warnings: stalking, mentions and descriptions of infidelity, mentions of alcohol, jealousy, mentions of pregnancy and abortion, paying off people in a wrongful manner
a/n there will be a part two babes, this is just so long already as it is. I like to chunk it up. as a reader, I get turned off by stories that run long. I hope you enjoy my first riddler fic :)
(also, kat is not catwoman. I realized the reference after I wrote this, but I really liked the name so I kept it.)
summary Y/N L/N. Daughter of an infamous Gotham senator. Edward takes a particular interest in her. When fate brings them together, he can’t help himself anymore. She needs to be shielded from her father’s corruptness. And from Bruce Wayne.
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read time: 9 mins 44 seconds
Part 2
Y/N L/N. Gotham socialite, Graduate of GU, daughter of a senator, one of the most eligible women in the whole city. You have had links to many prominent people in this town, the most renowned one being Bruce Wayne. You currently were unemployed, but spent time at volunteer shelters. Things in your life seemed good. Your birthday was coming up. Your dad had just bought you a new car. You and your friends were planning a night out in Gotham for your twenty third birthday. But oh, little did you know.
***
Edward Nashton was quite a subtle man. Blending into the background, being ignored, and staying quiet was his specialty. He was scouring news channels for any motive to play out his desires. Kellan L/N had made a speech recently to announce the decrease of crime in his district. Edward laughed so hard he almost knocked the glass of water off of his table next to him. Just as he was about to flip the channel, he noticed you. Standing in the back. Your bright eyes were focused on the senator. Edwards heart sank when he saw this. Such a beautiful girl fooled by the politics of Gotham. He had to know who you were.
A quick internet reverse search brought up your digital profile. Ed was quick to dissect it. He wanted to throw up when he found out you were the daughter of Kellan L/N, third child of his. He didn’t know he had any other children than his sons. They were a bit older than you anyways. Edward had a small dislike for the L/N sons, your older brothers. He’s found douchey photos online of them partying on yachts with other women and expensive alcohol. How would their wives feel about that? All funded by their dad. He definitely also engaged in these activities. Pictures dating back thirty/forty years depicted your father cheating on your mother.
Slamming his computer shut, he pulled out his phone. His notepad sat next to him as he scrolled through your instagram.
24.9k followers. Impressive.
Edward scrolled through your photos. He figured out your best friend was named Hazel. She was the daughter of a senator from another city. Not his problem, other places corruption. You had been friends with Hazel since about ninth grade, when you started posting on Instagram.
You didn’t have many recent posts with your brothers. The age gap in the family must have simmered your relationships once you got older. You last posted a picture of you and one of your brothers in 2018 for a birthday post. He found old birthday posts of yours. The last one was around a year ago, you were due to turn twenty three about next week. He scoffed as he looked at the pictures from your birthday last year. Cabo trip, all funded by daddy. You were probably on a plane to go somewhere exotic for your next birthday already, he thought.
What angered him the most was the party photos. You seemed to be close with Bruce Wayne. One of the men he hated the most. Bruce had no online presence minus the photos you would occasionally post of him. How has he never seen this before?
Party in upstate with Bruce.
Bruce Wayne at a party?
Picnic with Bruce.
No way Bruce Wayne actually went on a picnic. Staged.
Bruce’s banister is so beautiful, I couldn’t help myself. I needed a pic or two.
She’s at his manor?
Jealously filled Edward. Of course Bruce Wayne got the most perfect girl. He had everything he didn’t.
He angrily flicked through the comments and was relieved when he saw the constant denial of a relationship between you two.
@hzljohnson so when is the wedding?
@y/nl/n in your dreams
Even her best friend wanted this to happen.
-
@gthmnews13 Is this an official relationship confirming post? The fans are going crazy!
@y/nl/n Me and Bruce are only friends.
An official news source? Can’t they leave her alone?
Edward threw his phone to the floor. He was sick at looking at your picture perfect life.
He knew something deeper was going on.
On some of the sub chains he had been on recently, there was unrest. Something was about to be exclusively leaked about politicians in Gotham. Sure, everyone says that all the time. But Edward had a feeling this was big. It was a file that supposedly held career/life damaging documents for people, going all the way up to potentially the mayor. Edward giddied to himself, laying back on his couch and looking at the newspaper clippings he had pasted on his ceilings. The feeling of excitement rose. This next few weeks were going to be great.
