#william van der bilt

[fritextramole]

masterpost

#ivy dickens #william van der bilt #polls #gg character tournament

[terrainofheartfelt]

for when my soul's too tired to speak | Chapter 6

Nate attends the will reading for his grandfather, with a surprise in store for him not the good kind

#in my doc this section is called will of the william bc I think i'm hilarious #mind the warnings in the author notes and take care of yourselves <3 #(it's nothing too terrible but i'm erring on the side of caution #anyways i hate the van der bilts me and my homies hate the van der bilts etc etc #liz's ficz #no legal knowledge just vibes #which tbh is on par for gg

[overthinkingbelle]

Aaron Tveit appreciation post.

Movie appearances/roles:

2008-Ghost Town (Anesthesiologist)

2010-Howl (Peter Orlovsky)

2011-Girl Walks into a Bar (Henry)

2012-Premium Rush (Kyle)

2012-Les Misérables (Enjolras)

2013-A Dream of Flying (The Young Man) Short film

2015- Big Sky (Pru)

2016-Undrafted (John "Maz" Mazzello)

2016-Better Off Single (Charlie) Previously named Stereotypically You

2017-Created Equal (Tommy Reilly)

2018-Out of Blue (Tony Silvero)

TV roles/appearances:

2009–2012 Gossip Girl (William "Tripp" van der Bilt III) 10 episodes

2010 Ugly Betty (Zachary Boule) Episode: "All the World's a Stage"

2010 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(Jan Eyck) Episode: "Beef"

2011 Body of Proof (Skip) Episode: "Point of Origin"

2011 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Stevie Harris) Episode: "Personal Fouls"

2011 The Good Wife (Spencer Zschau) Episode: "Executive Order 13224"

2013–2015 Graceland (Mike Warren) Main cast; 38 episodes

2016 Grease Live (Danny Zuko) Television movie

2016 BrainDead (Gareth Ritter) Main cast; 13 episodes

2017–21 The Good Fight (Spencer Zschau) 3 episodes

2019 The Code (Matt Dobbins) 5 episodes

2020 One Royal Holiday (Prince James Gallant) Television movie

2021 American Horror Stories (Adam) Episode: "Rubber(wo) Man Part Two", (Jay Gantz) Episode: "Feral"

2021–present Schmigadoon! (Danny Bailey) Main cast; 6 episodes

Theatre works:

2003 Footloose (Garvin) Merry-Go-Round Playhouse [2003 Regional production]

2004 Rent (Steve, u/s Roger, Mark) US national tour [January – December 2004 National tour replacement]

2005–08 Hairspray (Link Larkin) US national tour [August 2005 – July 2006 First national tour replacement], Neil Simon Theatre [July 18, 2006 – January 18, 2007; April 1 – May 4, 2008 Broadway replacement]

2007 Calvin Berger (Matt) Barrington Stage Company: [July 3–14, 2007 Original regional production]

2007 The Three Musketeers (D'Artagnan) North Shore Music Theatre [August 21 – September 9, 2007 Regional production]

2008–10 Next to Normal (Gabe Goodman) Second Stage Theatre [January 16 – March 16,2008 Original Off-Broadway production], Arena Stage [November 21, 2008 – January 18, 2009 Original Washington, D.C. production], Booth Theatre [March 27, 2009 – January 3, 2010 Original Broadway production]

2008 Saved! (Dean) Playwrights Horizons

[May 10 – June 22, 2008 Original Off-Broadway production]

2008–09 Wicked (Fiyero Tigelaar) Gershwin Theatre [June 24 – November 9, 2008;

January 20 – March 9, 2009Broadway replacement]

2009–11 Catch Me If You Can (Frank Abagnale, Jr.) 5th Avenue Theatre [July 28 – August 16, 2009 Original Seattle production] Neil Simon Theatre: [March 11 – September 4, 2011 Original Broadway production]

2010 Rent (Roger Davis) Hollywood Bowl: [August 6–8, 2010 Limited engagement]

2014–15 Assassins (John Wilkes Booth) Menier Chocolate Factory: [November 21, 2014 – February 8, 2015 Off-West End revival]

2017Company (Robert) Barrington Stage Company: [August 10 – September 10, 2017 Regional revival]

2018–22; 2023 Moulin Rouge!(Christian) Emerson Colonial Theatre: [July 10 – August 19, 2018 Original Boston production] Al Hirschfeld Theatre: [June 28, 2019 – March 11, 2020, September 24, 2021 – May 8, 2022, January 17 – April 9, 2023 Original Broadway production; paused due to COVID-19 , Won 2020 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, Returning for limited engagement in 2023]

Feb. 9-May 12, 2023 Sweeney Todd (title role) Broadway revival, Lunt-Fontanne Theater (replacement)

Source: Wikipedia

#aaron tveit #musical #les miserables #broadway #graceland #brain dead #next to normal #catch me if you can #hairspray #wicked #moulin rouge #rent #grease #gossip girl

[astro-tag-9]

Gossip girl characters and what I think their big 3 would be part V

Hazel Williams- Libra sun, Libra moon, Cancer Rising

Isabel Coates- Aries sun, Aries moon, Virgo Rising

Kati Farkas- Leo sun, Pisces moon, Pisces rising

Philip Becker- Cancer sun, Sagittarius moon, Cancer rising

Kira Abernathy- Sagittarius sun, Pisces moon, Cancer rising

Jessica Leitenberg- Gemini sun, Cancer sun, Virgo rising

Alessandra Steele- Virgo sun, Gemini moon, Leo rising

Max Harding- Aries sun, Aries moon, Aries rising

Anne Archibald- Taurus sun, Leo moon, Virgo rising

Howard Archibald- Taurus sun, Aries moon, Pisces rising

Maureen Van Der Bilt- Leo sun, Capricorn moon, Scorpio rising

#astrology #scorpio #aries #leo #virgo #libra #taurus #aquarius #cancer #gemini #Sagittarius #Capricorn #Pisces #gossip girl #nate archibald #serena vanderwoodsen #blair waldorf #Chuck bass #dan humphrey #rhodes #Humphrey #eric van der woodsen

[maximumphilosopheranchor]

My top 5 worst ships on Gossip Girl

Musing about this show again...

Dan/Blair - I can’t stress enough how contrived this couple was. Blair was unrecognizable in this relationship, it was like with Dan she ceased to be Blair Waldorf and literally became Claire, the character of his book. Dan loved the version of Blair he created in his head and Blair didn’t love Dan but exchanged her fact for his fiction and used him to run away from her feelings for Chuck and hide from her reality and in process hurt people around her.

Serena/Gossip Girl - The concept of Dan being Gossip Girl is simply incompatible with him having a genuine love for Serena. Just think about the enormity he did! Dan systematically and methodically was poisoning  her life, hurting her and coldly lying to her face FOR YEARS while pretending to be morally superior because he wanted - what? - power, attention and her. And in the end he wasn’t even sorry, in the finale all that mattered to him was to prove to Blair that he had more power than her. Honestly, all this Gossip Girl business makes Dan the worst person on the show after Season 6 Bart Bass.

Lily/William van der Woodsen - I get that Lily herself had a devious, dark side but did she really deserve to be left with her untrustworthy ex-husband who abandoned their children, ignored Serena’s attempts to communicate with him, manipulated Lily into thinking that she had cancer and fake-treated her, had a child with her sister and whose plan to gain her back included scheming together with the Lily hating con-artist Ivy to ruin Lily’s marriage? In all his existence on this show this guy showed no redeemable qualities.

