After an exclusive interview with Nicholas Sterling about a new business deal, the cameras decide to follow his wife, Sophia, around their mansion in order to capture a segment for their less business-minded viewers. Sheâs glad to show them around, glad to show off the beautiful, luxurious life that her husband had bought her -- though sheâs careful not to make anything she says sound like bragging. That, of course, would be incredibly distasteful and she couldnât have that.
They pass through the massive kitchen and the dining room meant to host a feast, back towards the pool and the garden and theyâre making their way towards the lounge when the interviewer brings up the question thatâs been on everyoneâs minds:
âWhereâs Clementine and Caspian?â
Sophia freezes for a moment but no one notices; if they surprise her children, sheâs scared of what she might find behind closed doors. Itâs not a fear sheâs ever voiced to the public or her husband, mostly due to a desire to protect her twins from something she doesnât even quite understand. If she did, maybe that desire for protection would fade. Then again, maybe it wouldnât.
âIâm sure theyâre up in their rooms. They usually stay out of the way when we have cameras in the house. Unless the cameras are for them, of course.â
The socialite lets out a deceptively easy laugh and gestures to a flight of stairs, leading them up towards Caspianâs room first. Not that it matters, precisely. Since they were old enough to have rooms of their own, theyâve both insisted on having a door that connects them. Odd, but easy enough to brush off as a quirk of being twins -- theyâve always been closer than regular siblings, after all.
They start with the Sterling company darling, Caspian, asking him all about his future plans and his grades and if he has his eyes on any colleges yet, despite only being in middle school. Of course, no one can resist the urge to ask him if he has his eyes on any girls and when he gives a vague answer and a knowing smile, Sophia canât help but feel her stomach twist into worried knots. But, of course, she doesnât let it show.
When they move into Clementineâs room, they find her on her bed with her cat, trying to pretend that she hadnât been listening to her brotherâs interview. Sure, she could watch it later, but she knows things get edited and itâs better to hear things straight from the horseâs mouth.Â
âClementine, darling, how are you doing today?â                                   âIâm doing great! Maria finally cleaned up my room so                                   I can get to work on my homework.ââMaria?â                                   âThe maid. Sheâs great. Sheâs been teaching me how                                   to sew. Iâm not good at it yet, but Iâm learning.ââOh, good job. Good skill to have. Say, thatâs a cute dress. Whereâd you get it?â                                   âDaddy bought for me in Paris. Itâs Givenchy.ââWow. Youâre a lucky girl. Speaking of lucky, have you caught the eye of any boys?â                                   âYeah, thereâs a boy. Heâs really great and really                                   handsome and really sweet to me.ââDoes your father approve?â                                   âDaddy doesnât know. He wants me to marry                                   someone like him, so they can do business things                                   but I donât want to. I want to run away and live in                                   in a little cottage like Snow White with the boy I like.â
Sophia quickly intervenes, shutting down the interview and having words with the crew before anyone can get the idea that Clementine isnât perfectly happy with the life sheâs been given. Imagine the scandal it would cause if someone thought she was being forced into marriage for business reasons. It couldnât be allowed, no matter what, even if it was the truth.
send âđŁâ to meet my muse as a child.
