“3×21 “Mother Knows Best”
Written by: Chris Coleman, Kristi Clark and Kelly Zollo
Warning: Episode may contain strong language, sexual situations and violence.
Theme Song: Game of Love- Michelle Branch

Tess walked around her empty mansion, the sounds of music, loud talking, and RePlay wasn’t all over the house. As she opened the door to Belle’s empty room she exhaled. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. For years Bliss felt ostracized from the Devonshire and Belle didn’t even know. Yet here they were standing with them. She hated it and more than anything she hated Jackie’s control and influence on her daughters. She was the only other woman to have his heirs and now she was facing losing her foothold with her daughters. She slapped Belle and knew it was wrong but she couldn’t stop herself. Her words infuriated her. Did she not deserve to have what Jackie did? She was taking from those other brats to give herself a chance at getting it all. She never had Lowell and neither did Audrey. No matter what his heart and soul was tied with Jackie. Did he have love for her? That was the question she truly fought with. He would have left her with nothing in that will. How was she to know if he loved her truly? He emotionally left her long before their marriage; he literally thought of Jackie while drooling, barely able to keep his mouth closed. In his most vulnerable he chose to subject her to the chaos and leave her with a legacy of embarrassment. She however turned the tables on everyone. Tess licked her lips as she closed Belle’s door her placing her head on beautiful wood she exhaled.

With her mind racing she slowly paced back and forth feeling the wind leaving her body. She had constant calls from the media and they were hounding her. LeClerq media was taking a soft approach but TMZ, CNN, ABC, NBC, FOX News and other media titans were taking a sledgehammer to her. Calling her the delusional widow Devonshire but her will was rock solid because Simon lost the physical only thing they needed to locate was the video. Tess wasn’t sure if Lowell did one but she also knew him enough he wouldn’t get a last say. His arrogance was once her attraction. Now these media outlets were trying to destroy her but she had a plan to slow down Jackie’s brood. Wearing a corset DVF wrap dress and off the shoulders Burberry cape. Maybe taking DGI wasn’t the smart move and she knew if the truth ever came out it would be the end of herself and Pierre. Not to mention that woman was alive and well. Pierre informed her who the silent partner was and she gritted her teeth.Gloria Delacroix or Beecher or whatever her fake name was now was a menace and her return would be a major distraction. She knew better than to show her face until Lowell was good and buried. Looking down at her phone she sent Fox a box of toys and no response from Bliss. Her daughters hated her and that ate at her. She was the main one hurt in this equation always before Audrey but never Jackie. He manipulated all of them but somehow she is always the villain. Walking into Lowell’s old office she screamed as she covered her mouth. Weeping opening as she walked to the fireplace and picked up the marble fire poker and began to destroy the office.

Tess first swang at a picture of Chauncey, Jackson, Max, and a baby Rory. She began to destroy countless awards DGI had received over the years. As she continued to slam the fire poker into a glass table with glass shattering everywhere. Walking Lowell’s portrait she swung and glass flew all around her. Using her cape she picked up a shard of glass and used it to slice Lowell’s face. Tossing the glass on the floor she pushed over his vase and walked out of the office. She saw Alee the house concierge looking at her, shocked, dropping the fire poker. She stormed down the hall to his bedroom and screamed again. “Get it out! Clear this shit out of here! I want it gone!” Rushing to his closet she tossed his suits on the floor like a mad woman. He had pushed her to this and she was exhausted with Lowell. No more was he going to destroy her. Storming out she saw some maids looking horrified at the office. “Call the fucking decorators it’s my office now! Get rid of all that shit!” With that Tess walked to her room further down the hallway and slammed her door. As she covered her mouth, horrified at what she just did. When she saw her phone lighting up she dug in her pocket of the cape. It was Pierre. “We have a major problem. If my daughters aren’t on my side what’s the point of all of this?”

Pierre had been at his hotel at the Crestwood; he had a few items on his agenda to take care of a trip to see Jayden before the opening and a phone call to Tess needed to be made. The others would be getting the meeting announcement or invite either in person or via text that Natasha wanted to have a last minute meeting at DGI over SandStar. In truth it would be there he would reveal what was on the thumb drive in his pocket and he fondly remembered the price he had paid for it the night before the real games would begin after that with Gloria getting what she wanted as well as Tess it was a win for everyone. He was adjusting his tie in the mirror when he heard the ringtone going off and knew who it was of course, Tess. He put it on speaker phone while he tied his Windsor knot and then also looked at the text from his personal security. So Harvey was in town of course he knew it was to see Greer likely to check on his daughter and her pregnancy but the tidbit that he was outside of Lauren’s house in the shadows had him burning with a rage. He was honestly frustrated with Harvey that Harvey couldn’t see Lauren for the woman that she was a weak Cummings girl that would always string his older brother along. They had a word for women like that in France, un truc féminin.

He listened to Tess ask about her precious daughters and almost told her that he had warned her as much but didn’t. They had something better: a tape that told a story, a scorned Natasha Hassan and Gloria on their side they didn’t need Bliss or Belle. But he knew his ally and friend needed her daughters; he’d kept Dru close to his chest as his weapon of choice and it was going to pay off. “You’re worried they won’t fall at your feet now that you’re trying to strip their ex drug addict brother of power? What if I were to tell you that his little reign of purity is over. His image will be destroyed, his wife devastated even more than Jackie was when you and Lowell were exposed. I had evidence to prove it. You asked me to make sure that Natasha was on our side and I have done that. His fall from grace with everyone and his siblings priceless your girls would be dumb not to flock to you.” Should she want more details he was happy to prove them even tell her about Dru he was ready to gloat. Ready for DGI’s reign to come to an end and for Tess to get everything she was due her revenge as the long mistress. “We just need you to hold it together until the meeting this evening. I am sure the text going out will raise a few eyeballs. Are you worried about Gloria? She knows her place in this.” He said his tone soft Tess was someone he was becoming soft hearted for she was carrying most of the weight and needed to play her part perfectly.

Click HERE to read the full episode