Serena/Tripp van der Bilt - Throughout the show Serena demonstrated her poor judgement in men and the married congressman Tripp who lusted after her and later cowardly abandoned her injured on the road after the car accident putting the blame for the accident on her was one of her worst choices. At least their affair was relatively brief.

Nate/Catherine Beaton - At the beginning of Season 2 a 17-year-old Nate had an affair with a married and much older woman, the duchess named Catherine Beaton who treated him as her boy-toy and to whom Nate ended up prostituting himself to help his mother with money because his family was bankrupt. Thankfully the whole thing didn’t last long.

#Gossip Girl #Dan Humphrey #Serena van der Woodsen #Blair Waldorf #Lily van der Woodsen #William van der Woodsen #Nate Archibald

[auspicioused]

this   is   [   BRADFORD VAN DER BILT   ]   the   [   TWENTY-ONE   ]  year   old   [   FLORIST   ]  who’s   known   to   be   the   [   SERENDIPTIST   ]   and   looks   just   like   [   MICHAEL CIMINO   ] 

heyo , my name is jay ( 24 , est ) ! so this is the precious bean bradford. his google docs can be found HERE, but i’ll summarize his life / bio a bit below the cut ! 

youngest born to william (politician) & vivian (supermodel) 

his older penelope is a nurse and his older brother marcos is an attorney 

after his birth his family only became more successful, so he was always surrounded by wealth and good vibes 

excelled in classes, golf, tennis, playing the piano, and playing the violin 

double majored in business administration and marketing 

broke out on his own and opened up clover’s den, a flower shop in town 

his parents didn’t support his business endeavor because they wanted him to go to med school or to also become a politician, but he didn’t care he still went for it 

was frenemies with sybil (they continuously challenged each other grade wise) 

his wanted connections from his app can be found below ! 

rags and riches: someone that he can spoil even if it’s purely a platonic connection. bradford knows that he’s wealthy and because of that, more doors are opened for him. this person is not as well off as him, but he liked their vibe and somehow ended up lending / giving them some money. it could be getting them a better place to live in, paying their rent, or supporting one of their passions in life. whether he’s taking charge of something as big as that, he likes paying whenever they go out to eat or party. 

yin and yang: while he can be quite optimistic, he knows that not everyone out there is like that. this person is probably more realistic or even pessimistic. whenever he’s phrasing something in a hopeful tone, they either bring him down or don’t believe him. regardless, they somehow still get along. the whole opposites attract thing while keeping each other balanced. 

flora regular: someone that frequents clover’s den a lot! whether it’s because they just want to talk to him, or they’re buying a lot of bouquets, or he gives them advice on how to keep other plants alive is up in the air. he always looks forward to seeing them, especially during the busy weeks where the town is bustling and no one seems to be stationary. perhaps he helps them out with a crush? 

#◦ 「 ☆ 」 —— intro . #not this making me realize a whole section on the doc is blank #aeknehkt brb ya'll

[xoxo-gossipgirlrp]

Let me know if this is right!

Hey y’all, as y’all know, I’m trying to get our main up to date with the current resident status and how many people are college/adults and how many people are in high school. Under the cut is what I have and I THINK it’s all correct but please let me know!

COLLEGE/ADULT:

Daniel “Dan” Humphrey

Francesca “Frankie” Astor

Reid Thorton

Chuck Bass

Roxanne Long

Carter Baizen

Quinn Porter

Andrew Peak

Cassandra Doizer

Jenny Humphrey

Briar Coleman

William “Tripp” van der Bilt III

Marilyn Sinclair

Jordan Barnes

Vanessa Abrams

Clarissa Buckley

Aurora Astor

Matteo Ciram Rozen

Serena van der Woodsen

Juliet Sharp

Bryce Cunningham

Nate Archibald

Sage Edwards

Kai Jordans

Ryker Maddox

Blair Waldorf

Evelyn Simms

Georgina Sparks

Tucker Banks

Xavier Whitmore

Dylan Reign Jackson

Everleigh Smith

HIGH SCHOOL:

Isabella “Ella” Hampton

Otto “Obie” Bergmann IV

Asher Kramer

Akeno “Aki” Menzies

Monet de Haan

Max Wolfe

Elijah Hamilton

Jasper Novak

Julien Calloway

Amber West

Kennedy Rain Vanderbilt

Oliver Lewis

Chandler Ford

Dean Adler

Luna La

Sabrina “Sabie” Williams

Natalia Rose Harper

Waverly Broder

Audrey Hope

Stella Wallace

#ggadminnotice #thanks rian for noticing my error <3

[strideofpride]

Gossip Girl and Old Money vs. New Money

tldr: I broke down the family background and class status of the Archibald/Van der Bilt, Bass, Rhodes/Van der Woodsen, and Waldorf families. Because even among the 1%, old money vs. new money is still a very real difference to them.

Archibald/Van der Bilt (aka Vanderbilt) family: In the world of the show, Nate's family is presented as the oldest money of them all. His mom is a Vanderbilt (spelled Van der Bilt on the show presumably for legal reasons) a real wealthy American family. Although, among the insanely wealthy, the Vanderbilts are technically not old money. In America, old money technically refers to families who made their money prior to the Revolutionary War. Anything else is technically new money (although one anthropologist has stated starting from the 1930s on you can refer to the Vanderbilts as old money - they would just be Lower-Upper compared to an Upper-Upper family that made their money in the 1600/1700s). The Vanderbilts didn't make their money until the Gilded Age and they did it by building a shipping and railroad empire. To my knowledge, the real Vanderbilts are not a political family; the show probably took from the Kennedys there.

The Archibald family, on the other hand, are clearly not old money. I don't remember specific scenes or episodes off the top of my head, but that's implied throughout all of Anne and Howard's interactions and you can just sense it in their dynamic. I do think Howard probably still grew up rich what with Dartmouth and all (also let's be real, Anne wouldn't have married him if he wasn't), but he was probably a first gen rich boy, and I think that tracks with him going into Wall Street and investment banking instead of something more "proper". Also I think it's canon that William Van der Bilt purchased the family home and boat for them? So yeah.

Bass family: The Bass family on the other hand is as new money as they come. Bart might be evil sure, but he's truly a self-made man (or as self-made as a billionaire can be - no one earns a billion dollars without exploitation of their workers - but Bart was canonically born poor). In 107, it's established that a lot of Bart's resentment of Chuck comes from the fact that Chuck was born and raised in privilege while Bart came from nothing.

The Bass family is primarily a real estate family, owning hotels and buildings. Obviously, I have to make the most obvious family comparison here: the Trumps. The Bass family is a rival of the Trumps in the show and I think there is an obvious parallel of Bart as Fred, the shady developer who built his family fortune from the ground up using dubious methods, and Chuck as Donald, the son who earned none of what he was handed, a sexual predator, and all around asshole who ended up taking his father's company and running it into the ground multiple times. (God I'm just realizing that if Chuck was real and ran for president he'd unfortunately probably win too).

In the books I think the Bass family even owns the Plaza, just like Trump did, although this was probably changed to the Palace in the show since they were more willing to let them film regularly there.

Rhodes/Van der Woodsen family: In reality, the oldest money of them all would probably be the Van der Woodsens. Van der Woodsen is a Dutch name, and that implies that they are a family that has been in New York since it was New Amsterdam, such as the Stuyvesant, Gansevoort, Schuyler (yes like the sisters from Hamilton), and Van Cortlandt families (I believe this is the case in the books). And yes, doctors make good money, sure, but you can't afford a penthouse apartment in Manhattan on a doctor's salary, let alone yachts or private jets or anything else Serena and Eric seemed to have grown up with. I think it's safe to assume that William comes from a very wealthy family.

