners. His territory was their home and plans. Seraphina was the face upon everything soon to be surfacing. They made compromised for each other. Luckily, Vale was able to abide by his request, which was far from gentle but more insisting before it drove his delirium through the roof. Falsing a lopsided grin, he nodded, “Much better.” The only time in all of the months he had known Valentina where he gave her an expression had surprisingly illuminated his demeanors. Otherwise, he was rather monstrous and glacial energy brimming to the core.

He had always been a philosopher, to say the least. Calculating, challenging, unpredictable in terms of what went through his conscience, as it kept people on the edge of their seat on what consumed him. Rarely, technically never, did he take offense to words about how other’s perceived him but the mention of Ledger being a turtle did cause him to chuckle. She got him here. “Clearly, you didn’t do that well of a job investigating me, now did you?” Cavernous retort inserted into the crystal-clear air, only allowing a singular brow to raise up toward her. Opinions were simply just thoughts. If he cared what everyone thought about him, he would be a cowardice man. Nor could he ever imagine himself in such a state ─ in touch with his emotions, floating through the air with ease, not having a backbone ─ the thought of it would’ve been a wicked dream that he never wanted to turn into a reality. Remaining in his position of dominance behind his desk, beryl hues drilled themselves into her ─ defunct and wishing he was elsewhere at this particular moment.

There she went again insisting on not needing to have Ledger’s approval whatsoever. Part of him allowed his hues to enhance minimally to expose cloud of white, keep an undeviating demeanor. “Is that so?” He was instant with calling out her bluff faster than the Titanic hit the iceberg. “While all of those cowards following you on Instagram give you praise, you know you’ll never see any of those followers face to face. Realistically, if they saw the real-life version of yourself, they’d be disappointed like the rest of us.” Words gashing through the universe and the comfort of his office, allowing dribbles of his own thoughts and opinions about the other. How he felt often coincided with the fact he couldn’t trust her because he trusted his gut intuition rather than the stray puppy that Seraphina brought home in an evening. Giving his wife the benefit of the doubt for the past few months, the other still did not prove to him anything. Broad arms crossing over his chest, know leaning against his leather chair, “I did Google your entire life. I’d be an idiot to not do so,” he breathed effortlessly, a shrug eventually followed in suit. Little did he inform her about the Private Investigator still on her tail. This was his own secret. “You’re easy.” It happened to be his final point before flowing into a field of silence. Just like that, Ledger had decided to not say anything further. 

for → @ledgermellon​ location: the mellon-mcdowell household time: march 15th, 2pm

Fuck dad, fuck this fucking island, fuck this god fucking awful family, and fuck Uncle Ledger for not chartering a fucking boat. 

It’s funny, really, how Scotty thinks he ends up in the worst predicaments of all time — it really could be worse, considering he ran his brand-new Mercedes S-Class into the side of a local high school, drunk and high out of his mind. Lucky enough that his father had the money that all the coverage it got was a single line in the police blotters, but that was the last straw. After that, it was a call to Ledger, and he was whisked off on the next plane to LA, where he’d taken a public ferry (how quaint!) to the little island off the shore. 

When he arrives at Ledger’s doorstep, he’d already tugged his two extra-large suitcases up a hill fourteen blocks, the first time he’d ever carried his own shit, and he forgoes the doorbell and slams his fist into the door, yelling. “Open up!” He yells, before he gets tired again and plops down on the step, sighing, wishing he had a cigarette to quell his spiking nerves. Or a Xanax. Whichever was more accessible, really.

Receiving a phone call from his older brother, Callahan, on the dreadful overcloud of a Monday in Catalina Island did not astound him. Of course, any time his older brother called, it was all with ill-intentions and news. The last phone call he received from Callahan was discussing the departure of their childhood maid, Clementine, due to her husband’s sudden illness that surfaced. Surely, the male knew the information shattered everyone back in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania and while his connection with Clementine was one of a kind, he had no desire to fly back to his place of birth for her farewell party. Instead, the male was generous enough to sign a hefty check to the pseudo-mother figure and always extending the line of communication if she needed anything more. So when he received a phone this morning, long after Seraphina had said her goodbye’s in the plan of spending more time with the housewives, he should’ve seen the antics of his nephew coming from miles away. Unfortunately, it ran in the Mellon blood. Not something he was boasting. If anything, the disdain was dripping immensely from his dry responses and understood he had to pick up the broken pieces... yet again. 

