former-fairestofthem-all

[former-fairestofthem-all]

emmeline had to follow the rules tonight. she couldn't afford to embarrass her mother one more time... not in this lifetime, anyway. that's the polite version of ella fairchild's warnings before the doors opened. so, she was behaving. miserably. that's when she noticed atticus bass, leaning against the wall. ugh, so not a good idea. staying away from messy, teenaged, flames was rule #1. and what should you never do with an old flame? pour alcohol on it.

"if i'm not allowed to complain about anything tonight, you're definitely not."

atticus bass leaned against a wall in the back with his drink in hand. he was the grim reaper of the social scene and with the news of potential competitors trying to pull stunts, he was watching his friends and employees like a hawk. lili was on the case with her team but he still didn't like it, there were too many people in play.

"i don't like this..."

@tfrstarters

[former-fairestofthem-all]

"Michelle, I love you for trying but that might be the most outrageous thing that's ever been said," Emmeline countered before letting out a laugh. The sky was blue, the grass was green. Ella Fairchild was still disappointed in her eldest daughter. "Did your parents end up coming? I know they like any excuse for a date night."

Michelle laughs, happily handing over the tartlets... and wine. Anything to stay on Emmeline's good side. "Maybe she's looking for you so she can brag on you." She tried to hide the doubt in her tone.

[former-fairestofthem-all]

emmeline was working hard to stay off the radar tonight. the last thing she or her mother needed was for anyone to bring up the scene she'd caused at the last fairchild ball... not everyone saw the funny side of emmeline insulting them all over the mic, even if it had been years ago now. that's when she spotted gabriela, sandwiched between the most boring dudes in the room. she couldn't let it stand.

"gentlemen. so sorry but my mother, ella fairchild, needs to borrow gabriela for something important-- you understand? thank you so much. enjoy the tartlets, they're michelin star--," emmeline grinned, faker than ever before stealing gabriela away. "you okay? i can share my hiding spot with you, if you want."

gabriela was bored out of her mind. older gentlemen at the ball had decided to talk shop and were rambling on to the point where she thought blood might start pouring from her ears. the last thing she wanted to do was talk business and yet here was being held hostage in the conversation. lifting her glass to her lips, she sipped her wine and silently begged for someone to save her.

@tfrstarters

[former-fairestofthem-all]

"See? No matter where I move in the room, my mother's eyes are boring into me. And who says Ella Fairchild doesn't still have it! Can you pass the tartlets?" She paused, coming to her senses enough to add- "And the wine." @tfrstarters

[former-fairestofthem-all]

♡ AJA NAOMI KING the hollywood reporter

[former-fairestofthem-all]

Emmeline opened and then promptly closed her mouth. Damn it, she hadn't meant for anyone to hear that. She must have sounded so... fucking tragic. The old Emmeline would have been cringing if she knew this was what she was doing on her birthday. "What? No! Of course not. Who would be celebrating their birthday like this? No one. It, uh, would be way too sad. I have great dinner plans, or something-," she repeated with a strained smile. "How'd I do, Cohan?"

Jackson didn't mean to overhear her conversation — okay that wasn't true entirely, but he didn't mean to overhear her pitiful birthday wish to herself. Still he couldn't leave her that way. "This can't be how you're celebrating your birthday. Tell me you have some great dinner plans or something."

[former-fairestofthem-all]

What is a wedding you look forward to plan

"My... My sister's, obviously. There's no other wedding- no other person's wedding I'd rather be planning! I love planning this wedding. I'm living for planning this wedding. Ha. Love it."

[former-fairestofthem-all]

There's no way that mom thinks this is a good idea.

[former-fairestofthem-all]

Emmeline had been finishing up her millionth errand for the day when she spotted Adrian Vanderbilt across the road. He looked like he was fresh out of work, winding down for the day. Emmeline had known Adrian and Josephine all her life. The Vanderbilts and Fairchilds even shared a summer beach house for most of her childhood.

She was busy, so busy, planning her damn- sorry, beloved- sister's wedding but she had time to cross the street. She had time for Adrian.

"Hey! Adrian-," she waved before grinning, "Long time no see. Did you just get off work?"

The courtroom was silent, the air thick with anticipation. Adrian Vanderbilt sat at the bench, his eyes scanning the room, taking in every detail. The attorneys fidgeted at their desks, papers rustling as they organized their notes. The jury sat stiffly, their expressions a mix of curiosity and apprehension. Even the gallery was unusually quiet, as though the weight of the proceedings had settled heavily on everyone present.