Now the Rhodes family on the other hand is more complicated. Cece married a record executive and moved out to California with him. However, she clearly came from an elite Upper East Side family and I think this tracks with her choosing to raise her children in Montecito, a classier, more traditional and conservative neighborhood up in Santa Barbara compared to rich Los Angeles neighborhoods such as Beverly Hills and Brentwood. (Although did she live in Los Angeles with Rick pre-divorce and only moved herself and the girls up there after the split? Unclear.)

In 113 though, Blair makes reference to the Waldorf name and reputation while disparaging Serena, implying that her and her family have a trashier reputation. So my guess is that Cece marrying a record exec and raising her kids out in California probably knocked her down a peg in Upper East Side society. Lily probably gained some of that prestige back by marrying a Van der Woodsen, but then the three divorces by the time of the pilot probably sunk them back down again.

Waldorf family: The Waldorf family is the most confusing one to decipher. The name Waldorf obviously makes you think of the Waldorf Astoria (I'm sure that's where Cecily von Ziegesar got the name from) and the Astor family, one of the Upper Upper old money families of America. Waldorf actually comes from Walldorf, the name of the town in Germany the Astors were originally from. However, the show Waldorfs seem to bear no relation to the Astors or the hotel.

Harold almost certainly came from money. He went to Yale, and I believe he was a lawyer? Which again, sure, lawyers make good money, but not Manhattan penthouse, French chateau, and private jet money. There must have been family money involved.

Eleanor, on the other hand, I'm not so sure. She seems like a self-made woman and she makes a big deal in season 2 when Blair considers not going to college and going down the Maureen van der Bilt path about how "Waldorf women are not socialites". Also it does not seem to be a big deal for her at all to marry a Jewish man (Cyrus), something that might be different if she was a true born and bred blue blood WASP.

And certainly successful fashion designers can be extremely wealthy (Ralph Lauren's net worth is estimated at 7 billion), but Waldorf Designs is clearly a much smaller company than Ralph Lauren (it's not even public). She probably has a net worth in the tens of millions, but believe it or not that's still not regular access to private jet money. Which makes me think Harold almost certainly does have family money. And again, this tracks since in 113 it's made clear that the name Waldorf means something in Upper East Side society. So my guess would be that the Waldorf family is closer to old money than new money. But still nowhere near the level of the Van der Bilts.

#did anyone ask for this? no #did i spend lots of time working on this anyway? yes #i know ive posted a lot of gg today but ive been working on this for two days and just want it out there #gossip girl #gg meta #nate archibald #chuck bass #serena van der woodsen #blair waldorf #howard archibald #anne archibald #william van der bilt #bart bass #william van der woodsen #lily van der woodsen #cece rhodes #eleanor waldorf #harold waldorf

[ggcaps]

#serena van der woodsen #Blake Lively #chace crawford #nate archibald #William van der Bilt #gossip girl #Father And The Bride #Serenate

[fritextramole]

Gossip Girl Appreciation Week Day 7: Giving Me Free Choice Was A Mistake

In a bizarre turn of events, I decided to figure out where Nate (maybe) sits in the van der Bilt family tree, based on the real life Vanderbilts

the blue is the real Vanderbilt family, the red is fiction

For the sake of space, I didn't put everyone, and in the breakdown I'll only put the direct line (+ a couple relevant relatives)

Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877) was the magnate who made the name

his eldest son

William Henry Vanderbilt I (1821-1885) attended Columbia, but didn't graduate

has 2 sons to mention

William Kissam Vanderbilt I (1849-1920) had a son named after him, but that's not important (yet)

it's his older brother

Cornelius Vanderbilt II (1843-1899) who has the line were following

his son

Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt (1877-1915) who died in the sinking if the RMS Lusitania, but not before the birth of his eldest

William Henry Vanderbilt III (1901-1981) was married 3 times, and with his second wife had

William Henry Vanderbilt IV (1945-) a fairly private man, who I'm adapting into the William we know as Nate's grandfather

we'll give him a son and a daughter

The daughter is Anne, which brings us to Nate

The son doesn't have a canon name, but does have a canon son of his own

William Kissam Vanderbilt III, named after his great-great-great and great-great-great-great uncles, William Kissam Vanderbilt I and II, and nicknamed Tripp

a fun fact to close us out: Alfred's sister Gertrude married a Whitney, making her related (at least by marriage) to Eric's boyfriend Jonathan, who's stated to be a Whitney in 3x09. Unfortunately we don't know enough about Jonathan's immediate family to know how related he and Nate are (at the closest, 4th cousins; at the farthest, they share some distant relatives but aren't related themselves (à la Dan and Serena))

#a second fun fact: those 2 Georges you see are named 'George Washington Vanderbilt' #nate archibald #gossip girl #gg #ggaw23 #this show makes me insane

[noratilney]

Gossip Girl OC Masterlist (wip)

Audrey Humphrey

Full Name: Audrey Stella Humphrey

Nickname(s): Aud, Mini B (by Gossip Girl), A (by Gossip Girl)

Face Claim: Kaylee Bryant

Fic Title: All that Glitters

Connections: Chloe Baizen (best friend), Emma Navarro Medina (friend), Rani Tamboli (friend), Adele Nguyen (friend), Betsy Rhodes (friend), Charlotte Grimaldi (maternal half-sister), Atticus Humphrey (younger brother), Blair Waldorf (mother), Dan Humphrey (father), Eleanor Waldorf (grandmother), Harold Waldorf (grandfather), Cyrus Rose (step-grandfather), Roman Garrel (step-grandfather), Rufus Humphrey (grandfather), Alison Humphrey (grandmother), Lily Humphrey (step-grandmother), Jenny Humphrey (aunt), Serena van der Woodsen (aunt), Eric van der Woodsen (uncle), Aaron Rose (uncle)

Biography Stub:

———————————————————————

Chloe Baizen

Full Name: Chloe Imani Baizen

Nickname(s): Chlo, C (by Gossip Girl)

Face Claim: Samantha Logan

Fic Title: All that Glitters

Connections: Audrey Humphrey (best friend), Emma Navarro Medina (friend), Rani Tamboli (friend), Adele Nguyen (friend), Betsy Rhodes (friend), Raina Thorpe (mother), Carter Baizen (father), Gregory Baizen (grandfather), Lydia Baizen (grandmother), Russell Thorpe (grandfather), Avery Thorpe (grandmother, deceased), Caroline Baizen (aunt)

Biography Stub:

———————————————————————

Emma Navarro Medina

Full Name: Emilia Beatriz Navarro Medina

Nickname(s): Emma, E (by Gossip Girl)

Face Claim: Victoria Morales

Fic Title: All that Glitters

Connections: Betsy Rhodes (best friend), Audrey Humphrey (friend), Chloe Baizen (friend), Rani Tamboli (friend), Adele Nguyen (friend), Cordelia van der Bilt (stepsister), Hector Cordoba Navarro (father), Valentina Solis Medina (mother), Maureen Stewart (stepmother)

Biography Stub:

———————————————————————

Cordelia van der Bilt

Full Name: Cordelia Almira van der Bilt

Nickname(s): Cordy

Face Claim: Maia Mitchell

Fic Title: All that Glitters

Connections: Divya Tamboli (best friend), Emma Navarro Medina (stepsister), Tripp van der Bilt (father), Maureen Stewart (mother), Valentina Solis Medina (stepmother), William van der Bilt II (grandfather), Mrs. van der Bilt (grandmother), Mr. Stewart (grandfather), Mrs. Stewart (grandmother), Anne Archibald (great-aunt), Howard Archibald (great-uncle), Nathaniel Archibald (first cousin once removed), William van der Bilt I (great-grandfather)

