( eve best, cis woman, she/her ) SPOTTED: MAY SINCLAIR-BELL in new york city! heard the FIFTY YEAR OLD works as an ASSISTENT DISTRICT ATTORNEY. word on the streets is that they can be QUICK-THINKIN, but they can also be ALOOF
Blurb
The eldest of the Bell children May was raised to be Perfect. From the outside she certainly appears that way; she's had a successful law career before starting to follow her father's footsteps into politics, she has a big house in a fancy area of town and her step-son just got accepted into a post grad at Columbia. In actual fact she is deeply distrusting and struggling with the recent 'disappearance' of her husband. Straightforward and hard working she's marmite to both civilians and criminals.
Basics
NAME: May Sinclair-Bell
NICKNAMES: None, at least to her face
BIRTHDATE: 23rd May (50)
ZODIAC: Gemini
GENDER + PRONOUNS: cis woman, she/her
ORIENTATION: homoromantic/homosexual (so far in the closet she barely recognises it herself)
AFFILIATION: Politics/Civilians, and secretly the Mob.
OCCUPATION: Assistant District Attorney
POSITIVE: quick-thinking, patient, loyal
NEGATIVE: aloof, pessimistic, controlling, stubborn
FACECLAIM: Eve Best
FAMILY: Father, Mother, 2 younger sisters, 1 missing husband, 1 step-son and 2 dogs.
INSPO: Farah Dowling (Fate: The Winx Saga), Lady Macbeth (Shakespeare)
Biography ~ A Life in Headlines
triggers if needed have been put next to the headline
tldr she's been brought up her whole life pretending to be someone she's not and is now really struggling to work out who she actually is.
The Senator of New York and his wife welcome a perfect baby girl!
May was born to be perfect, planned for exactly a year into a perfect marriage between two perfect people.
But in truth she was often left to her own devices, passed off to nannies and tutors as soon as the cameras were away. She grew up lonely at best.
Sometimes it was worse though, she could remember the cold feeling that crept on her spine as she sat at the big dinner table, her parents listing the various things she had done wrong that day, week or month. There was never anything positive, purely a list o things she needed to do better.
Prominent New York family to add to their joy with second child!
When May was told she was going to be a big sister at the age of 8 she was thrilled.
First Augustine and then a third sibling creating a trio.
May was taught right away that she was to be a good example, that she was to do the very best so that her younger siblings knew the way the world worked.
To begin with May adored this role, she'd take great care in helping those looking after them. But over time it got trickier, any mistakes she made were scrutinised even further and her parents punishments and judgement got harsher
Although May tried to keep being a good sister she subconsciously started to drift.
Where on earth is May Bell? homophobia tw, conversion therapy tw
Noticeably absent from various gatherings and events the summer she turned 17 it caused great remarks in people who followed the Bell family. It was put about that May had been accepted into a prestigious and immersive internship in the UK.
In actual fact May had been found kissing her best friend, a girl who attended the same school as she did, her parents were horrified and didn't hide it.
She was sent to conversion therapy that year. May has never told anyone this. She came back from the camp more subdued than before, detached from her siblings (her parents had told her that she'd better not rub off on them) and threw herself into her studies and being the perfect daughter.
Eldest Bell accepts place at Pre-Law program!
Columbia University hadn't been May's first choice. Neither had pre-law. But by 19 she was well accustomed to giving up her own dreams for the expectations of her parents.
She was a good student, she put her head down and studied hard, often visiting home for the holidays or events (very much still in the eyeline of the public press).
She graduated top of her year and then went into the next steps to become a lawyer.
To her surprise May found that she did enjoy practising law, it was an art of itself.
She soon specialised in criminal defence - a small rebellion against the parents wanting her to go into business law instead.
Business Mogul, Richard Sinclair, to marry rising lawyer May Bell infidelity tw, emotional abuse tw
At the age of 38 Richard was over 10 years Mary's senior, she was 26 at the time of their marriage. They framed it as an elopement, a hidden love.