A father he was not. It seems as if his brother had desires to give his younger brother an opportunity to put Scotty’s head on straight. Considering how quaint and often a challenge to get to Los Angeles due to the ferry schedule, it seems like his nephew would just have to tolerate all of the necessities given to him ─ a bedroom, devices to further corrupt his brain with, even an opportunity to change horizons of his location with living in Catalina Island, which is influx with wealthy patrons left and right. Heaven forbid he didn’t private Scotty with a private boat which was sitting comfortably at the port on their private beach access. The first step was to teach his nephew how to be humble with everything handed down to him. The legacy of their surname first and foremost. 

Spotting the twig of a Mellon trawling two designer suitcases up the driveway from the recently installed security system, the older male insisted no one within the staff dare to leave the Westington Estate to provide him further assistance. It was rather cruel. It was sadly Ledger to a T when he was not intoxicated. Knowing how to make someone’s life strenuous than it needed to be. A glacial welcome after the last time Ledger saw his nephew, the pairing were bonding over alcohol and engulfed into a sea of laughter, but the circumstances have changed. He stood by the front door when he heard his nephew yelling. Beryl hues rolling into the back of his head before unlocking the grand, sleet black coated front door to witness the sight of his nephew plopped down on the step. “Have a good trip up the Ventura, Scotty?” Frigid, cavernous tone greeted as he glanced down at his nephew in irritation in his hues. The male was identical to his father ─ who eventually softened up having kids but not enough to dare to embrace either of his sons when they were growing up. It was the same in terms of how Ledger acts. Affection was only given to Seraphina. Otherwise, everyone could fuck right off. “I hope the ferry wasn’t too terrorizing as you were submerged with other commoners.” 

“Aren’t you a darling? I haven’t seen you around before, are you new in town? Or maybe it’s just me, I mean….” Safiya shrugged; her time residing on the island might have been shorter than some of the people, but her effusive personality found it easy to make friends. Seating herself in the company of people at a communal dining space, she found, was the easiest way to make friends and find someone new. “I’m more than okay, and I hope no one else is joining you in this seat. But you know what they say, the more the merrier….for your server.” She laughs at her own little joke, throwing her head back in laughter. “As in, more tips and the works, you know? I work as a server at Iris and Eve, it’s a little joke I have with some of the others.” She blushed under his attention, turning on the charm even more than she could, “well, you could call me Safiya. Remember the name when you see it on the Billboard’s Top 100, won’t ya? And hmm…I could go with some lemonade, what about you?”

Darling, yeah, he was far from it yet but in all retrospect, the woman occupying a seat across from him. Nonetheless, he allowed a minimal grim upturn on a singular mouth corner as his arms crossed over his broad chest. “No, no, not you.” His cavernous tone swiftly interrupted as a shake of his head indicated a subtle message interlaced. The atmosphere of the bar oddly enough allowed him to be in a state of euphoria. Perhaps, he needed to step outside of his estate even more because he meets interesting creatures from time to time. He just knows the other is indeed interesting. “Fairly new to town. I’ve been here roughly about four months. Work has kept me occupied so when I come out, it’s like a vampire in the wee hours of the evening,” he slyly mentioned with a shrug rolling suit afterward. There wasn’t much for him to express but if the other asked, a lie or two was something he could always give. Who fact-checked? Only people who were catfished. There was a television show that provided ways for others to avoid such a scenario happening. “Just me and my lonesome self.” Spoken in a rather cool, content with having a lavish table for himself, anyone else would’ve been irritated but there were minimal bodies in the establishment tonight. If someone got their panties in a twist, all he’ll do is educate. “Iris & Eve, huh?” He repeated as a brow shot up. Of course, he knew Iris & Eve considering his recent friendship with one of the owners, Jason Rhodes. “I’ve been there once or twice before. Swell service if I say so myself. How long have you been working there?” He questioned authentically. It did not harm him to question the other. Typically, he would’ve shaken off the companion but distraction was nice and if he, them ─ Seraphina and himself, had people on their sides for any future endeavors than what was the harm. He was always scheming. A subtle smirk was directed toward him, amused by her upfront attitude and knowing how to keep a conversation going. “You truly do know how to take the words out of other mouths, huh?” And he meant that as lighthearted as the bounce surprisingly occupied his brawny tone. “Just lemonade or are you thinking of adding a twist to it?” 