Biography Stub:

———————————————————————

Rani Tamboli

Full Name: Rani Tamboli

Nickname(s): R (by Gossip Girl)

Face Claim: Maitreyi Ramakrish

Fic Title: All that Glitters

Connections: Adele Nguyen (best friend), Audrey Humphrey (friend), Chloe Baizen (friend), Emma Navarro Medina (friend), Betsy Rhodes (friend), Divya Ramboli (older sister)

Biography Stub:

———————————————————————

Adele Nguyen

Full Name: Adele Nguyen

Face Claim: Chelsea Clark

Fic Title: All that Glitters

Connections: Rani Tamboli (best friend), Audrey Humphrey (friend), Chloe Baizen (friend), Emma Navarro Medina (friend), Betsy Rhodes (friend)

Biography Stub:

———————————————————————

Betsy Rhodes

Full Name: Elizabeth Celia Rhodes

Nickname(s): Betsy, B (by Gossip Girl)

Face Claim: Sydney Sweeney

Fic Title: All that Glitters

Connections: Emma Navarro Medina (best friend), Rani Tamboli (friend), Audrey Humphrey (friend), Chloe Baizen (friend), Adele Nguyen (friend), Ivy Dickens (mother), Lola Rhodes (mother), Carol Rhodes (grandmother), William van der Woodsen (grandfather), Mrs. Dickens (grandmother, deceased), Mr. Dickens (grandfather, deceased), Lily Humphrey (great-aunt), Rufus Humphrey (great-uncle), Serena van der Woodsen (first cousin once removed), Eric van der Woodsen (first cousin once removed)

Biography Stub:

———————————————————————

Divya Tamboli

Full Name: Divya Tamboli

Nickname(s): TBD

Face Claim: Ashley Simone

Fic Title: All that Glitters

Connections: Cordelia van der Bilt (best friend), Rani Tamboli (younger sister)

Biography Stub:

———————————————————————

Lindy Thomas

Full Name: Belinda Rebecca Thomas

Nickname(s): Lindy, L (by Gossip Girl)

Face Claim: Kiernan Shipka

Fic Title: All that Glitters

Connections: Audrey Humphrey (classmate), Chloe Baizen (classmate), Emma Navarro Medina (classmate), Rani Tamboli (classmate), Adele Nguyen (classmate), Betsy Rhodes (classmate)

Biography Stub: the new girl from Brooklyn

#masterlist #my ocs #audrey humphrey #chloe baizen #emma navarro medina #cordelia van der bilt #rani tamboli #adele nguyen #betsy rhodes #divya tamboli #lindy thomas #Gossip Girl stuff

[terrainofheartfelt]

Like - Chuck, Blair, and Nate all had jobs were it would’ve been REQUIRED to at least have a bachelors. Like I truly think it would’ve been a requirement in Bart’s will that Chuck has to graduate first before he can take over the company, and given what we’ve seen of Eleanor and William van der Bilt, it makes no damn sense that either one of them would’ve been like “fuck college, you’re qualified to be a CEO now!” even with the nepotism.

you said it!!! I said in a completely unrelated ask earlier that I couldn't get a job in my field with a masters degree...smh. and the hyper-critical way all those parents/grandparents are, it's hard to believe that they wouldn't demand those kids finish at least an undergraduate degree (even forgetting how self-driven Blair actually is)

there's a detail I love in @nevertothethird's fic Wrapped in Ribbons (one of my main inspos for MoF) where Blair pulls her shit together to pull Waldorf Designs together and she finishes her bachelors and gets an MBA. now that's girlbossery

I think it's just another case of the teen soap Needing to Raise the Stakes as High as Possible, fuck the longterm narrative implications.

anyways Blair & Nate finish uni and none for chip wiskers bye <3

#asks #if nobody got me i know tumblr user strideofpride got me #anti chuck bass #but for real batty wiskers was SUCH an asshole about the small things why would he not have this stipulation in handing over his company? #strideofpride #hope you don't mind the tag dear the discourse today reminded me of your fic <3

[astro-tag-9]

Gossip girl characters and what I think their big 3 would be part VI

Catherine Beaton- Taurus sun, Taurus moon, Sagittarius rising

William Van Der Bilt- Gemini sun, Cancer moon, Capricorn rising

Bree Buckley- Cancer sun, Taurus moon, Aries Rising

Jonathan Whitney- Cancer sun, Aquarius moon, Cancer Rising

Richard Rhodes- Virgo sun, Leo moon, Libra rising

Elliot Garfield- Taurus sun, Libra moon, Capricorn rising

Elizabeth Fisher- Scorpio sun, Scorpio moon, Sagittarius Rising

Roman Garrel- Pisces sun, Libra moon, Gemini rising

Harold Waldorf- Virgo sun, Capricorn moon, Libra Rising

Gabriel Edwards- Sagittarius sun, Taurus moon, Capricorn rising

#astrology #scorpio #aries #leo #virgo #libra #taurus #aquarius #cancer #gemini #gossip girl #Catherine beatin #van Der Bilt #Bree Buckley #rick rhodes #rhodes #jonathan #eric and Jonathan #Cecelia and Richard #elizabeth fisher #roman and Harold #harold Waldorf #roman #gabriel edwards #Serena x Gabriel #serena vanderwoodsen #blair waldorf #Chuck bass #nate archibald

[mrs-nate-humphrey]

I’m guessing anon is referring to Thanksgiving season 2 when Howard was going to hold Anne and Nate hostage (non-violently and Anne might’ve been in on it but I don’t fully remember) in order to get ransom money from William Van der bilt so they could all run off to the Caribbean together

HUH yeah this makes sense!!! my memory of that is nate turning his dad in to the cops, but i guess that's a valid way to interpret it, too!

#poor natie #thank you S! #strideofpride

[honevspoke]

( olivia holt, she/her, 20 ) - is that serena van der woodsen around eastcliff ? i heard that she is from gossip girl. they’re usually known as friendly & irresponsible. people often associate sunshine in her hair, freshly manicured nails, pink skies and cameras flashing as they try to get a glimpse of new york’s it girl when they look at you.

stats.

full name: serena van der woodsen

nickname(s): s

species: human

sexuality: bisexual

fandom: gossip girl

info.

here is her wiki page

she’ll be set in season 3 after her affair with tripp van der bilt and at the beginning of her relationship with nate

her parents are lily and william van der woodsen and she’s got some major daddy issues going on

she’s also got her brother, eric.

watching as her mother was in and out of relationships most of her life has really given her some commitment issues

she made it through high school with a lot of different drama

but she did it

she ended up taking a year off from college, not sure why she was going if it wasn’t something that she really wanted to do

and started working, first with a publicist and then she worked with tripp van der bilt after he won his election. 

feelings quickly grew and after tripp found out his wife faked someone jumping into the water so he could save them and end up getting elected, he decided to separate from her and started up a relationship with serena

it ended after they were alone together for awhile and tripp ended up going back to his wife and lying to serena and then they got in a car accident on their way back into the city and tripp moved serena’s body so it seemed like she was the one driving instead

nate was at her side the whole time and then after he came back, they were trying not to rush things, but figured out they both finally wanted to be together so that was all that mattered.

next thing she knows she’s on this different earth and doesn’t know anyone.

she’s kind of enjoying the fact that no one knows her and she can start over without gossip girl looming anything over her head, but she misses her friends.

