Bound By Sin

Discussions.

The tension around the dinner table was thick enough to cut with a knife. Victoria sat at one end, her hands delicately placed on the table, as if ready to defend some unspoken position. Nathaniel leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed tightly, a sure sign he was ready for whatever verbal sparring would come next. Anastasia, as usual, was slouched, picking absentmindedly at her food with a look that said she'd rather be anywhere but here.

Genevieve pushed her plate away, staring hard at her family. "They're trying to pin this whole thing on Nicholas," she started, her voice sharp. "It's ridiculous. They don't have any real evidence. They're just grasping at straws because he's different from the rest of the town."

Victoria sighed, shaking her head gently. "Genevieve, honey, it's not about Nicholas being different. It's about the fact that people are dying. They're desperate for answers, and... well, sometimes they make mistakes."

"Mistakes?!" Genevieve shot back, standing up so quickly her chair screeched against the floor. "Nicholas has nothing to do with it. The thought that he could be involved never even crossed my mind! And it shouldn't cross anyone else's either!"

Nathaniel leaned forward slightly, his voice calm but heavy with meaning. "It's impossible to know for sure, Genevieve. We all want to believe the best in people we care about, but the world doesn't work that way. You have to expect anything."

Genevieve's face reddened in frustration. "No! You're not listening to me. Nicholas isn't capable of something like this. He wouldn't—"

"Really, Gen?" Anastasia interrupted, rolling her eyes dramatically. "God, you're stupid."

Genevieve snapped her head toward Anastasia, eyes blazing. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Anastasia replied, her voice flat. "You're going off like you know everything when all they're trying to do is figure out who's behind this. Maybe Nicholas is just... I don't know... weird enough to be involved?"

"This daughter of mine will never get better," Nathaniel muttered under his breath, but loud enough for everyone to hear, shaking his head.

Victoria shot him a warning glance, but before she could interject, Genevieve pointed a finger across the table. "You don't get it, Ana. You're so busy trying to act like you don't care about anything, but this is serious! Nicholas has been questioned every day like he's a criminal when he's done nothing wrong!"

Anastasia shrugged. "Yeah, and if you're wrong? What then, huh?"

"Don't do that!" Genevieve yelled, her voice cracking. "Don't pretend like you know him better than I do! He's not some suspect you can just throw around! He's my—"

"Your what?" Anastasia challenged, her eyebrow arching. "Your best friend? Your boyfriend? What exactly is he to you, Gen?"

Genevieve froze, her lips parted as if the words had lodged in her throat. Nathaniel sighed, running a hand down his face. "Maybe you should just take a breath. We all should."

Victoria, her face still poised but her eyes flashing with concern, finally spoke. "Gen, sweetheart, we know how much Nicholas means to you, but we can't pretend like everything's black and white. It's not about us versus them. It's about finding the truth."

"The truth?" Genevieve shot back, her voice rising again. "The truth is that everyone's so willing to believe the worst in him because he's different. But I see him. I know him, and he's not some monster!"

"You're seeing what you want to see," Anastasia chimed in, shaking her head.

Genevieve glared at her sister, hands trembling as they gripped the edge of the table. "And you're not seeing anything at all, Ana. You've never cared about anything other than yourself."

"Oh, please," Anastasia scoffed. "I'm the one thinking logically here, not getting all emotional over some guy."

"Enough!" Nathaniel barked, slamming his fist on the table. The sudden force made everyone jump. His voice, low and steady, filled the room. "We're going in circles. Genevieve, you're too close to this. I get it, you want to protect him, but we have to be smart about this. Anything could happen."

Genevieve's chest heaved, but she didn't respond. She knew no matter what she said, they wouldn't understand.

Victoria reached out, her voice softening. "Just be careful, okay? We don't want you to get hurt... if it turns out you're wrong."

"I'm not wrong," Genevieve whispered fiercely, looking down at her clenched hands. "I know I'm not."