Truthfully, Jason likes Ledger, which is a rarity in itself because Jason usually likes no one. The guy can drink, though, and they always have a decent enough time shooting the shit. Ledger’s never one to lecture him about being an ass and Jason likes that about him, it makes him feel respected — as he damn well should be. “You can be next, my friend, all you gotta do is ask.” Wouldn’t be the first time he knocked his fist into a friend’s face and it probably wouldn’t be the last. At least it’s all in good fun, right? Jason lifts his glass in concession with Ledger’s assumption that the man he gave a black eye may not be a native, but he’s not exactly buying it. “Yeah, maybe. Or maybe he’s just a fuckin’ pussy. If I were a betting man I’d put money on that, I gotta be honest. Hell, half the idiots on this island are fuckin’ prissy ass pansies. We’re about the only real men in a 100 mile radius.”

People often drained him. Questioning and wondering why certain individuals existed in the first place. Often wondering if they ever heard what they expressed to the open. It’s why he was an aloof, unwelcoming fellow because of the majority of people that he encountered throughout his thirty-six years always wanted something. Preferably once people knew about his surname. It’s peculiar that he ended up connecting with Jason. It just happened one evening over drinks. This was some of how his best connections ended up forming. Regardless of their upbringings, rarely speaking on the depths of the past, there was a sync wave between the friends that made it effortless and even if he despised leaving his home ─ the other male in reference knew ways to get him out and to enjoy life while he was considered young. A rare sight of glee inched upon his rather monotonous, often referenced as ‘bored’ demeanor, knowing he did talk a bunch of shit but fighting would make him an instant sore loser. “I’ll make sure to hit you up on my speed dial when I want to ever give the town a good ole jump.” The cavernous, raspy tone indicated as a chuckled. Whilst he did attempt to remain rather on the low considering the reason he was here was for his wife ─ which Jason did not know about ─ not having much attention on himself was a benefit. Here and there, he supposed shooting the shit and getting involved in shit would be harmless. The island had far more attention upon the uproaring of Housewives. “Could be both if you ask me. I only egged it on, Jason. I’m sure the dude will never show face again.” Indulging on a sip of his bourbon, it was a slight detour before proceeding forward. “Fuck, I can’t remember the last time I’ve heard someone say that but I’m damn glad you said that, bud. I swear to God, I see more of those kids fucking flexing with their Versace and posting on their Instagram feeds.” Leaning into the back of his barstool, only to shake his head minimally. The only reason why he knew this was because the male accidentally walked into a teen's photoshoot on the sidewalk. Heaven forbid he did homely tasks such as grocery shopping. “I never dealt with these narrowminded individuals from where I lived before.” 

“So I said, ‘if you’ve got a problem, buddy, you can leave, ‘cause this is my goddamn bar’ and then he said, ‘actually, I do got a problem’ and then, uh —” Jason smirks as he takes a gulp of his whiskey, recalling the memory of how he’d beat the shit out of that pompous asshole with ease. “Let’s just say he didn’t come back again. Anyway, I ain’t allowed to do that anymore.”

Mental reminder ─ learn how to read your text messages, Ledger. Little did he know a single text message ‘Do it’ would encourage Jason to beat the shit out of the asshole. Who, everyone in the vicinity of them in the bar, was immensely crowding to catch ear over the story and fawning over his bravery. It wasn’t bravery. It was senseless. Then again, from the short time of him knowing Jason, where Ledger prepared for the worst in a logical manner, Jason preferred the physical route. They were opposites. Yet, drinking bonded them together. It was his first friend on the island considering he rarely left the confines of Westington Estate when Sera was out on the town. Nursing down on his second whiskey neat, only could he do after is chuckle. “Shit, I don’t know how you continue to beat the shit out of people and not get tired of me.” After all, it seemed like a story after another story in their encounters, it was physical outturn. Typically, his tone was monstrous and cavernous but tonight the liquor was flowing and he was astonished by enjoying himself. Leaning back against the barstool, his broad arms crossed in safeguarding but relaxed manner, “Maybe he wasn’t a native of the island hence why he never came back around.”

“Why hello there! Looks like this group needed a little…” Plopping herself right beside the person, “me!” She wore a smile of utter smugness, as if she had won a prize and not just crashed what was possibly a thing for one. “How have you been, darlin’?”