#( intro ; serena van der woodsen. ) #eastcliffintro

[captainscanadian]

Exception | Carter Baizen x Reader (Part 1)

My Masterlist

Prologue

Summary: After fifteen years of being away from the Upper East Side, you return to your home in hopes of making amends with your loved ones. But unbeknownst to you, the past that you had chosen to run away from was about to start haunting you. You had no choice but to face it. You could not run or hide away from it any longer.

Word Count: 7100+

Pairing: CEO!Carter x Lawyer!Reader

Warnings: Swearing, Gossip Girl References, Heart Attack, Mentions of Death, Capitalism (I HAD TO!)

A/N: As you all know by now, this is my entry for @baezen​‘s writing challenge. I am super excited to be posting the first part because this is going to be quite an intense emotional roller coaster for everyone. I would like to dedicate this one to Her Majesty, the Queen of Carter Baizen, because if it wasn’t for her, I never would have convinced myself to write this fic. I love you, Steph! Tag list is open, just send in an ask to be tagged. Love you all! <3

June 14, 2020

According to Dan Humphrey, the Upper East Side was like something from Fitzgerald or Thackeray. Not that you would ever consider the perspective of an outsider trying to get in when looking to describe your own home. You felt that your own experiences of growing up here would be more than enough if there ever was a need to describe life in the Upper East Side. The Upper East Side of Manhattan, as much as you hated it for its opulent wealth and snobbish residents, it had always had a special place in your heart. It was your home.

Being born into an affluent family that belonged to Manhattan’s elite was not something that you had asked for. But you had been born and raised in the Upper East Side, with a silver spoon in your hand and a trust fund under your name. It had been your birthright to be a part of this world; a birthright that you had chosen to leave behind fifteen years ago.  Not that you had a choice in that matter either. Leaving New York City had not been a choice that you had willing made. Hell, you did not even know that you would not be returning to the city when you had first left. The circumstances at the time had made it impossible for you to do anything else but run away and never look back. You never looked back, no. Not until now. Sometimes, you just had to be forced into returning to the past that still haunted you to this day. Fate was just so fucked up like that, making you leave involuntarily and now making you come back, also involuntarily.

As the pilot made the final announcement that you would be landing in New York momentarily, you leaned over in your seat to stare out the tiny window. The city that you had left behind all those years ago with your hopes and dreams that had been crushed soon after you had left; in an instant, your entire life had turned upside down. The next thing you knew, you had fled the life of the Upper East Side for good.

This city had waited long enough to see your return. As you flew above the sky, inching closer to the ground, your eyes glazed over with salty tears. They pricked at the brim of your eyelids before they rolled down, your heart breaking as you finally came to terms with the day you had left. Young and barely exposed to the real world; spoiled and stupid you had been. You had no idea back then, that your life was about to change so drastically just days later. But look at you now, you were finally home.

Once you had landed, you stretched your bare feet, hearing you ankles crack as you let out a yawn. You made a mental note to book an appointment for a pedicure sometime, not that the reason for your trip was to revel in the luxuries that you had left behind immediately after you arrived. No, if you had your way, you would not even be here right now. You were left with no choice but to return after that scare you had received a few days ago. You could not stay away for so long. Fifteen years were more than enough.

Your Louboutin heels clicked as you descended from the Y/L/N Industries’ private jet, your eyes darting towards the familiar man who stood by the limousine to greet you. Your lips curled into a smile as you recognized him in an instant. How could you forget that man? “Walter!” You exclaimed, for your heart swelled at seeing your old friend. He looked a lot more seasoned than the last time you had seen him; quite literally, his hair looked as though it had been sprinkled even with salt and pepper. He wore a pair of rimless spectacles now, his eyes probably blinding with age. But he was still the same man otherwise, still your personal chauffeur and the first best friend you ever had.

“Welcome home, Miss. Y/L/N.” His voice cracked as he greeted you and in a moment, he held out his arms to wrap you up in an embrace. “You’ve grown so much.”

You choked back your tears as you returned his hug, taking in his scent as you shut your eyes for a moment. “It’s good to be home.” You admitted, pulling back from the hug to fondly tap his nose. It had been a habit of yours ever since you were a little girl. “You’ve grown so much too, Walter.”

“It’s good to have you back, sweetheart.”

You nodded as you watched him grab your luggage and load it into the limo. “Walter, how is he?” You asked the man as you crossed your arms against your chest, pressing your lips shut as you inhaled a sharp breath of New York’s fresh air. You were home now, but you were worried sick nevertheless. There was a reason behind your return.

“The doctors discharged him this morning.” He replied, sighing as he turned back to look at you. “He’s back home now. Would you like me to take you to see him first?”

You breathed out a sigh before shaking your head. “No, take me over to my mother’s place first. I’ve been on a plane for eight hours. I really need a shower and then... I’ll see him when I’m ready.” You told him with a frown. Truth be told, even though you had finally returned to New York, you were still not ready to face the mistakes of your pasts just yet. You knew you had to come to terms with them somehow, the sooner you did the better it would be for the duration of your stay here. But you could not help it. Your guilt had been eating you away for years now.

The limo ride from the airport to your mother’s penthouse had been rather quiet. You could not stare intently into the streets of New York City through the tainted windows no matter how hard you tried. You could not get a glimpse of the world you had left behind. Perhaps, that was a good thing. Otherwise, your anxious mind would have tried to convince Walter to take you right back to the airport and you would have flown straight back to London with no further explanation.

While you had deemed that your life in the Upper East Side was complicated, your childhood spent in this city had been wonderful. Despite the fact that your parents had divorced when you were merely a toddler, they had chosen to put their differences aside when it came to raising you. Their split was amicable nevertheless and they remained good friends even today. Your father is the CEO of Y/L/N Industries. Your mother, a British heiress and a distant relative of the van der Bilt family, you had always been showered with the love that came from family, along with the wealth that you would inherently inherit. Your parents had done their best, but you had been the one to ruin the life that they had given you. It was all on you.

The moment you arrived at your mother’s penthouse apartment, you were greeted by your beloved maid and former nanny, Annalise. The woman had been working in your childhood home for as long as you could remember. Even after you had left town, she had been the one to update you on how things had been going on in New York. She had helped you keep tabs on your parents. “Miss Y/N!” She exclaimed as you stepped out of the elevator, tackling you with a tight hug that you had grown to miss so much over the last fifteen years.

“Annalise...” Your eyes glazed over once more and you found yourself choking back your tears again. “Oh how I missed you.” You admitted, sighing as you pulled back from the hug. “We have a lot to talk about. But first, where is my mother?” You looked around the familiar home as you entered through the foyer, heading towards the living room to hear your mother’s chatter coming from down the hall.

“Your mother’s in the dining hall. She’s been on the phone with her cousin since she woke up this morning. I would suggest that you save her from that hell.” The maid informed you before she grabbed the cart that held your suitcases up to your bedroom.

You chuckled softly before giving her a nod. “Thank you, Annalise.”  

“Anne, I hate to be the one to tell you what to do. It’s his wedding and none of this is your call to make.” Your mother spoke intently on the phone, rolling her eyes as the other woman before she looked up at you. “I would suggest that you back off and just let them do their thing. They’re not kids anymore.”

You chuckled softly, biting down on your lip so that the woman who was ranting to your mother could not hear you through the speaker phone. Despite the fact that Anne Archibald was a distant cousin of your mother’s, no one in the family could stand her. After the drug scandal that landed her husband in prison and William Van der Bilt had managed to cut her off, your mother had been the only one who still spoke to her, much to your insistence. You walked around the table to pull your mother into a hug from behind, placing a soft kiss on the top of her head.

