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chapter two, you may begin present third person pov
LOUIS STARED ACROSS the room at Estelle, his voice tense but calm. "What are you doing here?"
Estelle's lips curved into a subtle, knowing smile as she elegantly settled herself into the seat he had just vacated. "Oh, I'm here to make sure you tell the truth," she replied, crossing her legs as if she belonged in that very spot.
Louis's brow furrowed, confusion and irritation flickering across his face. "Why would I lie?" he asked, the frustration evident in his voice.
Estelle tilted her head, her expression both playful and scathing. "Because you seem to do it more now that you've got him whispering in your ear," she said, her tone sharp as her gaze flicked toward 'Rashid'.
'Rashid', silent until now, immediately tensed at the insinuation. In the blink of an eye, he moved to stand directly in front of Estelle, his eyes dark with anger. But Estelle was completely unfazed by his sudden presence in front of her.
Her lips barely moved as she regarded him with mild amusement. "Get your boy toy away from me, Louis," she said coolly, not even bothering to look up at 'Rashid'.
Louis stood between them quickly, sensing the tension. He gently placed a hand on 'Rashid's' arm, guiding him back with a calm but firm touch. "It's fine," Louis said softly, his tone placating. "Go. Let us talk."
'Rashid' hesitated for a brief moment, his gaze flicking between Louis and Estelle before he reluctantly nodded. Without a word, he turned and left the room, though the tension in the air remained thick.
Louis returned to the seat next to Estelle, though he made sure to keep a noticeable distance between them.
Estelle watched him with a raised eyebrow, then shifted her attention to Daniel Molloy. "So," she began, her tone light, "what has he told you so far?"
Daniel, who had been observing the exchange in quiet astonishment, cleared his throat. "We were just about to get started," he admitted, gesturing to his equipment.
Estelle hummed thoughtfully, leaning back in her chair. "Good," she said, her eyes flicking back to Louis. "You may begin. But just so we're clear," her voice sharpened as she crossed her legs with an air of authority, "I will interrupt if I catch you trying to twist the truth." She gestured toward both men.
Louis exhaled deeply, looking away from her before finally settling his gaze on Daniel.
"The year was 1910," Louis began,"the fall of the fifth year after my father's passing, and the fifth year as the executor-in-charge of the De Pointe du Lac family trust."
Daniel raised his brows, already scribbling down notes. "The eldest son..." he prompted.
"The favored son," Louis corrected. "And with that came the responsibility of overseeing a sizable trust. Capital accrued from plantations of sugar and the blood of men who looked like my great-grandfather but did not have his standing."
Estelle shifted slightly in her chair, her expression unreadable, but she said nothing for now.
Louis continued. "But decades of Jim Crow and the electrified light of a new century had vanquished any idea of a 'Free Man of Color.' And so it followed that the only place in New Orleans where a gentleman of my complexion could do righteous business was a neighborhood called Storyville."
Daniel's voice cut in, his curiosity evident. "That was the old red-light district, yeah?"
Louis nodded, the memories as sharp as ever. "Twenty blocks of drinking, gambling, and gluttonous whoring."
Unless stated, the rest of the story will be told as if it's happening during that time. So POV will be in the 'present' but it's in the 'past'... if that makes any sense