Being cooped up for the past week and a half in Westington estate in Ventura, the need to get out was becoming perilously to him. While he wasn’t the most communal individual right away, which should’ve been known from the weight upon his broad shoulders as muscules tightened in his face. A female decided to companion Ledger and his colossal table for a party of ten, occupying it for himself like an egotistical individual one. “Are you sure about that?” Cavernous tone retorted as an arched sly brow shot to her. “Casual you are to make yourself feel welcome without invitation, I suppose.” Commenting with a minimally amused tone, leaning back in the chair as his arms crossed over his chair in a safeguarding manor. Motioning his head to the rather dwindling occupancy of the other, his words followed shortly after, “I’ll let you know how I’m doing if I can get your name and order you something to drink. I prefer to work that way.”

Though Vale didn’t know how, her first impression of Ledger wasn’t about him — but rather, what he thought of her. And what she could tell was that he didn’t like her, and even now, sitting before him, she could feel the prickling tension between them, even if the expression and tone reflected something purely cordial.

Blame it on the way she was raised. The split-second gut sensation didn’t come naturally; it was honed from being let out on the streets, kept out of home that always had too many mouths to feed. She could remember the first time she spotted it, in the eyes and mouth of another swindler, like herself, speaking to a tourist, that glint she’d never forget — it was easy to pick out, and from that point on, she always looked for it in another person’s eyes when she spoke to them. And here, before her, Vale had spotted it in Ledger.

So here she was.

Still munching on her apple, she leaned back into the seat, letting the silence fall in space between, but her eyes stayed staunchly on him, watching his every little move. When all that was left of her apple was the skinny little core, she plopped it onto the edge of his desk, smiling.

“I know Sera’s not here. I wanted to talk to you.” Simple and to the point, Vale pulled her seat in, chest right against the edge of his desk, elbows resting right on top. “I think you’re interesting,” she admitted, hands wandering over to the various items on his desk, feeling the weight and textures of the items. “And I figured I should know more about the people I’m working with, no?” Her green eyes shot up, from underneath her hair, to look at him, only seven or eight inches away from his face. “Mm. Do you trust me?” 

While he was cordial, rooted in the underlay of his words showcased a rigidity at her appearance across from him now, only to wonder what ordeal she dared to inform with him. If it had to do something with the plan ─ which was something minimal and did not merit any complaints about any particular reason. It was the most comprehensible plan to deal to allow him to avoid the complexity of the other sitting across from him. Compressed bush of brows, the quietude circling amongst them caused him to adjust his posture, allowing his arms to defensively cross over his broad chest. Whatever her reason for being here better to be worth his attention considering any other moment, particularly for Valentine, it would’ve been fleeting and insisting for her to begone and infuriated Seraphina ─ who brought this third party into their scheming. 

Diversion of his cerulean hues witnessed the unwelcome sight of the apple core on the corner of his desk. Monotonous, cavernous tone entered into the atmosphere, “There’s a trash can five feet behind you.” Parting the defensive state of his arms, an index finger pointed toward the object against the wall critically awaiting the apple core. Living in filth, even the slightest object out of place to his dismissal worked it’s way underneath his skin. By no means was he faultless but he took mannerism up to how he should treat someone. Not once in his fifty-five years on this earth did he go into someone’s home and treat it with minimal care. Then again, the reason why he was so onerous upon Valentina was that he had his own issues of trust. It took people years to even wither a block off the infinite high wall. 

Once getting off his need for having a cleansed atmosphere, he huffed out a breath of air. “You are not the first person that has told me this. And you won’t be the last.” Admitting with his monotonous tone, only when Valentina was around, hues wandering around the objects in the background of the office rather than focusing upon her. Even in the moment of fleeting. Something about her words amused him, but it didn’t cause him to crack a grin. Always looking lifeless and uninterested. “I can say the same.” Then again, he did a thorough research and continued on with trailing for evidence for the reason of safety. Eyesight now attached to hers again, they squinted minimally in question, wondering what the alter motive is. “Trust deserves to be earned, Valentina. You are a stray puppy that my wife brought in.” He noted through a pellucid tone. No point of beating around the bush. “While she may trust you, I am not easy to be bought. So no, I don’t trust you. Find no offense but you haven’t been the only one seeking my approval.”