“Alright Anne, I hear you but I should let you go. Y/N just got home and... I’ll be busy for the next couple of days.” Your mother was relieved to finally say goodbye to her cousin, for the woman had always been a talkative soul who had no sense of time whatsoever. “Yes, of course, I will see you at the wedding.”

You pulled back from the hug before letting out a laugh. “When were you going to tell me that Nate was getting married?” You asked her as you sat down on the chair next to hers, reaching for a pastry that had been laid out on the table and popping it in your mouth.

“Even if I did tell you, would it have been reason enough to get you back here?” Your mother asked, teasingly. “I would have told you if I could, baby. But the whole wedding planning has been kept a secret and I didn’t know if you would be interested in finding out that your beloved little Nate’s getting married anyways. I assumed he would have told you, since you two do talk... right?”

“Mom...” You sighed. “Nate’s the closest thing I’ve had to a brother and if he wanted me at his wedding, I would have certainly made the effort to be there. I haven’t spoken to him recently though. The last time we spoke, I tried to talk him out of running for mayor and that did not end well. I did’nt think it was best to call him up and gloat when he lost the election.”

“Y/N, that was over two years ago.”

“I know, I know... I... I might go down and see him while I’m in town, you know... though I’m not sure if he would want me at his wedding.” You agreed with a shrug.

Your mother nodded. “How was your flight?”

“Good.” You replied as you swallowed the last bite of your pastry.

“And how do you feel now that you’re back here...?” She asked you, biting down on her bottom lip as she picked up her steaming cup and sipped her Earl Grey. When you had made the decision to never return to New York, your mother had been the one who had offered you her estate in London for you to stay in. While she had been disappointed in the way you had handled things, she had stood by every other decision you had made since then. Your mother was the rock of your life; she had always been.

“I don’t know.” You admitted, looking down at your hands as your mind wandered to that dreadful night once more. “I... it doesn’t feel like home anymore, but it’s only a matter of time until it does. I just... I don’t want to think about any of that.”

Your mother nodded, understandingly. “Have you been down to see your father yet?”

“No, not yet.” You replied. “I wanted to come down here and see you first. I... I don’t know what to expect when I see him, you know... I feel like a failed him sometimes. Mom, I crushed all of those plans that he had for my future by... running off and doing my own thing for all these years. I don’t want him to think that I abandoned him, when... I didn’t... that was not my intention when I left, mom. But it sure as hell seems like it now, doesn’t it?” You knew that you had to face him at some point. You had to face your past and your mistakes. You had to make amends with your loved ones. You had been gone for long enough and things had changed. Perhaps, it was time for you to let go of everything and move forward, seek redemption. You needed redemption as much as anyone else who had left behind their life on the Upper East Side.

Eight hours on a private jet had certainly not had any physiological effects on you. You found that having a few glasses of champagne during takeoff had pretty much knocked you out for the remainder of the ride. You had slept plenty and you were ready to ensure that the jet lag did not get the worst of you. New York was only five hours behind London anyways; it would not be so bad.

A cold shower had certainly done its job in keeping you awake. You found yourself strutting around your familiar childhood bedroom, wandering through the suite in reminiscence of your old life within these walls. Your mother had certainly had her touch in changing up the decoration of your bedroom in hopes that one day you would return. As the only one in your immediate family to have frequently visited your home in London, she was certainly familiar with your preferences in interior decoration. She had ensured that your childhood home would still feel like home when you came back.

A knock on your door made you fall back on your bed, staring up at the familiar ceiling as you let out a sigh. “Come in!” You called and Annalise entered with a cart of pastries and tea for your breakfast.

“Walter’s waiting outside, Miss Y/N. He said that he can drive you over to your father’s when you’re ready.” She told you as she set the cart next to your bed. “You’re still not dressed? I’ve already unpacked your clothes. They’re all in your closet.”

You let out a sigh as you sat up. “You want to pick me out an outfit like the old times, Annalise?” You asked her as your lips curled into a small smile. “Please...”

You watched as her eyes grew wide and she beamed down at you. “Of course, Miss Y/N, I would love to. Of course!”

“Thank you.” As you stood up from your bed, you reached for another pastry and took a bite of it. “Hey Annalise, can I ask you for a favor?” You asked her as you followed her into your walk-in closet. It was filled with all of the latest collections of designer clothes, despite the fact that your childhood bedroom had not been inhabited by anyone in fifteen years. Your mother had stocked up your closet in light of your arrival and you did not think you were even deserving of that kind of love. Needless to say, you had hurt both of your parents by what you had done fifteen years ago. “Do you happen to know how to get an appointment with the Editor-in-Chief of the New York Spectator?”

“As a matter of fact, I do.” Your maid replied as spun around to face you. She had picked out a Louis Vuitton dress for you to wear, a matching pair of Prada shoes in her hands. “I can call their office and book you an appointment with him for this afternoon.”

“This afternoon? Isn’t that short notice?” You asked her with your eyebrow raised. “I’m sure the man’s quite busy, Annalise. I don’t want to make his day any worse.”

“First of all, have you forgotten what I’m capable of?” She asked you as she handed you the dress. “Second of all, he’s your little cousin, isn’t he? I’m sure he’d push back whatever the hell he has scheduled for today the moment he hears that you want to see him. I’d say he’d be running over here the moment he hears that you’re back in town. Believe me; no one keeps my dear Miss Y/N waiting for them. I’ll make sure of it.”

“You’re a real one, Annalise.”

Even if the limo ride to your father’s apartment was ten whole minutes long, it had been a rather awkward one for obvious reasons. Walter had made sure to turn down the music, as he was aware how sensitive it must be. He knew how you must be feeling at that moment. Fifteen years it had been since you had last seen your father, not that you did not want to. But from the moment you had run off to live in your mother’s estate in London, he had resented you. He was disappointed in you. He could not forgive you for the way you had let your life turn upside down in an instant. You had walked away, not from your life in the Upper East Side alone, but also from your family’s legacy that you were meant to carry on after him. You had left him and his company and he had never forgiven you for it.

Your mother had been the one to call you a week ago. You had just gotten out of a meeting to see fifteen missed calls from her. She was not one to call you like that. She would always text you before to make sure you were not busy. However, seeing as many missed calls from her as you did, you began to worry.

When you had called her back, she had informed you of how your father had suffered a heart attack. It was not a complete surprise to you, for you were aware that he had high blood pressure for a while now. You even knew that you were a source of that, unfortunately.

Once your mother had mentioned that the doctors had to do a minimally invasive surgery to fix a blockage in his heart, you had begun contemplating whether you should fly down to New York in an instant. Your mother had told you that you had nothing to worry about; your father was fine and he probably would not want to see you, being as stubborn as he had always been. But you, you could not stay away from him any longer.

You had lasted fifteen whole years without him. You wanted to see him. You wanted to apologize. You wanted to make amends, because you were terrified that he might not be here for much longer. Unbeknownst to you, it was partially true. He might not be here for much longer, but he wanted to see you either way.

“Your mother did mention that you were coming back.” Your father mumbled as he saw you enter his bedroom. “I told her I would believe her when I actually saw you in the flesh.”

You looked over at the nurse who stood by his bedside, motioning her to leave the room before you walked up to your father. “I couldn’t stay away forever; you know... not when you almost died.” You admitted as you sat down at the edge of his bed, a sigh of guilt escaping your chapped lips as you reached for his cold hand. “I know I’ve been a fucking disappointment to you, but thanks for not actually dying on me, Pop.” You could feel your heart beating right out of your chest as the tears began to slip. “I don’t know what I would have done with myself if you weren’t sitting in front of me right now.”