In actual fact it was for connections, organised by the Bells themselves in which May had very little say. But she did as she was told and she played the part of loving wife.
Richard has never been a good man, he carried on treating her the way her parents did leaving her with extremely low self esteem and self worth.
By her thirties May's whole life is her work and her reputation. She is fierce in the court room and everyone knows it. At home though she is quiet and doesn't really have a social life.
Sinclair-Bell family take in child! infidelity tw
It caused quite a scandal when Richard arrived back from a 'business trip' with a baby only three months old. Rumours spiralled everywhere, only added to by no one seeing either Richard or May for two weeks after.
When they emerged it was revealed that the child was Richard's ex-wife's (spoilers he doesn't have an ex wife) and as she'd passed away with no one to look after her baby they were taking him in.
Behind closed doors Richard had had to come clean about an affair (may had known but she knew better to talk up or complain) after his partner had abandoned the baby.
The Sinclair-Bell family adopted him officially and although May hated the fact that she now had to face proof that her husband was unfaithful she adores the boy.
She is a doting mother who has strived to give him every piece of love and security she never got.
Mrs Sinclair-Bell hired as ADA
May has always hated politics but she's always known that one day she was expected to follow in her father's footsteps and become a senator.
One way she knows that could happen is by getting involved in the wider structure of the city and so, when an opening came up as ADA last year she went for it.
She's still relatively new to the role but on the whole has made good impressions.
Horror and grief as Richard Sinclair declared Missing! physical abuse tw
He only hit May once. She wasn't about to give him another chance.
Unbeknownst to Richard May had connections with some of the more illegal side of New York.
People who already found his business work frustrating, people who she'd already proven her worth to.
With a red mark still on her cheek she went to go and see them.
Two weeks later she was calling the police in a panicked phone call (later leaked to the press) stating that she'd woken up to her husband gone and signs of a struggle downstairs.
That was three months ago and no one has heard from him since.
If you've read all of this you have my undying admiration thank you!
Connections with Groups
Cavalry To be plotted
The Contingency One of her little sisters is the Co-Leader of the Contingency. She doesn't know this and they aren't close but certain members would likely know the connection.
The Mob Only the Don and Capos (others can be plotted) know but May is an associate of the Mob, she helps them with favours and has received some in return.
The Reapers MC To be plotted
The Reserve To be plotted
The Pantheon May only knows what the public does about the Pantheon.
Politics Not only is May moving into the political sphere herself but her father was also a previous New York Senator. Because of this she likely knows a lot of the players past and present. Individual connections and ideas to be plotted.
Police She'll keep it to herself but after seeing corruption in her childhood and marriage May has no faith in the police and unless her work calls for it she'll stay out of their way.
Wanted Plots
Enemies - from politics or crime totally up to you! She can be very blunt so it's likely she's ruffled feathers.
Fake Friends - May knows that the world she lives in is all about connections. Because of this she'll have friends who aren't really friends and this probably goes both way.
New Friends - Since her husband went missing she's been trying to find her new version of herself. One she actually likes, these characters can help her do that!
Suspicious people - With her husband missing your character could be someone in the police or media who think (correctly) that she had something to do with it, despite the act she's putting on.
Anything and everything!
Wanted Connections
Her 'step'-son He is actually her husband's affair child (likely one of many but the only he brought home). Despite this she raised him and adores him. Whether he knows the truth about his father is up to you and how he feels about May. But she has done all she could to keep him safe in life.
Love Interest This is very open but the idea that I'd had was that she and May were together in their teens before they were found out by the Bells and May was sent away. May has likely kept her distance for decades but somehow they've recently reconnected.
Her Little Sister More info here from the pov of their middle sibling. May was 10-12 by the time the third Bell sibling was born. It was an awkward age gap but when they were little May took an interest in trying to help look after them. When May reached 17 and was sent away she distanced herself from both her siblings, believing they were better off without her. This has likely led to a strained relationship in adulthood too.