This was no story of two star-crossed lovers; they were partners in crime, taking on the world on their shoulders, facing the issues they crossed paths with and dealing with those matters on their own. Seraphina had learnt from a young age that the authorities were useless. Like many current politics going on in this world, that assumption was still proven to be true. So like the rest of her family, they took from and punished people where needed. Sometimes for personal gainings, sometimes for the sake of the injustice of the world. Although the blonde always let the world known that her intentions were the first and not the latter. As she believed having a soft heart in this line of business was merely a recipe for disaster. Still, she had no remorse for most of her targets. They could hardly lose a night’s sleep from what she stole from them. It was only fair to share the wealth when most of these upper class people barely lifted their fingers to do any work ever. 

Ledger was an unpredicted curveball in her life plan. Although she had come to learn that crossing paths with the man himself became one of the best thing that happened in her life. While the blonde was not the one to share much sentiment, Seraphina was sure that the exchange of wedding vows was enough to show her affection for the man she fell head over heels in love with. Of course, with the lifestyles they lived, her family was concerned, suspicious of a man with his family background to fall back to a life of crime. How ironic it was for Ledger to switch sides and work on the opposite side of what his life was built up on. His family was the exact group of people that her family would plot against, taking every part of their fortune if they could try. To unite their families together was a conflict of interest, but Sera fought for their love, told her family to give them the benefit of the doubt. It was what they did with her when they adopted her, and considering Ledger’s family had no idea what they were up to, she couldn’t foresee any danger could come in their way.

The topic of her birth parents and the need to search for them had been circulating her mind for a while, Seraphina had told her husband about them once trust was built between them, although it wasn’t until news of this reality show that provided them the opportunity to infiltrate this circle of rich wealthy families residing on Catalina Island. Yes, Sera wanted to face her birth parents again, but she wasn’t hoping for a happy reunion. She was hoping to find out why they decided to abandon her, before taking what she deserved from them. She wasn’t hoping to stay on this god awful island and live her happily ever after. Her life belonged with her adoptive family and the man she shared this home with. The gated household that they purchased was beautiful and their sanctuary. If it hadn’t been for the fact that they moved here with ulterior motives, she might had wanted to stay behind, live in this bubble with Ledger for the rest of her life. But this wasn’t the life they were destined for, the lives they lived brought excitement and light into their lives, and she wouldn’t want to give it all up simply because a part of her wanted to be comfortable. Eyes closed and leaning into his kiss, a soft sight fell from her lips when he pulled away, before turning to face her husband. “Gossiping, it’s all they do for the entire day. Who’s cheating on who, who’s acting shady and what not. It’s exhausting thinking that they all live like that daily. I wished there was a fight that actually broke out, now I would’ve been entertained by that.” The left side of her lips curved up into a smirk, before brows raised slightly at his words. “Oh, don’t tell me our neighbors are noisy. We have to deal with enough noise the moment we set foot outside of the house. I missed you out there though.” The smirk on her face was now replaced with a genuine smile, one that was only reserved for Ledger to witness. “Anything I should know about right now?” She asked, wondering how his research went and if any curveballs could come their way despite being in the early stages of their grand plan. Dropping the smile on her features for a moment, a look of seriousness crossed her features whenever they were talking business. “This whole…reality TV show that’s happening — I think we could use it to our advantage to the con. I think I can use some of these housewives to track my parents down too. But that means I have to befriend with some of them, and it might be dangerous if I get anywhere too close to those cameras, Ledge.”

His families’ fortune was often targeted by many. It was nothing uncommon for his upbringing. A legacy that was started further down the generational line often caused a multitude of patrons to converse with Ledger. It was nothing unusual to witness people only wanting to be in association for their own benefits of smooching off a family or climbing up the ladder to a position by the pull of strings. While many people wanted him to rave about the wealth left behind for him, it was something he did not work for. It was simply just handed down to him. Or precisely, it was stored in a bank account in Switzerland. One of the fine necessities of growing up in a wealthy family is the disposable access for the worst-case scenario for Seraphina and himself. There was no point nor a desire to hide anything away from her. It did take him a while, in the beginning, to build up the trust and to know this wasn’t a scheme on-top of how they bonded, but it was authentic. It was for once in his life when Ledger was able to allow himself and the ten-mile high wall built between him and relationships slowly, but surely, crumble away over the years as their relationship progressed. The steps were tiny in the beginning but it brought them here now ─ preparing for their next attack.

