verity vergès

[verityverges]

𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐒 — 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚘 𝚘𝚏 𝚌𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚗

[ ! ] — it seems that [ verity vergès ] has entered the scene ! she looks exactly like [ phoebe tonkin ]. this [ 37-year-old ] is the [ coo ] of [ criterion ]. it’s a small wonder since she is known for being [ determined + reliable ] and [ hedonistic + explosive ]. she has been involved with the company for [ 13 ] years. [ ADMIN MADDE ]

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐒

NAME: verity vergès AGE: 37 MARITAL STATUS: married CHILDREN: two, claude ( 3 ) & manon ( 1 ) SIBLINGS: celine vergès EDUCATION: business administration & journalism @ cambridge ( 2006-2013 ) OCCUPATION: the coo of criterion

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐎𝐍𝐄

the vergès family could be described as an international family. each member of the extended family has lived in at least three different countries and most members of the family divide their time between two major cities. as a child verity did not find this very extraordinary. if anything, it was annoying that she never got to see her aunts and uncles and cousins. the biannual family gatherings were the biggest events of the year for a young verity. she might have learnt to live with the idea of distant family members if her parents hadn't done the unthinkable and forced her to move ! verity was fifteen when the family left paris for london. if there's something verity knows how to do, it is to hold a grudge. it took her nearly two years to get over her parents' decision... and even that was because of she realized she had some really good friends in england.

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐓𝐖𝐎

she could have applied for any school in the world but she followed her friends to cambridge. her cambridge chapter included a detour in singapore for an exchange. she was supposed to spend a whole year in the country but life had other plans for her. after seven months in the country, she received a call from home. her parents had been in a car crash and they were in a critical condition. verity didn't wait and booked the first flight back home. she did her best to wear a brave face in front of a fifteen-year-old celine. it wasn't an easy feat and cracks appeared daily. their parents passed away leaving the girls with upturned lives and an inheritance that would have turned anyone insane. verity transferred from cambridge to london school of economics in order to keep celine's life at least somewhat stable. she graduated with below average grades and with a handful of useful connections that she was sure were going to help her with her career. verity tried her best to make it on her, with her own connections... but she had not been the best student and publishing was a tough industry to break into. after it a year of trying her best, she swallowed her pride and asked for the help of her father's old friend. unsurprisingly, the doors to criterion opened for her. it was a bitter pill to swallow but her job at criterion was pretty much everything verity had ever wanted. she had it easy at the company — it really helped when you knew the person at the top of the food chain ! she didn't feel awkward at a social event with older adults. she didn't feel out of place at her seniors' lunch table. she did not find after work drinks with her team leaders difficult in the slightest. this kind of social confidence helped her greatly. people were more likely to recommend her for higher positions because they knew her and they tended to like her. she was serious and professional but young and unthreatening.

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄

living without supervision and with unlimited wealth was a dangerous combination. the only thing that kept verity in check was celine, and as celine grew and became more independent, there was not much controlling verity's behaviour. every bad habit became a serious problem: shopping, wasting money, drinking. a good night out easily cost her ten or twenty grands. despite working with money and budgets for a living, verity was devastatingly poor at handling her own money. she knew she couldn't keep going as she was but couldn't find the motivation. there would always be something to sell: a flat or a country home, and most importantly celine had her own money so verity would not drag her down with her if things got out of hand. her friends' intervention was eventually what made her push the breaks. things didn't take a drastic turn: she still has a bad habit of something going over the top, but the behaviour has been toned down.

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑

during her period of change, verity concentrated on her work. verity was and is very career oriented, which made it the best distraction. but she never planned to run into the most lovable woman on earth during her workaholic era. this was six years ago, just a week after she had gotten a promotion. life was wonderful and she felt like she had it all: the career, the control, and the love of her life. verity splurged on the wedding, she wanted everything to be perfect. then she went on to splurge on baby products. her first child, claude, was born in 2021 and her second child in 2023 !

𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄

being considered the neuville pet has never really bothered her... but each passing year she has grown more and more paranoid about her standing. she is just waiting for someone to find a fault in the way she does her work. she is just waiting for someone to come and overthrow her and kill her wonderfully developed career. verity is determined to show everyone that she belongs where she is.

𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

university friends: either from cambridge or lse 6th form friends: the first english friends she would have made ! have to be the same age as her though and probably from the better part of london rivals: self-explanatory ! from work or uni confidante: the person she relies on the most, probably was there for her during her worst periods wife's in-laws: if you have a sibling wc / npc that might fit the bill, lmk <3

[savcyy]

˙    ៹   open  starter  ,  @  a restaurant bar   . 

the loud click of the expensive ring , dropping against the polished wooden floor . the sound echoed through the quiet restaurant, drawing the attention of a nearby table as she reached to catch the engagement jewelry from the person's hand . " thanks you , " she says . " –––––– it keeps rolling off , i need to get it adjusted again . may i buy you a drink as a thank you? "

[verityverges]

" it looks too big a stone to be dropped around, " verity pointed out with a laugh. " absolutely, please do. i think it's the least you can do since i didn't force you to crouch down in that dress. i drink red. "

[verityverges]

" linnie, i'm having a hair and makeup related crisis. i very much need your help because i'm one issue away from getting a buzzcut. " the skin around her eyes was greyish from wiping away her mascara and eyeliner twice and trying to patch things up with a generous amount of concealer. in all honesty she just wanted to shower again and start anew but she did not have the time. " please ? " ( &. @iscline )

[verityverges]

DYNASTIC EVENT 002: country club opening, wine tasting

[sorenyael]

there had not been many moments in his life in which soren found himself playing tennis. football, a good game of snooker, and especially cards were his forte. but something inside his head had convinced him being relatively good at ping-pong would be enough to give him some advantage on the much larger scale version of it. ❝ maybe we should find two more people and play doubles. ❞ so that his ass wouldn't be the only one getting kicked in that court, it could even be saved if he'd found a good enough player for his duo. ❝ make it more dynamic. ❞

[verityverges]

" i'm not opposed to the idea. a fast-paced game is always more fun. " she was also feeling oddly anxious around the half-stranger. it would help her to behave accordingly on the tennis court if the game didn't get too serious. " do you know anyone who might be interested in playing ? my list of acquaintances who love or even like tennis is made of two people. you'd think it was an universally loved sport but no. how long have you been playing by the way ? "

[celineverges]

❝ if you are feeling cornered, imagine what hr is going through right now. especially after they decline some of these because i know for a fact that's gonna have to happen. ❞ late requests and most for the same date just didn't cut it. ❝ you know me too well. but there are sooo many festivals there during the summer i was thinking of just enjoying nightlife in peace which is impossible to do in london without running into someone in our circle. ❞

[verityverges]

" i don't even want to imagine that. i would never work in hr. i would be the worst person for that. " verity was not known for being one for compromises. " you're being far too optimistic. no matter where you go, you'll be bound to run into people you know. it's horrible, honestly. i think it was uhm... last year or the year before ? we went on a tour in italian wineries and despite the tour group being twenty or so people, we still managed to run into an old uni friend of mine. i don't know if it was a happy coincidence or just annoying. "

[charlizelyons-deactivated202407]

Charlize raised her eyebrows at Verity saying "the behind-the-scenes people don't really wear anything interesting enough". She could hardly agree, given her close friendship with a costume designer who often pulled some strings to get her into some high-end fashions. What was the point of spending her university years in New York City if not to make connections with the right people, after all? Shutting the magazine, she surveyed Verity, and wondered if it was worth the effort. But what could she say, other than continue to drag a publication the other woman worked on? She didn't want to lecture Verity, especially not when she'd explained how the looks are hardly chosen based off merit at all. "I somehow almost forgot this is a cheap marketing tactic for designers instead of a chance to highlight artists," she said, "unless it's more than actors' PR paying to get on the lists these days."

[verityverges]

" yes and no... " verity was beginning to feel like the woman wasn't one of their regular buyers, but instead someone who thought they understood how the fashion world worked without actually having paid it any attention. " the magazine is full of real advertisement. big nice pictures on several pages. hot or not lists are not really for sale. when it comes to designers, the exposure they get through the red carpet mentions is usually unplanned, or at least, they don't pay the magazine for it. usually the celebrity gets the money for wearing a designer gown. then, i suppose, the magazine assesses whether the deal was worth the money. the photo gets published or it does not. the magazine has some integrity. money only matters sometimes. " verity cared more about the money than integrity though. but even she had to admit that it just would not do the magazine any good to appear spineless. it was a tough plank to balance on. " at the end of the day, the magazine is for entertainment. i don't think it would be very fair to judge private citizens. the celebrities sign up for it, a casual event goer does not. "

