ethereal | tom riddle.

the next chapter

tw: idk for what but like he's kind of Tom riddling in this chapter?

Eliza and Tom had arrived at the Montgomery Manor the day following their graduation. Their things had not yet been sent to the lake house, but they had all they had needed. However, as they landed in the foyer of the Montgomery Manor, their future house, they had something else on their minds.

They were greeted by a sober Mrs Montgomery and properly dressed Mr Montgomery waiting for them casually in the living room. "Eliza, Tom! How wonderful to see you!" Mrs Montgomery smiled, standing up from the sofa.

Tom exchanged pleasantries with her and Eliza's father, despite very well thinking about how much he had not wanted to be there with them. He knew just how fake it all was, but he didn't let his hatred towards them show. After all, it would only be a few days more that he would have to deal with them.

Mr Montgomery led Tom and Eliza to the board room, where a long table ran through the centre with grand chairs running along the sides. Eliza's father took the seat at the head of the table, Tom sitting at his left and Eliza beside him.

A knock sounded on the door of the meeting room, and Eliza's mother opened it slowly. "My dear, Eliza. Let us leave the men alone to discuss the prenuptial agreements. Come, join me for tea and we shall catch up." She spoke sweetly, but Eliza's whole body stiffened as her mother spoke.

Tom's hand slid onto Eliza's thigh, holding it protectively and giving her a look so as to not leave. "Eliza may stay." Tom said, not a hint of doubt in his voice, speaking almost as though it was his house and not hers.

"But it will be plenty better for you two if she is not-,"

"She stays." Tom glared at Eliza's mother, raising an eyebrow as to see if she truly would question Tom once more. She didn't. She simply closed the door behind her and left without another word.

Relief overwhelmed Eliza as her body eased. She remained quiet and let her father and Tom speak, not wanting to be made to go to her mother. Tom's hand remained on her casually, only ever lifting to skim through the papers laid on the table.

She didn't particularly bother listening or following what they spoke of, trusting Tom plenty to do what was best. She knew any opinions she would've had would not stand, so she paid no mind to the discussions.

She played with the hem of her skirt, traced designs on the table with her finger, played with Tom's fingers, and then finally when Tom handed her a paper, she read it.

Her eyes moved fast, flitting over the ink on the paper as her brows furrowed. Her father left the room for a moment, and she looked at Tom disappointedly as she removed his hand off her. "This prenup makes it sound like he's transferring his land over to you. What is 'all right over well-being and actions' of me supposed to mean? And this dowry?"

"Eliza, do you trust me?"

"I did before I saw this." She put the paper down on the table and pointed to multiple questionable sounding clauses of the document.

"You know I would never do anything to hurt you. Just trust that I know best, Eliza." He said, taking her face in his left hand and kissing her lightly. "Alright?"

"Alright." She said softly, as he pulled away from her. Her father came back immediately after that, returning to his seat and handing Tom and Eliza a quill each and then giving Tom a final document. Mr Montgomery's sign was already at the bottom, and there were two blank spaces for Tom and Eliza's.

Tom signed the paper and then handed it over to Eliza, who looked at Tom for reassurance before signing the blank space left for her. Possibly for the first time in her life, she saw her father smile at her. "Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Riddle."

*

Tom and Eliza didn't necessarily get married the way Eliza had hoped for her wedding to be. In fact, there was no wedding at all. There was no engagement party, no reception, no wedding. It was simply a signing of papers in a vaguely dingy room with her father.

Regardless, she wasn't saddened by that thought. In the week that followed, Tom and Eliza moved into a lake house owned by her father, only temporarily till her parents died and they could move into the extravagant Montgomery Manor. But that came sooner than expected.