The majority of days when Seraphina was out and about further gathering information on the ladies, who were recently cast in Real Housewives of Catalina Island, about their atrocious behaviors and love for stabbing others in the back. Far from the welcoming of friendship type, still due to the wall of allowing newcomers into his life, more recently in the past couple of weeks, he was fastened to his desk chair whilst his wife enjoyed the life of luxury and misfortune of having money. The events of the day took an immense toll upon his broad shoulders and caused an abnormal amount of knots formed in the upper sector of his backside. Yet, the ease into the bed as his arm gently looped over his wife's petite waist, cocoa curls resting into the plush pillow. “Jesus Christ.” Was all that could dart off his prong in a comical chuckle. Avoiding the opportunity to pinch the bridge of his nose, partially wondering why of all locations why Seraphina’s parents needed to reside here, but that was something one couldn’t change. They must’ve had their reasons in the first place. “Every part of me wonders if any of these ladies ever worked a day in their life. I mean, not posting about their FitTea but an actual restaurant or anything amongst the sorts.” His cavernous added his two cents to the conversation. Oddly enough, he had his experiences during the summers of university working nearby a campus bar, it was something he valued but it danced through his conscience about these television personalities ruling the isle. The thought alone exhausted him. Slumber was calling his name. With her, all of his walls came crumbling down. Valentina, a recent addition to their team, had been someone who was clearly attempting to pick him apart. It was a challenge but it was something Ledger was achingly at. Azure hues silked into the back of his mind, scoffing. “They kept on peering over the fence a few weeks ago. I’ve had enough and decided to get cameras as well as install a further fence. Now, let’s see them try,” he informed. Always one to figure out a solution, the male was always multiple steps ahead and respect their privacy. While they were social with others, there was a line when they wanted to go outside and not be bothered by pestering considering the town was indulged with that due to the housewives. Grinning down at her, a sight always reserved for her, his positioned arm pulled her closer to him as he took in the familiar fragrance of her. “I missed you too.” Informed through his general brawny tone as a dosage of sap emerged through. It was odd at how much his heartbeat for another. It had been something he never experienced before. Plus, he was a man with an abnormal amount of girlfriends from the past, they never challenged him like the other in his grip currently. This was comfort. “Nothing right now. I am just making sure I cover all of the basis. There’s a lot more than what I’ve imagined but we’ll be okay,” he reassured, yet not even agonizing any further. Some moments took him faster than others. This one only meant took extra precaution considering the fact there was a reality television show wandering around the isle. Catching the sight of her wife's serious overlay upon her features, it followed instantaneously. Only to clear his throat at his wife’s revelation plan of befriending one or some of them. It did not sit well with him but perhaps, this would benefit them. “Well,” he began in a cavernous thought. “If this is the best solution then I will stand by you through it, Sera.” Lifting her chin with his index finger, “Be careful. I know how you can be when you get caught up in the moment.”  

special delivery for → @ledgermellon​ location: mcdowell-mellon household time: february 21th, 8pm

Meeting Ledger Mellon was never in her plan, nor the fact that the man turned to live the same thrilling lifestyle as Sera did. Trust was a fragile bridge for the woman, so when the man she ended up falling head over heels in love with a man that lied as much as she did for a living, the thought of it terrified her. But he helped her open her eyes to a life where she could live with the support of another, having a crutch to lean on and most importantly call her out when needed. She could keep the man on his toes and the vice versa; and it was the first time ever the man could keep up with her. 

Although initially it frustrated her to no end that Seraphina fell for Ledger’s charms, their whirlwind romance soon turned into an impromptu marriage, then as people said, the rest was history. They became partners in crime, pulling cons together, sometimes as a couple, sometimes pretending as they had no associations to each other. Returning to Catalina was her request and he followed her without a second of doubt. It was how their marriage had always operated; although more often than not, her husband had to pull her back before her mind spiral too far. Sometimes she simply acted on her gut feelings and if it hadn’t been for him, she was sure she would’ve found herself behind bars by now.