[eastcfeden]

" oh, i—would drink to that, " he replies, fingers curled around his empty glass. he's glad to see the bartender swiftly moving towards their part of the bar, though; he doesn't even need to say anything, just a smile and a wave is enough for the glass to get replaced with a fresh drink. " i will drink to that. did the same thing about ... two-ish weeks ago. my husband did not enjoy being woken up at four in the morning. oh well, " maurice shrugs. to be fair, he was not expecting for his husband to be in their bed in the first place on account of ... the many, many of their marital issues. which he's definitely not going to be thinking of right now. " so—spoilsport wife wouldn't approve? " he chuckles, swirls his drink around and takes another sip.

" oh my god, you're lucky. i got a ten a.m. scheduled. which, granted, not that early for many people but all things considered, it's early for me. nothing too important, though, so i can just sit there and suffer while pretending to listen. " which admittedly happens even when he's not majorly hungover. " but then again i can always just ... fuck it, stay home. world won't end if i skip a meeting. we deserve some fun, don't we. "

[verityverges]

" do you know what the issue is ? they don't answer to the same people we do. " she wasn't even sure if the statement applied to maurice's husband, but what she was certain was that her superiors were not the reason for her poor self-control. " i see... " verity chuckled softly. " and did you end up on the couch ? " to be fair, maurice should have stayed away from the bedroom in the first place and saved the husband from a rough wake up in verity's opinion. " not a spoilsport, just— a worrywart, i suppose. she means well. " verity had to turn to the bartender and order herself a shot and drink. a distraction from the guilt maurice's words had given birth to. she was suddenly feeling selfish for indulging in bad habits when there was a high possibility of it causing trouble for the people around her.

verity pushed a shot into his hand. the clear liquid looked very innocent reflecting the bright lights around them. the small glass looked almost beautiful. " let's toast to you avoiding death. one skipped meeting may save you from a hangover heart attack or something equally severe. if you've picked your underlings well, they'll be able to handle the meeting by themselves, surely. " she cleared her throat and held the glass even higher than earlier. " i would also like to thank my good friends ibuprofen and paracetamol. "

[charlizelyons-deactivated202407]

( open || 0 / 3 )

Charlize stopped by the newstand, as was her tradition after any big name event, to check out the public's reactions to what was going on and (of course) who made the best dressed list. Sliding over some cash to the man tending it, she began to flip through the pages, her brow furrowed as she saw glossy images of stars with splashy circles of "HOT!" and "NOT!". "Y'know," she said, "it wouldn't kill them to put one of the behind-the-scenes folks on a Best Dressed list. Aside from the families, I mean."

[verityverges]

" what ? you're not fan of our system ? " verity should have been offended ! her laugh was light but genuine. " no one really cares if they don't know the face. besides, the behind-the-scenes people really don't wear anything interesting enough. look at that dress for example, " verity pointed her finger at a simple white gown worn by an actress whose name she couldn't recall in the moment. " it's the token elegant dress that gets put on the list to convince the people who actually have an eye for style. " everything else on the pages... verity wanted to scrunch her nose. " everything else is just trendy dresses. the worst dressed is made of people who haven't figured out how the new trend works. " verity eyed the spread for a moment longer, her eyes lingering on the naked dress that had somehow made it onto the best dressed list. in 2024. why ? someone needed a performance review. " how will the consumers know what to buy if we don't tell them which looks are good and desirable ? the regular people don't have enough star power even if they look good... and they usually don't. not as good as a celebrity. "

[inhyelee]

· some bar › @verityverges

〝 is it really so bad that i want to keep the company within the family? 〞

[verityverges]

" ah... " verity's brows knit together, and a deep and exaggerated line appeared between them. " i think you were well within your right to want the spot. no one gets anything if they always give the opportunity to a 'better' candidate. we're all the worse candidate within our heads. " it was the long way to say perhaps jihyuk kang had been a bit more deserving. " the spot is yours now. i wouldn't waste my time wondering if you did something bad or good. it doesn't really matter as long as you don't prove the pessimists right. "

[heartsofblood]

SAMARA WEAVING & PHOEBE TONKIN. Babylon Australian Premiere, 2023

[eastcfeden]

— open ( 1/5 ) / a very late, midweek night at a night club

he doesn't think about it very often, his self-confidence almost always saves him from that, but he does tonight; he thinks about how it's kind of depressing to be drowning in a sea of energetic twenty-somethings when maurice is ... neither anymore. prone to jealousy even—or especially—in these absurd matters, he lets himself wallow in the vainest type of misery. as long as his drinks lasts, maybe.

