Everyone inside the Sinclair International Airways main office conference room exchanged puzzled glances.
Present were Caspian and Diana Sinclair, Romos and Cielo Monteverde, and Jupiter and Angelina Falcon. Also seated were Langdon, Tyla, and most notably, Hades, still in his school uniform, having been summoned straight from campus by Caspian.
"What is this about, Caspian?" Jupiter asked, brows furrowed in suspicion.
"I don't really know either, old man," Caspian answered his godfather, shrugging. "Casadin asked us to make this possible. He said he wanted to speak with everyone here. He didn't explain much."
"I told you, you shouldn't indulge him. It's probably just another one of his ridiculous stunts," Diana added with a knowing smile.
"Babe, I would've ignored him, but the look on our son's face was serious," Caspian said. "You know he only gets like that when he really wants something. When it actually matters to him."
The door opened.
"Sorry I'm late," Casadin announced as he entered the room. The moment his parents laid eyes on him, their eyes widened.
He had changed out of his usual rebellious, casual wear. In its place was a crisp, perfectly tailored suit, complete with a matching black attaché case. He looked less like a troubled teen and more like a young CEO or, perhaps, a presidential candidate.
"What the hell is this, Casadin Sinclair?" Jupiter asked, baffled.
Even Romos could only shake his head in disbelief.
"Wait. Everyone, listen. I'm not here to mess around," Casadin said, walking straight to the head of the table. He placed his attaché case down, opened it calmly, and took out a USB drive. Each seat at the long conference table had its own laptop, synced to the main screen in front of the room. Casadin plugged in the drive.
"I'm here today as the official representative of Ms. Evadne Persephone Monteverde," he said clearly, voice devoid of humor. "Before any of you react, please let me finish. I would like to present a proposal."
And just like that, Casadin launched into his presentation.
Proposal for Allowing Ms. Evadne Persephone Monteverde to Participate in the Community Immersion Program
Prepared by:Casadin Sinclair
Executive Summary
This document presents the case for allowing Ms. Evadne Persephone Monteverde to participate in the upcoming Community Immersion Program. The following points outline the rationale for this decision based on her contribution, legal standing, and the current behavioral dynamics resulting from her exclusion.
Primary Contributor to the Immersion Initiative
Ms. Monteverde is not simply another student seeking to join the immersion, she is the primary force behind its realization. It is imperative to acknowledge the following:
She has spearheaded the planning, coordination, and logistics behind the program.
Ms. Monteverde has sacrificed personal time, including multiple social engagements and weekends, in favor of preparing documentation, securing locations, and ensuring safety compliance.
She has worked tirelessly, often losing sleep, to meet the necessary deadlines and ensure the immersion met NYE standards.
🔴To deny her participation is to strip her of the very fruit of her labor.
III. Legal Capacity and Consent
As of her most recent birthday, Ms. Monteverde is eighteen years of age, placing her in full legal capacity to make decisions regarding her personal involvement in external programs. The significance of this includes:
Parental consent forms in this context are designed as administrative safeguards to protect NYE from liability, not to override a student's personal rights.
In the event that Ms. Monteverde chooses to attend the immersion independently, she is well within her legal rights to do so without parental authorization.
The choice to exclude her on the grounds of missing parent consent, when she is legally autonomous, is inconsistent with her rights as an adult.
Current Behavioral Response
In response to her exclusion, Ms. Monteverde has entered a deliberate state of protest. While her actions may appear dramatic to some, they are symptomatic of deeper issues, ones we as her support system helped create.
Observable behavior includes:
A self-imposed hunger strike
An intentional emotional cold war, marked by silence and withdrawal
These actions are not intended to manipulate anyone unjustly, but rather serve as a visible outcry against what she perceives as betrayal.
🔴As difficult as it is to witness, her behavior is not your fault, or mine, but rather a result of a system that has repeatedly given in to her, shielded her, and overindulged her.
Final Note
To quote what I believe is the underlying truth:
"She is acting this way because you, including me, made her this way. So we just have to suck it up."
It is not our place to be surprised by her reactions, nor to villainize her for them. The most constructive path forward is to let her join the very program she bled herself dry to build. Anything less would be hypocritical.
Recommendation:
Allow Ms. Monteverde to participate in the Community Immersion Program. Not as a favor. Not as a concession. But because it is right.
As he read through the proposal aloud, the adults in the room could only sit in growing disbelief. Casadin wasn't joking. His tone was professional, his delivery meticulous. His demeanor radiated business.
This was not a stunt. He was dead serious.
"That concludes the final slide," Casadin said, adjusting his cufflinks. "However, before I open the floor for questions or violent reactions, kindly check the slide, titled: EVADNE IMMERSION QUESTION FLOW. Please answer the questions honestly."
There was a beat of silence as everyone hesitated. Then, slowly, one by one, they clicked the link.
💔 Do You Love Evadne?
An Emotional Reflection Flowchart
❓ Q1: Do you love Evadne?
✅ Yes → Go to Q2
❌ No →
Are you sure? After everything she's been through for you, are you really saying you don't love her?
→ Go back to Q1
❓ Q2: If you love her, don't you want her to be happy?
✅ Yes → Go to Q3
❌ No →
You say you love her, but don't care if she's happy? That's not love, that's control.
→ Go back to Q2
❓ Q3: Would you agree that missing the immersion, something she worked so hard for, would break her heart?
✅ Yes → Go to Q4
❌ No →
Even if she hides it well, can't you see how crushed she already is? Look again. Look closer.
→ Go back to Q3
❓ Q4: If she's heartbroken and isolated, do you think that's good for her health?