After a long day of recon, trying to infiltrate the town’s inner circle, attending to charity functions and exposing Isla Dreyfus to the community, the blonde was more than relieved to turn into the driveway of the house she shared in Ventura. Her ankles were aching from wearing heels all day long as she stumbled in their home, leaving Isla behind and revealing Seraphina underneath the false identity she had been living in all day. “Ledge?” Seraphina kicked off her heels, casting her keys to one side as she wandered deeper into their home, finding her way to the master bedroom. Reaching over to the bedside table, she slipped on her wedding bands again, a sigh fell from her lips as she sank onto the side of their bed, turning as her husband came into view. “These people should be locked inside a mental asylum, I’m telling you. Tell me your day has been better than mine.” 

It was peculiar how worlds collided with one another especially when someone least expected it. Far from the sentimental type, perhaps the only moment when he added these emotions to cascade through was in reference to finding Sera, otherwise, everything was a fleeting pastime that did not haunt him to the slightest. Never did he imagine the possibility of finding a soul that matched with the complication of his own. Whilst he had everything imaginable in his life ─ money, legacy, endless amount of connections ─ it did not satisfy him as others had expected. After a while, the rinse and repeat cycle of attending gala’s due to the legacy of your surname because of her the great grandfather in the past was monotonous. All he wanted to do was search elsewhere. Yet, all of his searching not only allowed him to realize his passion in law was not to fight for those criminals but indulge himself in the criminal activity himself. Cunning, he always had been but as well meeting Sera around the time when his hobbies differed into criminal categorized further enhanced him to the man he currently was. The mastermind who allowed his breathtaking beauty of wife to take the reigns of their plans with full force. 

When the pairing had decided to wed each other, the news startled their families. Considering the fact their wedding was not the usual type but just going down to the courthouse without the lavish couple hundred thousand dollar wedding the Mellon’s thirsted over. Ledger was not the type to want the glitz and glamor. It was not his intention to please his family. Nor had he been on the best track ever since his birth. When Sera shared with him about her birth parents, which it had been something he learned throughout the time of building their relationship together, it had been something he did not forget about. There was a significance around the topic. The tone of her voice from that evening was differentiated to how Sera usually presented herself. The only part that astounded him was how long it took them to make their way to Catalina Island to further inch in on her birth parents. Only being here for a couple months, there were able to purchase a forever home ─ which he began to further invest money into in terms of security protection and the eventual private gate. Slow but steady steps, in his conscience, it was a logical investment for the type of individuals they were disguised as.  The more logical type of the couple, Ledger occupied himself with the usual work of preparing multiple plans in case one of them failed and doing the domestic chores as going over their expensive which included paying bills for every valuable item in their possession. This was his usual nine to five routine. Other times, he decided to occupy himself in the family room reading further into schemes or even reading for his own pleasures. Sometimes, he even challenged the staff to a game of chess. It was his game of comfort. Yet tonight, he decided to watch a movie, Inception, which ended right around the time when his wife's voice echoing through the confines of their lavish, recently modernized home in Ventura. It was just them. All of the hands went off home. It caused him to be instantaneously on his feet. A hand in the pocket of his Brooks Brothers khaki chino pants, straight-forward lucent glasses perched on the bridge of his nose, he greeted Sera with a gentle grin. “What happened?” Intrigued, gaping tone returned in question. Making way to his side of the bed, the male occupied the space beside her, wedding hand intact considering he was home all day, one point of taking it off. Leaning in, he gave her a greet peek before melting into the plush pillows. “What nonsense did the housewives get up to today? A fight in the local restaurant? I’m pretty sure I heard someone yelling their heads off. It caused me to pause Inception to make sure I wasn’t losing it.” Chuckling, amused by the fact Catalina skyrocket of interest in the isle due to the upcoming reality tv show, around the time they made residency here. “I did the usual plan ─ preparing for the worst-case scenario, researching, taking care of finances. Boring day, but definitely was better than yours.” Especially since he didn’t have to deal with others. Although, that was going to change tomorrow because he made his appearance around town and took a few measures into his own hands. 

for → @ledgermellon location: ledger’s office time: february 20th, 3pm

Legder Mellon was an interesting man, and from Vale? That was the highest honor she could bestow on anyone. To the world, Vale was vapid, attention-seeking, shallow — and perhaps, she was all of those things, but what people didn’t know was that she was also observant. And when she’d met Legder, she’d immediately latched onto his reticence, followed it, positively intrigued by his behavior. What was he thinking? What part did he play in all of this? Sera clearly did all of the talking, but who was Ledger Mellon? 

