Valencia Cortez, 20

Illegitimate Daughter of Charles Reignmen

I was the forgotten one.

I watched for years as my mother struggled with health issues. I watched her die right before my eyes as I was standing there. Hoping that one day a man would come forward and tell me that everything was going to be okay. Praying that one day, my father, would reach out to me. To take ownership of me and claim me as his daughter.

I prayed every day so that I could find out who my father was. I built this image up in my head of a saint of a man. A good and decent person that had hard situations and that's why he left. I imagined a life where he came and said: "baby, I've been waiting for you,".

Instead, I found out at the age of 20 that my father was right in front of me the whole time, and not only did he father me, he knew about me.

Eleanor told me just a few months ago. They had been having marriage problems. Charles and his many years of infidelity made it so impossible to feel secure in their marriage, that Eleanor began snooping through his things just to find out who the tramp of the week was.

Charles was many things, but one thing he wasn't was a sucker. He knew what he was worth. He knew the money and power that came with knowing his name. He always took care of business when dealing with one of his exploits. Never allowing anything crazy to happen.

That is until one alcohol-fueled night with his maid Maria Cortez.

She had always admired Charles. It was hard not to. With his chiseled jawline, his fit body, his handsome and strong face. Any woman that was in his general vicinity would jump at the chance to be noticed by such a man. My mother was no different.

Cosette, Barrett, and myself were all born at the same time. My mother had me in the back of Manor with an in-house doctor while Eleanor got the best medical attention that money could buy. You see, my mother was a secret. Her child's paternity was a secret. She was just the lowly housemaid that got knocked up by some lowlife.

Imagine how I felt when I realized that the man I've cleaned house for all these years is also my father. Imagine knowing that he had a DNA test result locked away in his office and never even bothered to tell me.

Imagine feeling that unwanted.

So when Eleanor told me, I snapped. Something in me changed that day. I needed justification for the course my life had taken. I needed life to cut me a break. Even if that meant having to take it myself.

And though I didn't pull the trigger, with my help, we were able to put this whole plan into motion. This party I'm having to clean up from last night is the last thing that I will ever have to clean that isn't from my own doing. Today is the day that our grand plan unfolds, and the life that I always deserved will be within my reach.

Today, I become a Reignmen.

Cosette Reignmen, 20

Reignmen Clan

The sound of light snoring wakes me up from my sleep. My head is pounding, and the first thing I realize is the fact that I'm naked lying in my bed. I look over to my left and see Marcus Johnson lying next to me in bed. Also naked.

I lightly get up from the bed as embarrassment hits me like an 18-wheeler. What the hell happened last night?!

I run into the bathroom connected to my room and close the door. I turn on the shower and jump inside when I hear the bathroom door open, and the sound of someone using the bathroom. Peeking my head out from the curtain I see Marcus, standing in all his glory, and washing his hands in the mirror.

"So we aren't knocking anymore?" I ask as I avert my eyes from him and onto the wall.

"Not like you didn't see everything last night," he says with a chuckle.

"Yeah, listen, about that-"

"Relax Cosette," he says letting out another laugh. "I'm well aware of what a one night stand is."

Elle walks into the room and he walks out of the bathroom. He nods at her and says "What's up?" as he walks into the other room, which I'm hoping will lead to him getting out of my room.

"Uh, obviously a lot," says Elle as she goes into the bathroom and also averts her eyes. "I'm assuming you can clothe yourself and see your way out?"

He walks by the bathroom door, fully clothed this time, and nods. "Yes, I can see myself out. Cosette let me know if you want to party again," he says with a wink. "I had a nice time."

He disappears from the room and I'm left staring at Elle. Shame and confusion all erupting from every pore in my body as I quickly finish my shower and usher her to grab me a towel.

"What the hell happened last night?!" I ask her as I step out of the shower wrapped in a towel.

As I get dressed Elle begins to explain the long list of events from the night before. Including Kenna being taken to the hospital in a comatose, Demelza being found knocked unconscious, and the Reignmen children's drunken escapades throughout the rest of the evening.

"Barrett sobered up when Demelza was taken to the Hospital, but he was pretty sloshed getting into the ambulance with her. I don't remember anything past Kenna being found out on the lawn. She was covered in urine."

I lay back onto my bed and put my hands over my face. "Aren't CEOs not supposed to be doing things like this, Elle?" I ask her with a whine in my voice. "You didn't happen to wake up with a Victor in your bed, right?"

"No, I didn't," she says with a chuckle. "But I woke up with a pretty nasty headache around two hours ago,"

"Wait, what time is it?" I ask her with a shake in my voice.

"Almost 10," she says.

"CRAP!" I scream jumping from the bed and running out the door. "I'm going to be late for the District leader meeting!"

I run down the hall and grab one of my purses from the hall closet. Luckily, I keep all of them fully stocked with makeup, and run down to the garage. Parker, our valet attendant is standing there waiting to drive me to the meeting.

"Running a little late there, aren't we, Cosette?"

"No time for sass, Parker." I quickly laugh to myself because I just realized the irony of his name being Parker and a valet attendant. "I need you to drive me to the town hall so I can get ready in the back seat."

Jesse Bouda, 18

Victor of the 4th Hunger Games

Marcus arrives at the meeting 5 minutes before it is about to start. He is wearing the same clothes that he was wearing last night, and he smiles at me from ear to ear upon walking up the steps to the town hall.

"You're running late," I say to him annoyed.

"Duty called, man," he says with a chuckle. "Who am I to deny a beautiful girl some sweet love and care-"

"No time for that," I say to him ignoring his annoying frat boy antics. "We have to sell this pitch. It's important to me. I can't deal with another idiot like Graham making it into the arena. District 1 is better than that. We are one of two Districts that have multiple victors. I want to keep that trait alive."

