Behind Mansion Walls

9: Rebuilt

Chapter Nine: Rebuilt

The Gomez women gained new controls they hadn't had before like money. Everything always had to go through Hiram's eye before it could leave the establishment. Now that was dead, Hermione and Veronica Gomez has freedoms to do whatever they want. It took many months to actually believe that he was actually gone. Hermione focused on Lodge Industries, all while balancing her friendships and a slowly blooming relationship with the one and only man she truly trusted in her life.

Fred Andrews.

She honestly didn't know where their relationship would end up. She told Veronica a week ago that their affair was an escape that she never taken before. It happened when Hermione came to work for Fred at Andrews Construction during the first few weeks. She tried working for Pop Tate as a waitress but money wasn't coming easy.

Money never came easy to Hermione Apollonia Gomez. Her mother worked most of Mione's life as a maid at the Five Seasons. Money also was very tight for the Gomez's.

When she dated Hiram she hadn't expected him to be an abusive asshole. He tricked her with his charms hanging off his lips. All his money and glory trapped her before she knew it. She endured years of emotional and physical abuse from Hiram. She forced herself to handle every punch, lying to her loved ones and friends as the lies came tangling into knots on the rope tugging at her life boat. There had been times where she thought. What's the point? Am I really worth it? She never even shared those thoughts were her own daughter. Veronica meant the world to her. So she never tried to end it.

She knew she couldn't leave her daughter to deal with the man on her own. If it wasn't for her, she would be afraid to finish that thought. Veronica dies. She couldn't leave with that thought entering her mind. That man was gone from her life but she found it hard to refrain from thinking those thoughts.

Her long raven hair swung around when a crash like sound startled her thoughts. She became on high alert as she carefully slides her hand into her coach purse and reveals a shiny sliver hand gun. She gripped the handle as she scanned the room with suspicion in her  eyes. Her heart rate went up as the door opened, she got ready to turn the safety off when she let out a relieved sigh.

"Mamí!" Veronica cried as she saw the pistol in her mother's hand.

Hermione pulled the gun to her side, and walked up to her daughter. "Veronica... I'm sorry. I thought-" Her daughter shook her head. "It's okay." Veronica already knew what her mother thought. She still had scares like that too. "He's not here." She adds calmly as she pulled her mother into a hug.

They knew they weren't broken, only fractured by his abusive power on them. It was going to take time to put themselves back together but once they rebuilt the walls that Hiram savagely shattered.... it would be like they were them again. Veronica knew that her father caused a lot of damage. She took upon herself to challenge her anger into an beneficial resource. She talked to Smithers, Jughead Jones. They both helped her. As for Jughead, she knew that Gladys caused them a wreckage as well.

This went on for six months before Hermione finally let go of her fears and triggers. She went to therapy every Friday to deal with her abusive past. Fred and her started dating shortly after a couple months. To their surprise Veronica and Archie took the news better than expected. Of course there were rules in place. No kissing in front of them, at least not in the same room. Veronica already had a knowing smile when Hermione told her.

"Oh, well finally!" The teen exclaimed as she clapped her hands together rapidly. The two adults looked at another in shock and then back at Veronica." Oh, c'mon, Mamí! You are always smiling and I caught you kissing at Andrews Construction last month. It was completely obvious." Archie nodded.

"W-What?" Hermione squeezes out.

"And Dad, you aren't any better. You are much happier than you were with Mom. Which now that Mom has come out as lesbian it makes sense." That was true. His mother started dating Brook, an army recruiter and told him a few months ago. "I'm happy for you, Dad. Whatever this is, I am fully supporting you on this." Fred smiled as he reached for Hermione's hand.

"That's good to hear, son."

Veronica stood up from the table, leaving her mimosa untouched," Although we have some conditions."

"Conditions? Like rules?" Hermione questioned her daughter, trying to figure what  Veronica had in mind.

"Yes. First off: No. Absolutely no foreplay at the kitchen table!" Hermione's cheeks blushed. She could feel the heat in the room get warmer on her skin. "Veronica!" She coughed in shock. Veronica pointed her eyes." I mean it, Mom. Second: we are okay if you kiss but just... not in front of us. At least not all the time, alright?" The two adults nodded.

"Third: We will do the same thing." Archie added as he caught his father's blush. Hermione felt Fred's arm wrap around her. "See that is okay. But like Veronica said. Just keep it to a semi-PDA level."

After that awkward discussion, the topic changed and Hermione couldn't have been happy about that. They had good points, but Hermione had other plans that night. It was later that night, Fred's jaw dropped at the sight. Hermione wore a black lacy lingerie set, high heeled Louboutin boots strapped to her ankles.

"What's the matter, hombre sexy? You think you can't handle all this?" She taunted seductively as she bit her lip.

The kids went to Pop's for dinner and the adults had the mansion to themselves. She hadn't slept with him in years, okay maybe that was a lie. There was that time in his office last week. She was pinned against his desk, her legs straddled around his body.

"N-no. I can handle it." He breathed shakily as he walked closer to her.

Her lips curled into a smirk. "You really think so?" He nods with no hesitation in sight. "Alrighty, so this Mamacita what you've got."

And that was the last thing that happened before she shoved him against the bed eager to undress his lavish body. Fred was taken back but he didn't seem bother by it.

Eventually happiness comes from the darkness in that mansion. You may not know what happened behind the mansion walls but now Hermione could finally be happy.

The man with no soul - was dead. He could no longer rule the mansion and have to condemn to his rules. She was free.

As for FP Jones, he married Alice Smith, became friends with Fred Andrews again. He was happily married, his son he didn't know about was actually alive. He later found out that Hermione kept it a secret. He couldn't really be mad at her because she did it for her best friend. Charles was in his life. Hiram Lodge was dead in the ground. Gladys was in prison for attempted Murder, accounts of abuse of a child and drug possession.

As last Hermione Apollonia Gomez was her own Queen to the mansion, married to luscious Fred Andrews and finally happy for once in her life. Hiram's abuse long passed her she can finally breathe.

Xxx-xxx-xxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxx-xxxxxx

And this story is at its end. I really loved writing it and I hoped you liked it. It was tricky to write because Fred is now dead. Luke Perry has been gone for a year now. It still feels so surreal and it's hard to believe. I'm sad that Hermione and Fred won't have their happy ending. I hate Hiram. I know he would never hurt Veronica but in my story he's abusive and controlling.

I want thank you for all the love and support I got while writing this. It meant a lot. Thank you so much! ❤️❤️

Also stay safe out there due to this virus.

Love, Aut.