" jesus christ , " he downs the liquor. no more of that. " so what's the plan tomorrow morning ? " he returns his focus to the conversation, on pause for a moment because screaming over the music has become a bit of a chore. " coming in late or a crate of red bulls and an upper ? "

[verityverges]

" the plan... " verity started but decided the last drops of her drink were far more important than her sentence. she had to tilt her head back to empty the glass properly. " -is to make sure the wife doesn't catch me when i stumble home. whatever happens at the office is hardly a problem. " what kind of a mess of a person voluntarily drank this much on a weekday ? the more she spoke, the poorer the decision to enter the establishment seemed. " my first meeting is in the afternoon. i honestly might just sleep until noon. call it self-care ? "

[nevaehhalston]

" saturday the.... " 27th ? 3rd ? calendar app: open; thumb: scrolling. " —oh, hang on, you meant this ? " a weekend plan, three days in advance ? it's unheard of ! their schedules aligned once every second blue moon, booked weeks ahead of time. surely verity knew three days of notice was wishful thinking ! " okay, sooo... " she starts, fingers knitting together beneath her chin. " i have to show face at a premiere. it's a very lowkey indie thing, drinks and canapes involved, we'll be out in an hour...ish ? and then maybe some nice dinner ? you can say no. i'm definitely not going to force you to network on your one weekend off, but... " shoulders lift, sheepish. " reckon it could be fun ? "

[verityverges]

" oh lord... i know, i know, it is almost rude to even be asking. " she offered the woman an apologetic look: lips downturned, brows knit together. " don't feel obligated to say yes. i was merely taking my shot. " nevaeh was most likely even busier than she was considering how every week was saturated with big film events and premieres. " oh... ? " now that sounded like a good offer ! " that actually sounds very good. i don't think i've been to any unserious event in ages. you know, that is actually what for i envy you the most. the film industry has these little fun events. do you think it would make a good single page story... ? " she momentarily got lost in her thoughts. every single gear in her head turning as she wondered what kind of a headline would pique the interest of a casual reader... " ah, sorry. that's not important, i don't think so. however, i reckon it would be fun. if not for anything else but i haven't judged outfits in a forever. " and she knew she had a friend in nevaeh when it came to the activity.

[celineverges]

❝ isn't there a holiday scheduling system anyway ? we can't have everyone in the company off as soon as the temperatures start rising, criterion would have to close for the season. ❞ like the lee's would allow that to happen. ❝ but can i have the last week of July off ? i've been wanting to visit malta. ❞ a joke, of course.

[verityverges]

" exactly ? it cannot be this difficult to follow the system in place. i don't know if these people were just late with their requests and thought they could go around it through me... " verity shook her head lazily. annoyed and disappointed: a killer combination ! " the last week of july is in three four weeks, " verity stated as if that was an answer. her tone certainly suggested so. " what's on malta ? scuba diving ? "

[verityverges]

" for the first time in months i actually have a real weekend. two whole days with no work. no calls, no emails, no text, no teams meetings... nothing ! now my question to you is if you're free on saturday ? maybe some nice dinner and some drinks and whatever the evening brings along. i'm trying not to plan every second of my life. " and she was failing at it ! ( &. @nevaehhalston )

[verityverges]

" do you have the slightest clue if broadcasting has the budget for a small three to six episode lifestyle show ? we are creating a new publication for late autumn. a limited run bi-monthly magazine. we wanted to include some other forms of media but we are not really feeling youtube... tbc broadcasting could use something light and fun in their catalogue, yes ? everyone needs something new. the consumers, the employees, the big men at the table. this could be our fun little project for 2024. fresh and sparkly. " ( &. @zkareem )

[verityverges]

" i am up to here- " she raised her palm so that it was level with her jaw. " -with people whining about summer vacations. first of all: take it up with hr, not me. second of all, what happened to good work morals ? just because july happens to be on our doorstep, the world doesn't stop. on top of it, summer's exactly when everyone's buying magazines. " ( &. @celineverges )