"Graham deserved better," he says looking at me.

"We all did," I say. "I used the adrenaline rush that the games gave me as a gateway to winning. I may have enjoyed the time in the arena, but I'm not an idiot. I realize that not everyone is going to enjoy that place. I want to make sure that our people are as cared for as possible if they're walking into the arena."

"So what are we going to say?"

"We are going to start a training academy led by me and you. It will have weapon training, it will have survival stations, it will have scenario based questions that will keep them on their toes. We will teach them how to fight and succeed in battle. Things that will set them up as good as possible for when they're reaped for the games."

"Has the meeting started yet?" asks Cosette Reignmen as she runs up the steps. She blushes upon seeing Marcus and he winks at her.

"Hey, long time no see,"

"Not the time," she says as she pushes past both of us and walks into the building.

The room we walk into is filled with all 12 mayors from each District. There is a single, long, brown table that fills the middle of the room that sits on top of a lush red carpet. When Cosette walks into the room, the President clears his throat and the entire room finds a seat at the table.

"Welcome, to the meetings of Mayors." says the President. "We are joined today by 3 guests, Marcus Johnson, Victor of the second Hunger Games. Jesse Bouda, Victor of the fourth Hunger Games. And Cosette Reignmen, CEO of Reign Industries."

"How do you do?" asks Cosette standing up from her seat. "I'm excited to be here today and to talk something I think everyone will be interested in. I want Reign to be the face of the Hunger Games. I want to have us as sponsors, entertainers, and editors of the games. We will host it as a partnership, cast our talent for the MC positions, hosts, and announcers, we can make this into the biggest thing since the movie awards we did a few years back,"

The room is full of buzz, and the President nods his head in agreement. "Yes, we will take a vote now. All in favor of Reign Industries being in charge of the Hunger Games from this point on say 'I'"

"I," says the room in unison.

Cosette sits down on the seat and smiles at the men and women surrounding the table. I stand up next and address the mayor's, but make sure to give direct eye contact to the president.

"I'm going to open up a training facility in District 1 where I will train the students for the Hunger Games to make sure that they are as prepared as possible when stepping into the arena. I need money for it as well-"

"Wait," says the Mayor from District 2 standing up. "We are not able to train. That's in the rules."

"We wouldn't teach arts of war. Just basic strategies for survival and how to cook and other things like that," I lie to them.

"District 2 is the military base for the Capitol! Surely if District 1 can train we can train our kids as well. We are tired of seeing our own go in there and die year after year,"

The rest of the mayors begin to uproar as they all talk over each other. Cosette and Marcus look at each other and then quickly look away from each other as the President stands up and bangs his hand on the table.

"You will be silent in my meeting until spoken to!" he says firmly. The room dies down and he looks at me with an intense gaze, "I cannot bring your motion to the table for it breaks the laws of Panem itself. Therefore the motion is-"

The doors burst open and uniformed policeman file into the room. Everyone is confused by what's happening when they walk directly over to Cosette and stand her up from her seat. "Cosette Reignmen, you're under arrest for the murder of Charles Reignmen. You have the right to remain silent, anything can and will be used against you in a court of law.."

We are left stunned as the cops walk Cosette out of the room in handcuffs. She looks just as confused as she attempts to talk to them and figure out what is happening, but the positive side is my motion was never officially denied.

Therefore, my motion to have a training facility technically isn't out of bounds.

Eleanor Reignmen, 48

Reignmen Clan

Yes, I framed my children.

It was easy really. Provide a little alcohol, and kids these days lose their entire minds. The art of holding one's liquor truly is a lost cause on the youth.

I'm not a heartless mom, I'm doing this because I care. I've seen my kids year after year become more like their deadbeat father. I couldn't allow them to continue their path. A father's sins needed to be atoned. I needed to make sure that my kids were going to straighten out. Constantly in the media making fools of themselves, constantly spending money without any worry in the world.

It needed to stop.

It was simple enough, I programmed their phones and had IT from the company hack them and place calls to each other the night of the murder. The pistol was found in Charlie's room by our ever-so-trustworthy maid Valencia. She then also "found" the tranquilizers in Elle's room, and my sweet organized daughter Cosette left such a beautiful journal entry that detailed their plans for the murder on top of her bed.

The maid had to turn it in.

A simple anonymous phone call to the police and I'm suddenly in charge of Reign Industries. This is everything I worked for all of these years, and it's finally my time to shine as I stand and watch as they walk my three older children out.

The press is filling my yard as they are being ducked into the car, and Valencia is standing next to me with a giant smile on her face. "I am Charles Reignmen's daughter!" she shouts from the porch.

The press steps away from my children and floods us at the porch. "It is so saddening to know that my siblings killed my father, but rest assured," she says, "I'm sure the justice system will see us through."

We turn and walk back into the house leaving the press in a frenzy as we walk up the stairs. "You can have Cosette's old room," I say as I round the staircase and head to the opposite wing of the house. "She won't be needing it anytime soon,"

She nods and I am left walking the halls of my manor myself.

I pulled off what no one was ever able to do before. I challenged Charles Reignmen, and not only did I challenge Charles, but I won. The company, the fortune, the life of no longer being trapped in his shadow is right at my fingertips.

Long may I reign.

My family has always been a little messed up by normal standards. I do truly believe that what my wife did, she did out of a place of love for my children. I also think that she is a little whacked out in the head, but I have to acknowledge that I made her this way.

This story is long from over. This is merely the ending of the first part, but that's until next time.

I guess I should say it...long may she reign.

Well, that's a wrap on this story. It's such a bitter sweet experience to say that. I loved this so much. I really feel it challenged me as a writer.

Ascension will be up soon, but let me know what you guys think of this chapter and the ending!

Keep it classy,

Caleb