𝐔𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 | 𝐊𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐗 𝐅𝐞𝐦!𝐎𝐂

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟔 - Unfortunate Rescue

Veronica tried to run off the ship, however, the man of no indeterminate gender held her while the hook-handed man grabbed the others and held them tightly. "Oh no." Aunt Josephine muttered, in shock. "You can stop faking your death and running away and rescuing each other and making me ferry around this godforsaken lake searching for you." Count Olaf said. "Parenting is exhausting." The man of neither man nor woman added in, as they tried to keep Veronica in place. "You're not our parent and you never will be." Violet spat at Count Olaf, eyebrows furrowed. "On the contrary, Mr Poe is putting the finishing touches on your adoption papers this very moment. In a few hours, you will be Violet, Klaus, Veronica and Sunny Sham." He bragged in the children's faces. Veronica's breath became hesitant after he said those words; she would NEVER go back and live with that monster. All she had was the scars of her years there, she didn't want the visual reminder of the man who ruined her life.

"When we explain that you forced Aunt Josephine to write that note, Mr. Poe will tear those adoption papers into a thousand pieces." Klaus glared. "And who is Mr. Poe going to believe?" Count Olaf questioned, sarcastically. "The owner of a respectable lakeside rental agency, or four runaway pip-squeaks who go around stealing boats?" He continued. "We only stole that boat to retrieve Aunt Josephine from her hiding spot so she could tell everybody about her terrible plan." Violet explained. "No, no, no, juvie could be better." Veronica stated, giving the Baudelaires a look.

Count Olaf just ignored the brunette's comment and looked towards Josephine. "Is this true? You were going to betray me?" The woman stared towards Olaf, nervous reflecting on her face. "After all the years we spent together? After all of those picnics by the shore? After all of those shredded beef tamales I served to your husband? After all the secrets we had shared?" Count Olaf continued as he walked towards her, Josephine walking backwards. Veronica's breath became even more hesitant as she saw that she was backing towards an open fence. "Yes!" She bursted out. "I was going to betray you, and these four children gave me the courage to do so. Ever since their parents were killed, they have been so fierce and formidable, again and again escaping from your clutches." Josephine went on and on, pointing directly at the man who had ruined lives. "And what have I done all these years? Nothing but hide in my house. Well, enough of that. My house can topple off a cliff for all I care." The children looked at each other with slightly awkward looks. "Who's going to tell her?" Veronica whispered to the Baudelaires. "Later." Klaus mumbled, the two sharing a nod.

"I am ready to be fierce and formidable again myself, and to face you, Count Olaf!" The troupe gasped. "I have had enough of your schemes! I have had enough of your plots! I have had enough of your greed and your betrayal." The four watched her with proud smiles; this was the side of Josephine that they had heard of and longed to see. That time was now. "Listen to me, Olaf, you villain, you wretch, you vastly untalented actor!" Veronica chuckled under her breath as she watched Olaf take offence to her comments. It was a sight she loved to see. "I'm going to tell you something I should've told you a long time ago." Josephine said to him. "And what might that be?"

"It's 'have'!"

Everyone arched their eyebrows in confusion. "What?" Olaf questioned. "You said, 'After all the secrets we had shared.' You should have said, 'After all the secrets we have shared.' You made a serious grammatical error!" Veronica gave a sigh of annoyance. "And she's back." She said to the Baudelaires. "Let me make sure I understand." Count Olaf walked closer towards Josephine. "You would not say, 'Josephine Anwhistle had been thrown overboard to the leeches', because that would be incorrect. But if you said 'Josephine Anwhistle has been thrown overboard to the leeches,' you would be all right with that?" He asked her. "Yes!" Aunt Josephine said, and then gave a look of realisation. "I mean...no! I mean..." She tried to justify her words. And in all of a sudden, he shoved her off the Fickle Ferry and right into the water of the leeches. "Aunt Josephine!" The four screamed as they tried to get out of their grip as if they wanted to drag her out of that water.