Your father took your hand in his. “Y/N, sweetheart...” He frowned, wincing slightly as he reached over to you. “Honey, you... you’re not a disappointment. You were never a disappointment. You... you’ve made mistakes but... don’t we all? I’m sure your mother and I are no strangers to the effects of being young and impulsive. As much as I resented the fact that you had committed those mistakes, you’ve... you’ve only ever... you did not let any of that destroy you. If anything, it made you stronger... resilient. You’ve built a whole life for yourself, Y/N, and that too... without my help. You chose to do that and as much as I would have loved to have had you take on after me, to take the company from me, I know I raised a self-made woman and I’m proud of that. I may be a little disappointed that you did not need me after a while... but... I’m proud of you for not letting all that shit destroy your spirit.”

You choked on a sob as you pulled him into a hug. “I’m sorry, Pop. I’m sorry I fucked up. I’m sorry I was young and dumb and didn’t know what else to do than... run away from you. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I didn’t mean any of it.”

He wrapped his arms gently around you as he rubbed your back, trying to calm you down. He knew damn well that he had given you quite a scare last week. He had heard from your mother of how much you had freaked out when you had heard what had happened to him. Knowing that his daughter cared that much about him was more than enough for him, but being able to hold you in his arms like he had done all those years ago, that was his redemption.

“I know, sweetheart. I know... it wasn’t your fault. I should have been there a lot more for you when your mother wasn’t around. I should have watched over you as I had promised her that I would. I didn’t do that. I was so caught up on my own quest of finding the love of my life that I fucked up. It was partly my fault and you had every reason to find comfort in your mother at a time like that. But... I wouldn’t call it a mistake, when you’ve turned it all around into the best things you could have ever done. It’s been fifteen years and it’s about time we all moved on. It’s time we all became one big family again.”

“If that’s what you want, then your wish is my command.” You admitted, pulling back from the hug to give him a warm smile. “I might need to make some calls but I’ll see what I can do. But I’m not going anywhere for now. I’ll be here for as long as you need me.”

“Well, that reminds me... my doctors told me not to think about work and I left your mother in charge of the company while I’m gone.” He informed you, frowning as he looked down. “But I have something I need from you. I know that you’ve been clear about not wanting to take the company from me and I wouldn’t blame you for... not wanting that. Look at what the stress of running that company has done to me; it’s put me in a hospital. But it was always meant to be you and... I want it to be you. I want you to take care of something for me while you’re in town.”

“Mom told me that you were stressed with work and that’s why you... what’s going on, Pop? What’s bothering you?” You knew more than ever that your father’s business meant everything to him.

Your grandfather had built Y/L/N Industries from dust to dynasty. For decades, the company had been dominating the food product industry as a leading brand. But due to the loss of a recent lawsuit regarding contamination in one of your factories, something that your father had not been in control of, the company had begun to struggle.

You had done your best to keep up with the news regarding the court case, aware that your father was certainly struggling with the bad press and the debt that followed the lawsuit. No wonder the stress had driven him to have a heart attack. “I’ll do anything you need me to. I’m here, aren’t I? I’m here for you, whatever you need.”

“As you know, the company’s in a lot of debt.” Your father informed you with a sigh, certainly guilty about the way in which he had handled that whole thing. A part of him was well aware that it was his arrogance that had led to his demise. But what made him feel worse was the proposed solution to his dilemma. “And I am now in a position to sell a majority of the shares of the company to one of our competitors in order to keep us running. It’s not a choice that I would have made. But the CEO of the next leading brand has offered to... buy the entire thing from us and save us from this debt. Millions of people might lose their jobs otherwise. But this also means that Y/L/N industries would no longer be Y/L/N industries. What made us... us... is the fact that we kept the thing going for all these years because it stayed within the family, the family name and the legacy. It was all that your grandfather had ever wanted, Y/N. I can’t get myself to just... sell it off. By selling his company, I would be letting go of our family’s legacy and... As much as it is financially necessary, I don’t agree with it.”

“So, what do you need me to do, Pop?”

“Well, I want you to... I would be honored if you could offer your time to... take over from your mother and be the interim CEO of Y/L/N Industries while I remain in bed rest.” Your father replied. “Y/N, you’ve shown me that you are more than capable of running your own firm. You’re one of the best corporate lawyers London’s ever seen. Take a seat at the table and try to find a way to not let our legacy be taken away from us. Make sure that we find a way out of our debt without losing the family name.”

You did not think twice about your father’s request, for you knew that this was not only what had always been expected of you. It was also what you were meant to do. It was your legacy as much as it was anyone else’s. “You have my word, Pop.”

By the time you had left your father’s apartment, you were determined to find out what was going on with Y/L/N Industries at the moment. While you had been out of touch with the recent events, you had a corporate brain nevertheless. Corporate companies across the pond feared you, for they saw you as a vulture when it came to settling disputes. Mergers were your strong suit.

Your father’s inability to ask you to represent him in court may have led to this dilemma, but he had asked you to clean up his mess on his behalf. You were going to do just that, do what you had always done best.

Whoever the guy who offered to buy your dad’s company from him may be, he was going to make one hell of a run for it now that you were taking matters into your own hands. The prodigal daughter returns.

Annalise had called you to let you know that she had managed to book you an appointment with Nate Archibald. Not that you would ever need one to see him, as she had pointed out that morning. But things had changed between the two of you in recent years.

After he had informed you that he was running for mayor, you had tried to talk him out of it. Although you hailed from a family of politicians, you could not see him in any position of power. Nate had too good a soul to be engaging in the brutality that was politics and you had tried to protect him from that, as the honorary big sister that you had always been to him.

Unfortunately, this had led to a drift within your relationship. While Nate had lost his mayoral race and learned his lesson, you two were not on speaking terms. The next thing you knew, he had not even mentioned that he was getting married and you had to find that out from your mother, unwillingly. You were surely going to give him a piece of your mind for keeping that from you.

Walking into the office of the New York Spectator seemed surreal. You remembered when you had heard that a woman named Diana Payne had initially created this daily newspaper as an attempt to dethrone Gossip Girl.

A grown woman starting a news website to compete with a teenage gossip sharing site seemed like the most stupid thing to do, at least until William van der Bilt had purchased it and sat his grandson on the head of the table.

That seemed like a bold move on his part. Nate had clearly turned the Spectator around into a major news outlet in the country over the last decade. If it was not for him, you could not have been able to keep up with everything that had been going on in the Upper East Side.

As you followed the anxious receptionist who seemed extremely intimidated by your appearance the moment you had introduced yourself, thanks to whatever strings Annalise had pulled to get her to schedule you into Nate’s busy day, you could not believe how well he had done for himself. You had not seen him in person since he had vacationed in Europe after he had graduated high school. But that seemed forever ago now. Your little boy was all grown up now.

“Miss. Y/L/N for you, Mr. Archibald.” The woman entered his office with a knock.

You gave her a nod before you followed her into his office, giving the woman a moment to walk out and close the door behind her. “Mayor Archibald.” You teased your younger cousin as you walked up to his desk, a mocking tone in your voice before you snickered.

Nate gave you a wide eyed look of disbelief, unable to comprehend the fact that you were standing right there before him, in his New York office out of all places. If anything, he knew how much you despised being in New York and he knew why you had chosen not to return for all these years.

He never would have thought that you would ever return to America, let alone to your not-so-humble home of the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Yet there you were, in the flesh, he was surely surprised to see you. But a part of him was slightly terrified, for he wondered what might be the reason behind your visit. He could only hope that your arrival had not been accompanied by any of your unfinished business.

“When my assistant told me that she got a call about a certain Y/N Y/L/N wanting to see me, I thought it was some prank call.” He admitted as he stood up from his desk and walked around to greet you. “It’s good to see you, Y/N.”

