All of Paris was buzzing with gossip about the recent disasters that had struck three of the city's most powerful families. Within days, the wealthy Morcerf household had fallen into disgrace, the Danglars family had been ruined financially, and tragedy had devastated the Villefort estate. It seemed impossible that so much could go wrong for people who'd had everything just a week ago.
In their modest apartment on Rue Meslay, Emmanuel and his wife Julie were discussing these shocking events. Their friend Maximilian sat with them, but he barely seemed present. Ever since the death of his beloved Valentine, he'd been trapped in a fog of depression, going through the motions of life without really living.
"It's almost like something out of a fairy tale," Julie said thoughtfully. "Like these rich, happy people forgot to invite some dark fairy to their celebration, and now she's returned for revenge."
