THE SOUL OF NOELLE
Character Name — Noelle Persaud
Age — 34
Role — Enterpriser
House — Mercury
FCs — Maisie Richardson-Sellers
STATUS — Taken by Admin Crow
BEHIND THE SOUL.
“With all your money, you couldn’t buy yourself a soul...” It’s a parable that remains true, long after the carnival’s ‘fortune teller’ spews out her generic fortune. Only ten-years-old, and already Noelle looks to the world with cold eyes and a vacant gate. By the Dubois’ estimation, it would take approximately six people for Noelle to come to power. The out-of-wedlock daughter of a well-to-do hotelier; she is the forgotten piece of an established reign. Her needs are fulfilled, but her presence is minimized. On the outskirts of a tight-knit family, she finds comfort in the shadows of a fabled legacy. A devotion to make her own way in Florence, she finds refuge under the Florentine Bank’s umbrella. In the too-tight cubicles, emerges a mind for investments and strategy. A woman who can turn straw into gold, her returns are that of myth and legend. Despite her calculated sense of probability and chance, she could never see it coming. A hail mary coup, for control of the Grand Hotel Cavour, with Noelle as the pawn in a board of directors game. As newly-anointed hotelier she sits on the precipice of control. Under prepared, lacking in prestige, and seemingly in over her head - Noelle is fable in the making, lest she soar to greater heights.
BIOGRAPHY.
Every sentiment in relation to her soul is often feathered with the word ‘almost.’ It’s a spineless, dissatisfying word - but it finds its way to every depiction of her wayward soul. She is “almost” her father’s true daughter, “almost” worthy of the Dubois name. She is almost enough - but never quite. Akin to a half-filled glass, or an incomplete puzzle - Noelle is born to mediocrity and halfhearted sentiment. A muddled, scandalous entryway into the world that acts as the proverbial cloud over her head (as well as her mother’s). Noelle is the product of an illicit affair that clouded the insert-pages of every glossy tabloid. Antoine Dubois was something of a social sensation in the early 80’s. The sole heir to a generations-old hotel chain - many glamorized his picturesque life. Who wouldn’t, when the image was as idyllic as the Dubois properties themselves? A handsome, business-savvy executive with his aristocratic wife on one arm, and pretty-in-pink daughter’s on the other. He appeared to have it all - but men of stature are hardly ever satisfied with ‘everything.’ There is always something more - and it comes in the form of hotel concierge, Nina Persaud.
What was the hook, line, and sinker? Did it start with heavy laden eyes across hotel lobbies? Did it grow through flirtatious anecdotes, and escapades to the Maldives? Did the love affair begin to flounder, when the pregnancy test turned positive? It’s hard to say for certain. Especially when rumor, spectacle, and scandal cloud the truth. In the midst of the Dubois’ marital strife, the public interest, and callous words like whore and adulterer are thrown into the wind - Noelle is born. And as Antoine held his daughter, only a single conclusion came to mind - she will be a Persaud.
It is the precedent that sets off a predictable chain. As his out-of-wedlock daughter, Noelle availed of the family name’s security - so long as the Persaud girls kept their heads low and eyes looking forward. There is a rift since infancy, that turns into a chasm into childhood. Even as a young girl, it wasn’t her half-sibling’s sprawling estate or fancy toys that she coveted. But the love of her father, and the warm glow of the larger family’s acceptance. Yet every time she deigned to push the unspoken boundaries, she’s reminded through his wife’s cold veneer - Noelle is a Persaud, not a Dubois.
It’s only in her teenage years, that Noelle can hear the palpable condescension. Her step-mother’s velveteen words that ring more as a warning; know your place. By then, she’s adopted her own defense mechanism. One that meets the Dubois’ callous fire, with a refined chill. She is not uncaring, her attentive nature to her mother and bonded soul mate prove that to be true. But she’s learned that, to make one’s way in the world, it requires a cool touch and an impenetrable disposition.
At the very least - her place in the world is earned, not given. Neither her father, nor her familiar connections buy her leverage into academia. It is through her own excellence with checks and balances, that she earns a scholarship to Wharton Business School (a refusal to take anymore money from a family that gives her so little) . Half a world away from her Florentine roots, she finds herself in lecture halls and economic debate. A business acumen and work ethic that shapes her from a shadow, and into her own light. She could make her way again, to grander metropolitan areas; the New York Stock Exchange, the Bay Area’s rising internet boom, or even Singapore’s financially thriving markets. But there is something poetic, even validating, about returning to Florence. A way of proving those who denied her, of her own worth.
The days under the fluorescent light of the Florentine Bank are long and arduous. The first in, the last out - she runs herself to the ground to prop up her career. No security nets, after all. No matter what her self-serving father claims. It is in the trenches of her career that Mercury extends its convenient hand. It is widely known that the network of commercial giants and journalistic mavens control the deep pockets of Florence. And Noelle, who knows only of ambition and growth, soars in their ranks. Her way with numbers and investments, propelling her as a Fighter among their ranks. That is - until the twist, in this archaic fairytale.
Hostile takeovers happen every day. And while the Dubois’ extensive portfolio could make any hotel chain weep with envy, its leadership delivers nothing but red on their balance sheets. The family business teeters on the edge, when members of the Board decide to take action. It may be a family business, but it is a business first and foremost. Neither her father, or his executives (composed of Noelle’s siblings) expect it to happen. But a vote of no confidence is held, and Noelle’s trust fund (a condition of her mother’s NDA) highlights a minority share. One that, coupled with their votes, puts her as the chairwoman of the board. A coup that supersedes every rightfully named Dubois, and puts her in command. In the midst of confusion and shock, Ayesha Sharma’s appointment comes swiftly after - Enterpriser. What once was a wishful dream, turned into a grounded reality.
But no one tells you about the dark side of wish fulfillment. The sticks and stones thrown, by those who regard her as an unconventional and mediocre choice. The cruel words, uttered by her vengeful father and envious children. The heavy pressure that comes, as the spreadsheets of the Grand Hotel Cavour presents a floundering tale. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, but as she stares off into the penthouse’s abyss - she wonders if it will crush her in the process.
PROFESSION
Enterpriser for the House of Mercury - Hotelier for The Grand Cavour Hotel
SOUL CONNECTIONS
Ayesha Sharma - Soul Connection - Medium. The penultimate success story - Noelle hangs onto each word like it is wisdom from Mercury themselves. She props the Elder up on a pedestal, thinking nothing but the best of her former boss turned Elder. An ever loyal Enterpriser, Noelle defends Ayesha’s reign with the skin of her teeth.
Valentine Garcia - Soul Connection - Bonded. They are the loves of each other’s lives. The very embodiment of a soul mate. A friendship forged in childhood and solidified in young adulthood - they are sisters in every way but blood. Though their loyalties remain on opposing sides. Their ultimate duty is to each other, above all else.
Javier Perez - Soul Connection - Medium. In the midst of a heated flirtation, Noelle catches on to the glimmer in their eye. But it was not an attraction. No, it was a sign of intention. Noelle makes Javier’s con, but oddly enough, finds herself drawn to the dishonesty and danger he promises. Yet their con comes to a halt, as Noelle finds herself primed to inherit her estranged family’s legacy.