***
Your father knew. The pictures she threatened to leak would come out eventually. It was just a matter of when. He was smitten when he met her at the Iceberg Lounge. She was just a little older than his own daughter. He, and many other politicians, only knew her as Kat. He figured she just wanted a taste of the expensive life, and this was the only way she knew how. She certainly had the facilities to be in her position. Kat began almost exclusively spending her time with him. He payed the best. After a few months of this, she demanded a large sum of money. When he denied it, she dropped the bombshell. She was pregnant.
Your father was almost certain the child wasn’t his, and brushed her off. He offered to pay for her abortion, but this just made her angrier. It wasn’t until she came back with a subpoenaed paternity test is when he knew she told. Told who, he wasn’t sure. A lawyer, judge, who knows.
And it came back that he was in fact the father of her unborn child.
He shut out Kat, getting her banished from the Lounge. Denying her any more money, she promised to leak the photos of them together. Pictures at the lounge, at dinner, in bed, the paternity test. Everything she had documented throughout their affair.
Your father promised then to make small payments for her and the child, but she was more interested in the pay from the newspaper’s that they would give for these pictures.
That was four months ago. No word from Kat, no news from the media.
He sat in his office thinking about the past events when you burst through the doors. “Y/N!” he announced, standing up to give you a hug. “Hi dad,” you smiled, sitting across from him. “What is the reason for the visit? How is the apartment treating you?” he asked, cracking his knuckles. “It’s nice. It’s all really nice,” you said. “I was wondering if I could borrow some money for my birthday.”
You always said borrow to make yourself feel better. You never payed him back. But what was he for then? A dad who never payed much attention in your life. He had to compensate that somehow.
“Where is it this year? London?” he asked. “I-I was thinking something more lowkey. A night out in Gotham.”
Your father sighed. “I don’t think that would be such a good idea.”
“Why?” you asked, crossing your arms. “With all these Riddler attacks…” “Dad, trust me. I can handle myself.” you scoffed. “Y/N, sweetheart. He is strapping bombs to people. People who I worked closely with.” he sighed, rubbing his forehead. “Yeah, people you work with. I don’t work with you.” you said, pursed lips.
A moment of silence lingered between you two.
“I guess,” he sighed. You squealed and hugged him, thanking him. “I’ll wire you the cash!” he yelled after you as you were leaving his office.
***
Edward sat at the counter, doodling away at his drawing. He was copying the cheap print on the diner wall, adding his own details. Making it more his style. He was too interested in his artwork and his coffee to notice you walk in.
You would have never usually chose this spot. The nearest Starbucks was closed for the night, and you were craving caffeine. You had to write a speech for the Animal Shelter you had been volunteering for. You donated a large sum of money to the place. And tonight was the night you were going to write your speech.
“Can I have a large black coffee?” you asked the waitress. “That all?” she asked. “Um, a slice of pumpkin pie too.”
Edward perked up and looked over, realizing this stranger had just ordered his exact order.
And the stranger was you.
His heart skipped a beat. He set down his coffee a little too hard, causing a bit to spill on his artwork. You looked over at him.
Edward swore to himself internally, knowing he completely fucked up.
He looked back up at you, and you gave him a slight smile. You looked down at the picture he was drawing, now covered in droplets of coffee.
“S-same order I get,” he managed to spit out. An explanation. “Is it any good?” you asked him, leaning your hip against the counter waiting for your order. “Is what?” he asked, intimidated by your beautiful presence. “The food?” you smirked, cocking your head. “O-oh, yeah. It’s great here.” he said, letting out a small smile. The waitress set your food down on the counter space next to him.
You never usually spoke to strangers like this, but this man seemed kind. You were in a need for good company anyways. Everyone around you always seemed fake. Hazel, your brothers, your father, Bruce. All monetary based relationships. You craved something natural. Something real.
You took the first bite of pie and shook your head. “This is amazing,” you said astonished. “Best pie in all of Gotham,” Edward said. “You, sir, might be right about that.” you smiled, wiping the corner of your mouth with the napkin.
“Y/N,” you introduced yourself. “Edward,”
Ed never was this social. The last time he spoke to anyone in this depth was a co worker, probably years ago. It just broke his heart watching you, so perfect, about to be ruined by the corruptness of Gotham. Just another victim to the dirtiness of the city.