Adrian leaned back slightly in his chair, his face as impassive as ever. He was well aware of how people reacted to him—the way they seemed to shrink under his gaze, the way their voices wavered when they spoke to him. He had been told about his "resting bitch face," a term he found both amusing and mildly irritating. He hadn’t chosen this expression, after all. It was simply the way his face rested when his mind was at work, sifting through the complexities of the law, weighing arguments, and considering precedents. Yet, this unintentional mask had become part of his professional persona, an unintended tool in his judicial arsenal. It kept people on their toes, and that, in his line of work, was not necessarily a bad thing.

But today, as he prepared to deliver his ruling, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of something—an awareness, perhaps—of how he was perceived. His wife, Josephine, had teased him about it over breakfast that morning, her eyes twinkling as she handed him his coffee. "Try not to scare anyone too much today, Adrian," she’d said with a smile, leaning over to kiss his cheek. His children had laughed, their laughter lightening his mood in a way nothing else could.

Now, sitting in the austere environment of the courtroom, the memory of that morning felt like a distant echo

He cleared his throat, the sound echoing in the quiet room, and all eyes snapped to him. The attorneys straightened, the jury leaned in slightly, and the tension in the room seemed to tighten another notch. Adrian allowed a brief pause, letting the silence settle before he began to speak.

"As I have reviewed the evidence and considered the arguments presented," he said, his voice measured and deliberate, "I find that the facts support a ruling in favor of the plaintiff." He continued, laying out the legal rationale behind his decision with precision and clarity. As he spoke, he noticed the subtle shifts in the room—the plaintiff’s lawyer exhaling in relief, the defendant’s shoulders sagging just a little, the jury nodding as they followed his reasoning.

When he finished, he gave a slight nod to the bailiff, signaling that the proceedings were over. The room began to stir again, the tension breaking as people gathered their belongings and prepared to leave. Adrian remained seated, watching as the attorneys approached the bench to receive copies of his ruling. They both thanked him, their voices respectful but cautious, as though they were speaking to a force of nature rather than a man. He gave them a curt nod in response, knowing that his face would offer no reassurance.

As the courtroom emptied, Adrian gathered his papers, slipping them into his briefcase with practiced efficiency. He stood, the weight of the day’s work beginning to lift from his shoulders. He had another case tomorrow, another set of arguments to weigh, but for now, he was done. "Evening." He said to the first person he met on the streets, he always went for a walk after the case and found himself enjoying the fresh air.

@tfrstarters

[former-fairestofthem-all]

"Lu, how many times do I have to remind you to trust me? I have the venue covered, no one is going to snake it. No, not even Debbie Dubois. Because even a shrimp puff could win in a fight with Debbie Dubois. Okay, okay--- I'm hanging up now." Emmeline clicked off her hands-free and tried to hold in the world's longest suffering sigh. You love your sister, you love your sister, you love your pain in the ass sister.

"Happy birthday to me," she mumbled.

[former-fairestofthem-all]

besties, somehow it's always 11pm i swear dguehijsok

[former-fairestofthem-all]

"Listen, I don't want to hear it. You're going to go back there and get my sister those 'Juliet Roses' or else. Thank you! This-," Emmeline's brow furrowed as she looked down at the takeaway coffee cup she'd picked. "Is not my coffee." @tfrstarters

[former-fairestofthem-all]

TEYONAH PARRIS for Essence Mag

[former-fairestofthem-all]

TEYONAH PARRIS by Diwang Valdez for the New York Times, 2021.

[former-fairestofthem-all]

emmeline as 'poison ivy'

emmeline as poison ivy

[former-fairestofthem-all]

[former-fairestofthem-all]

"you're right. if it was a gift, we could at least return it but mrs fitzherbert is for life. she's cursed to haunt the halls of networking events, ravaging the open bar, terrorizing generation after generation of old and new money nepo babies alike," em announced dramatically but not loud enough it'd cause a stir. tragic. she laughed again, wishing there were enough hours in the day to listen to gabriela roast the rest of the room. "unfortunately, it's the sugar lucille needs so it's the sugar i need. ha, yeah. don't i know it... i've worked with a lot of upper east side brides and think i can safely say, lu has them all beat. one of her special skills."

"gift is a interesting choice of word when it comes to that, but okay." she smiled and let out a laugh at emmeline's curtsy. gabriela was a fan of very few people, pennilynn lott was not one of them. "she's just grimm, never mind the fairtytale. all that sugar and sweetness of hers is enough to rot anyones teeth" interesting. the interesting rapid correction from emmeline didn't go unnoticed to gabriela. "yes, it is lucille's wedding. we're all tolerating her world for now, it's what we do for brides no matter how annoying their demands may be"