✅ Yes →
❗ SHAME ON YOU.
You think emotional collapse is good for her? You've stopped protecting her. You've become the reason she's hurting.
→ Go back to Q1
❌ No → Go to Q5
❓ Q5: Wouldn't it be worse for her health to feel unloved, unsupported, and punished for something that wasn't her fault?
✅ Yes → Go to Q6
❌ No →
She's not sick. She's heartbroken. And your silence is making it worse.
→ Go back to Q5
❓ Q6: So if this "health excuse" is just shielding your guilt or fear, should it really stop her?
✅ Yes →
You'd rather lie to yourself than admit you're afraid. She deserves better.
→ Go back to Q1
❌ No → Go to Q7
❓ Q7 – The Final Question:
Say it clearly and say it with love:
"YES, because I love her, she should go to the immersion."
✅ Yes → ✅ Correct. You finally understand. Let her go.
❌ No →
❗ SHAME ON YOU.
Say it again. Until it's true.
→ Go back to Q1
Remember:
She is acting this way because you, including me, made her this way.
So we just have to suck it up.
The room was eerily quiet as the adults responded to the emotional logic trap that was designed with masterful manipulation.
Caspian was the first to break.
He burst into laughter, nearly falling off his chair.
"Son," he said, looking at Casadin in awe. "You sneaky little genius." He gave him a proud thumbs up.
"Don't encourage him," Diana groaned, though her lips twitched with pride. "I don't know if I should smack him or frame this moment."
"Casadin," Romos's tone cut through the amusement, his hands clasped in front of him. "Did Vee manipulate you into doing this… presentation?"
"Of course… yes," Casadin admitted without hesitation.
"Hey, son, you weren't supposed to say that!" Diana exclaimed, half laughing, half scolding.
"My. If I said no, do you think anyone here would actually believe me?" Casadin replied flatly.
"No," Diana conceded.
"And yet here you are," Romos continued, voice tight. "Standing in front of us all. Admitting this entire presentation is one giant manipulation to get me to approve her joining the immersion."
"Gramps," Casadin leaned forward, voice edged with challenge, eyes fixed on Romos. "Let's be honest, what Vee's doing right now… doesn't it feel familiar?"
Romos didn't answer, but the tension in his jaw spoke volumes.
Casadin smirked. "Gran just looked away. That's enough proof. She's done this before, hasn't she? And both of you know damn well she's manipulating us, especially the two of you. Yes or no?"
Cielo's gaze dropped to the table, unable to meet anyone's eyes.
Casadin caught it. His grin widened.
"So, Gramps, back then, when she pulled this same act, how many days did you last before you gave in and told her yes? Come on. No shame in admitting it."
Romos still didn't speak.
"Three days," Cielo confessed quietly.
"Darling!" Romos hissed, scandalized, which only made everyone laugh.
"Three days?" Casadin repeated, eyes gleaming. "And today's the third day. So that explains why you're really here. You didn't come to decide, you came to justify giving in. You just needed a 'reason' you could live with, because you know Princess is about to take her manipulation to maximum level tonight."
"Hades," Jupiter suddenly called out, turning his piercing gaze on his son. "Is this still part of that little performance you and Evadne put on the other night?"
"What?" Hades and Angelina chorused, startled.
"Don't 'what' me, boy." Jupiter's expression was unreadable, stone-cold. "You think I didn't notice? That whole scene at dinner, your so-called argument, it was too damn dramatic to be real. You were both over the top."
Hades grimaced and scratched the back of his head, caught.
"What do you mean?" Angelina's voice was a mix of disbelief and offense. "That was planned? You can't be serious. Vee's eyes were swollen. Are you implying that was acting?"
"Ange…" Cielo reached over, gently squeezing her friend's hand. "Crocodile tears. Vee can turn them on and off like a faucet. Honestly, I don't even know whether to be proud or terrified. But even when Romos and I know she's scamming us, we still end up riddled with guilt."
Angelina could only stare, stunned.
She had genuinely pitied her goddaughter, even went out of her way to convince Jupiter to speak with Romos, just so they'd let Evadne attend the immersion. And now this?
Her eyes shifted to Hades, sharp with disappointment.
"And you said all those hurtful things… for an act?" she asked, her voice low.
"Mom, that wasn't part of the plan," Hades admitted, rubbing his temple. "We were just supposed to make her look pitiful, like she'd lost her appetite, just enough to guilt you and Dad. We didn't expect there would be guests that night. But when Cieryl opened her mouth… Vee snapped."
"You still supported her in this insanity?" Jupiter demanded.
"Sir," Hades exhaled. "It's not like I can say no. You can't say no to her. How do you expect me to?"
Jupiter looked at his son, torn between fury and reluctant admiration. He wasn't sure whether to punish him for enabling Evadne's schemes… or to commend him for staying loyally by her side.
"Alright," Caspian cut in with a chuckle, sensing the stalemate. "How about a counterproposal?"
He turned toward Romos and Jupiter, a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Let's stop pretending this proposal isn't airtight. You're just delaying the inevitable. So here's my suggestion. Let Vee go, but only under the condition that these two idiots," he gestured to Casadin and Hades, "are responsible for keeping her in line."
He paused, then pointed at Hades.
"Specifically, Vee needs to surrender all her immersion responsibilities and hand them entirely to Hades. That way, she doesn't stress herself out."
Caspian smirked. "Because if you give it to Casadin, let's be honest, Vee will still be the one calling the shots. At least with Hades, there's some semblance of discipline. He can still reprimand her... even if it's very, very limited."