The two of you went on conversing until closing time. You asked him about his drawing, if he did other drawings, what he was interested in. When you tried to solve some of his riddles, his heart fluttered. You liked the innocence in him. He didn’t know who you were (at least to your knowledge) and treated you like a normal person. It was hard to explain to him and still seem normal what you did with your life. Edward admired that you volunteered for a living. Giving to others who had none. If he would have had someone like you in the orphanage, his life would have gone a lot better. He just knew it.
When you two separated at the end of the night, you never expected to see him ever again. You cursed yourself on the subway home that you should have gotten his number. He was so innocently adorable, someone wholesome. You needed that in your life. Hazel would ridicule you for your ‘poor choice in a man’. Your brothers would bully the shit out of him at family functions. But you didn’t care. He was real.
Edward knew he would see you again. He would make sure of it. You were the one thing in Gotham that wasn’t bad. You sparkled in a city of grime.
He thanked whatever god was looking down on him. He was granted the experience of meeting you, out of the thousands of people in Gotham. You.
***
Edward tracked your almost every move. He sat in his discreet car across the street of your apartment. He found the new purchase documents online. He had to unscript some of the documents, but found your address easily. He would see you get chauffeured to your volunteer sites. This week you went to the animal shelter, along with a homeless shelter. He admired that about you. You would get home at around four/five pm, which gave you time to get ready for the night activity. Every night you would either have friends over, leave to go to the diner (which you secretly did in hopes of seeing Edward again. He didn’t know this was the reason.), have dinner with your mother, or have a night in for yourself. Lights out at about ten, and you would wake up at seven. Your whole routine down to a point.
He would stand in the corner of a store on the street. He knew you walked this way everyday to reach the volunteer center. And today, the same god smiled down at him because he was given this bit of information.
“Hazel, the Fort Adolphus venue is fine. Yes. It’ll be fun, I promise. Yeah, I think seven is a good time…”
Edward froze when he heard this. Your birthday, he assumed. It was two days away. And Fort Adolphus was one of the most prestigious venues in Gotham. Only a senator would be lucky enough to book it. And give it to his daughter to use for her birthday party.
***
Edward arrived at the venue at four pm. He quickly seeked out one of the party coordinators. Distracting him, he took him into a back closet and tazed him. Stole his clothes, and locked him in. He would be out for a few hours, the taser was powerful.
And with that, he did what he did best. Blend in.
You arrived at 6:30. You wore a black minidress, with a sheer torso. You had gold chains as straps. The fabric was bunched up to give a ripple affect. Your hair was curled, and makeup was on perfectly. Edward noticed you when he heard your black heels click on the marble floors. You looked like a goddess.
“Welcome to the Fort Adolphus venue Miss L/N, let me find a coordinator to help you get settled,” the woman at the door said. She noticed Edward standing around and doing nothing and called for him.
He had just made fate happen.
“You! Sir!” she called out to Edward. That is when your eyes met again. Your eyes lit up, giving him a smile. “Ed?” you asked, joining his presence. “Funny seeing you,” he chuckled, pushing his clipboard against his waist. “He can escort you to your private back room.” the woman at the door said. “Right,” Edward confirmed, playing along with his role.
“I didn’t know you were a party coordinator,” you said, watching your team pile out of your car. Hair, makeup, wardrobe on standby. “I’m not,” he said, realizing he made a mistake. “Uh, one night only. Temporary gig,” he managed to get out before raising suspicion. The two of you got to a room labeled ‘Back Room A’. He hoped it was the one for you, and to his luck it was. Gifts laid across a wide table in the middle of the room. Expensive alcohol and food was on the opposite wall. A large couch and a vanity also sat in the room. “There you are,” he said awkwardly, opening the door. “Will I see you tonight?” you asked him as he was about to shut the door. “Um…” Edward thought. “No, I’m only pre-party crew.” he lied. Definitely wasn’t going to stick around. He wasn’t a party person anyways.
He was expecting you to close the door after that, but you didn’t. You got out your phone. “I meant to do this at the diner, but do you have a phone number? Well, of course you have a phone number, I’m just asking if-” “Yeah sure, um…” he said, interrupting you.
Y/N L/N just asked for his phone number. Oh my god. And she was nervous about it!
After you exchanged them, he began to slowly close your door to give you some privacy. You grabbed his hand on the door knob, and looked directly in his eyes.
“Ed?”
“Yes?”
“Thank you.”
“Y-your welcome. May I ask for what?” he stuttered.
