Conform or Suffer: The Darkness of Beauty

Chapter 20 Perfect Ringer

11:00 p.m.

*

Yoleta rushed into the brownstone with tear-stained clothes.

Grew-Ella and Quig bolted awake and jumped out of their chairs.

Shrieks emitted from Yoleta's mouth. "My supervisor, Lana, was murdered. I should have escorted her..." she paused.

"Did Stanton kill her?" Avery-Joy asked.

"Sean-Mack ordered her death. Claiming she was a traitor. He isn't hiding it and blogged that he planned to execute her ten minutes ago," Madd-Ox said as he straightened his black guard uniform.

Yoleta gagged, ran up the stairs, and she descended wearing clean clothes, burning hers in the fireplace even though they were not blood-stained. "Avery-Joy, your ex is a terrible person."

"Who killed your supervisor?" Avery-Joy grabbed Yoleta.

"I'm not sure who did it because I wasn't there, and my witness isn't telling me anything." Yoleta pulled away and turned to Madd-Ox. "Flirty, I need you to work extra shifts all next week."

"Nope, Junior, Delia Orchid, and I have plans. Don't pretend that you forgot." Madd-Ox patted her hand. "And what gives you the right to call me Flirty when you hit on Quig? Isn't your ex-husband younger than you?" Madd-Ox's eyes narrowed. "I refuse to date the elite women you set me up with."

"My youngest daughter throws herself at you. Like you, her title isn't from a stupid beauty contest. Stop acting like all grand elite women are scum."

"Lana supported me," Madd-Ox said.

Yoleta's face wrinkled, and she batted his hand away. "My boss just died, and this isn't an appropriate conversation. And for your information, my ex-husband is one year younger than me, not eleven. We met at the royal beauty contest."

"But why can't Trent run again?" a random guard asked.

Yoleta snorted. "He can run in smaller contests, but Trent broke the rules and is barred unless he convinces a grand elite female to enter with him. I bumped him down to be a village viscount because he slaughtered Cutter and Avery-Joy punished him. It's illegal in the main contest to take the lives of lesser citizens unless you're made king or you're defending yourself, no matter what the contest's rules claim. It's why Vex didn't kill the son of his enemy himself."

Madd-Ox spoke. "That is why Trent hasn't attacked Avery-Joy. He's a coward to anyone with real power."

Yoleta glanced at her feet. "I was forced to enter, but at least I met a sweet man. I'm fake flirting with Quig, but I won't after he marries Zill."

Madd-Ox groaned to himself. "I wouldn't wish her on my worst enemy. Don't you remember what she did to Grew-Ella?"

"What did she do this time?" Karen asked.

Madd-Ox grunted to himself. "Yoleta and Dad won't believe me, so we'll talk in private."

Yoleta frowned. "Chase is a bad influence on her."

"Zill didn't need anyone to make her an awful person," Madd-Ox said angrily.

Quig grimaced. "Madd-Ox is right. Yoleta, there are limits to my nobility."

"But you didn't answer my question. Why are you flirting with Quig?" Madd-Ox asked.

"The media reported he has had a crush on Zill, but Quig isn't interested," Karen said.

Yoleta pounded the dining table with her hands. "Quig, you're the perfect ringer. Carry a nuptial bracelet at all times. We don't know when you'll be required to propose."