“Well, you know Annalise. She can be a little... aggressive, for the lack of a better word.” You admitted with a chuckle before pulling him into a hug. “Wow, you’ve grown up so much since the last time I saw you.”

It was true, he really had. Nate Archibald was a grown man now, but you had always seen him as that four year old boy who used to bug you at van der Bilt family reunions. He was your little brother from another mother, the closest thing you had to a sibling. He was the only one in the Upper East Side aside from your immediate family who knew where you had been for all these years and why you had left in the first place. He knew everything.

“So have you, mom.” He teased back as he wrapped his arms tightly around you. “How have you been though? How’s London? How are you? How’s Carter?”

“Good. I’ve been doing great, you know... running my own corporate law firm in London and teaching at Cambridge part-time. It’s great.” You told him with a bright smile, holding onto him a little longer as you recalled everything that the two of you had been through in the last fifteen years.

You did not know why you had chosen to trust him with your deepest, darkest secret before you had left town. But you had done the right thing by putting that trust in him. He had kept your secret with him for fifteen whole years now and not a single soul in the Upper East Side would know the real reason why you had left in a sudden or where you had been for all these years. You never would have wanted that.

“Man, I can’t believe you’re still here. It’s so good to see you after all these years.” He admitted, grinning widely. “I wish your mother would have told me beforehand that you were coming back to New York.”

“Well, I wish she would have told me that you were getting married, but that just makes us even, doesn’t it?” You pulled back from the hug. “

“You’re getting married and you didn’t think to tell me? I had to catch my mom on the phone with yours to know this? Really? Nate, I know that we haven’t been on speaking terms lately but the least I would have expected from you was for you to have called me to tell me that you were getting married. How could you have kept that from me? I thought we were friends. We’re family, for crying out loud! Just because we’re fifth cousins or whatever, that does not give you any right to keep me out of such important moments in your life.” You hit him playfully on the chest.

“What? Are you still so pissed at me about me giving you unsolicited advice regarding you running for mayor that you didn’t want me at your wedding? Is that what it is? Are you holding grudges now? Is that what I taught you, little bro? I thought you were so much better than that!” You crossed your arms against your chest as you stared at him with disbelief, expecting an answer but getting nothing in return.

Nate was visibly nervous as you brought up his wedding and he looked down at his feet, letting out a sigh of disappointment in himself for keeping the events of his love life from you for as long as he had. “Well, that was... certainly not my intention.” He admitted, looking up to meet your eyes but only to look back down again. He had never been able to lie to your face and he was not planning on doing that now.

“I just didn’t think you’d show up, to be honest, even if I told you about it. I know how you feel about coming back to New York and I didn’t want to be the one to put you in that place. I didn’t want you to feel like you should... be there. You really don’t... but now that you’re here anyways, Y/N, I would love for you to be at my wedding. You’re a part of my family and I do want you there. I’m sorry, I haven’t been able to call you sooner. I should have... but I got so busy and my mom’s been causing a lot of drama with the wedding planning-”

“Oh so you say...” You cut him off with a chuckle. “She was bitching about it to my mom all morning until I walked in. Honestly, I’m not mad. I’ve kept away from all of the... celebrations in the Upper East Side for a while now. I had no choice in that matter, but... I’m trying to be more present in my own family matters nowadays so, why not start with my dear little cousin’s wedding?”

He bit down on his bottom lip with a nod. “Oh... yeah, for sure, I’m happy that you’re back. I’m sorry to hear about your father, by the way. I know it must have scared the crap out of you. I’m glad he’s okay... my mom told me that it was a close call.”

You gave him a nod. “Oh yeah, I... no wonder I’m back in New York in a heartbeat, am I right? I was so terrified to lose my old man that I hopped on a private jet and flew my ass down here, just like that.” You admitted with a chuckle. “He’s okay, he’s happy... I think he really did want me here so... it’s all good.”

“So, I take it you’ll be in New York for a while.” He noted.

You nodded. “Yeah, I got some things to take care of for my dad so I should be here until that gets sorted out.”

“And Carter?”

Across New York City in another sky rise building was the office of the CEO of Baizen Industries. As Carter Baizen got off the phone with one of his lawyers regarding their recent business endeavor, he heard the familiar clicking sound of a woman’s red bottom heels against the tiled floor. “Oh for fuck’s sake...” He muttered under his breath before rolling his eyes, clearly not in the mood to deal with her drama at that moment. “Not now, Caroline. I’m busy...”

“My mother-in-law is a monster.” Caroline Baizen groaned as she entered her brother’s office, not caring at all that her brother’s mind was rather preoccupied by his business at that moment. She clearly needed someone to keep her from going full-on Bridezilla and she knew Carter had the emotional maturity to keep her sane throughout the remainder of her wedding planning.

She sat down on the chair across from him, clearly exhausted from having to spend the entire day with the woman who had given birth to the love of her life. “She’s... my monster-in-law, to be fucking honest, trying to act all pretentious and dictating how to plan my fucking wedding. It’s my fucking wedding, Carter. I think I have all the right to decide if I wanted roses or tulips at my fucking wedding!”

Carter rolled his eyes once more as he closed his laptop and leaned forward, resting his hands on his desk as he let out a sigh. “Caroline, as much as I love you, I think you’re being irrational right now. I really don’t see a point in freaking out over the flowers at your wedding. You chose to marry Nate, so the fact that you’re going to be marrying him should be the only thing that matters.”

“Easy for you to say, Carter... the groom’s job in a wedding is to just show up and say his vows. You couldn’t even do that.” She retorted, rolling her eyes at her brother. “Nate loves me, but... he’s too soft-spoken. He won’t tell his mother to back off that easily.”

He shook his head as he recalled his own wedding a decade ago, which had eventually led to him being cut off by his father. To say that he had learned his lesson since then would be an understatement. “But he loves you, right? He loves you and he’s marrying you, which means he’s choosing to spend the rest of his life with you.” He reminded her. “Do you really think that if push came to shove, he wouldn’t choose your side over his mother? I don’t think starting a family drama over roses and tulips is worth it.”

“Yeah, he loves me. But what do you know about love and being married? You left Beth Buckley at the altar, for crying out loud.”

He did. He was no saint and his past was proof of that. But what most of his family or anyone else did not know about him was that Carter did indeed know what it meant to be in love. He understood what it meant to love someone, long before he had even left Beth Buckley at the altar. “I may or may not know more than you do, believe it or not.” He admitted as he recalled that early morning almost fifteen years ago.

As the two of you laid hand in hand in the back of the limo, barely clothed as the sun had finally risen over the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Carter Baizen looked over at you with his bloodshot blue eyes. His soft pink lips curled into a smile as he reached over to stroke the side of your cheek. “I love you, Y/N.”

You chuckled, sleepily as you laid your head against his shoulder. “You probably say that to almost every girl in the Upper East Side, you know, just to get them to sleep with you again.”

“But I mean it this time.”

“Oh really?” You asked him with your eyebrow raised at him. A part of you knew better than to put all of your faith in him. Carter Baizen had a reputation for being the bad boy, the heart breaker, the one who could never be trusted. The Constance girls called him an apocalypse and warned each other in the name of sisterhood to steer away from his gaze at all costs. But you had known Carter since you were very little. Your parents had been friends since long before the two of you had been born. You thought you knew who he really was, so you had no choice than to trust that version you knew. But it would have taken you less than twelve weeks to know how wrong you had been about that. It was too late now though. It was way too late now.

He nodded his head as he licked his lips. “You’re my one exception.”

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