A Google search told her just as much as she could gather; that he was from some old money family Vale didn’t give a shit about, and that he had no socials, or at least, from what Vale could find, and she’d given up, slammed her laptop and pushed it away in a huff. 

But today, she was going to figure him out. She’d let herself into their home, under the guise that she was here to meet Sera, strolling in, biting into an apple she’d pulled from her bag, wandering the halls and stairwells until she came across his open door, eyes scanning through to the room. She leaned into the side of the threshold, watching him, taking note of his straight-laced glasses perched on his face as he focused on a document in front of him, absolutely silent until — 

Crunch. She bit into her apple again, chewing on the fruit noisily and walked in, plopping herself into the seat in front of him, legs crossing as she melted into the chair, her expensive little Gucci crossbody swinging, hitting the leg of the seat. Didn’t matter if the leather scratched, as it was a gift from some foreign dude that wanted her to fuck him — she’d gotten ten-thousand for that, along with the bag, which was a fair trade for having to strap on a sex toy and fuck the guy senseless. 

“Legder,” she said, nodding. “How are you?” Her lips curled into a smile, the one she reserved for silly men that thought with their crotch, and cocked her head, leaning forward into her lap.

Seraphina, or known around Catalina as Isla, did as any woman would do ─ whatever she wanted. It was Ledger, as a loyal husband, who concurred with his wife's plan to move to the isle in search of her birth parents. Long before this scheme of a plan circulated amongst them, they occupied themselves elsewhere. Two polar opposites but finding a common ground of falling in love with each other and wanting more for each other. A life of eminence. While Seraphina was the only one heavily informed about his upbringing and his legacy as a Mellon ─ the Mellon of Carnegie Mellon University ─ did not startle his wife as they further indulging in the layered conscience of the male and his desire to do something without the family pull. If anything, his other half only further favored it. Even with someone born into money wanted to do things on their own accord. They were a matching set and were bound for greatness. 

When it came to his wife, it had always been the two of them apart of these schemes. More recently, his wife had brought a new figure to the team which only caused him to be his glacial, faraway self tucked into the confines of his office preparing for the worst-case scenario. A stray, as he often referenced to Vale for reasons of his lack of trust in the woman included in the equation. He was far from the welcoming type. Yes, he was attractive and knew how to swoon the single woman of Catalina when he left his wedding band at home ─ which Seraphina knew all about because over his dead body would he not share these details with his wife for their benefit gain. There was a fine line from putting a front up in public in comparison to the confines of the Mcdowell-Mellon residency. This was where Ledger felt pleasant in the Ventura residency. Give or take, with the fleeting Vale withering and nosing around. He did not trust her. 

Occupied in his study, one of the reasons why Sera and himself purchased the home in the first place, was because the office was everything he had dreamed about form a young age. It was a mimic of his fathers. One man that he idolized but never allowed those words to escape from his lips. It meant business. This was precisely was meant for the male. It wasn’t just business with their scheming. He kept track of their investments. On top of that, their spending, earnings and making sure everything was made in accordance. All of the work he did in his office was for work and pleasure purposes for their benefit. It was his honor as a husband to take care whilst his wife wooed the pants off the crowd of patrons in this island. He was the mastermind. Attractive, he knew he was. But, he left Sera doing all of the heavy lifting as he always prepared her for unknown situations. There was never a moment where he forgot to prepare them. Nor would he ever. Deep in his trance, a crunch of an apple caused his sky blue hues to lift up to see Vale in the distance of his office doorway. Of course, he thought. 

Straight-laced, lucent frame glasses parted from the bridge of his nose, only for an extensive sigh in lack of pleasure escaped through. “Vale,” he cordially greets. Monotonous, cavernous tone always in this natural element around the other. “Rather swell. I can’t complain nor should I. It’s a beautiful afternoon.” A hand directing toward the sea of windows cascading the natural sunlight in. Technically, he could but his lack of flinching and lying through his teeth at how much he would’ve dealt without this encounter. All on his best behavior to please his wife. “And what do I owe of this pleasure? Sera is not home. I’m sure she would’ve told you what and when to come around.” Leaning back in his leather office chair, his hands rested upon the desk as the male allowed the moment to observe the other. Whilst his hues were fixated on his work, their residency had security cameras for a reason. Perhaps the paranoia of their safety, which nothing was wrong in the first place. “So, enlighten me.”