Verdi Botticelli

**Verdi Botticelli** is a character in the fifth season of *Slasher*. She is portrayed by Sadie Laflamme-Snow.

## **History**

Raised in Boston by her mother, Verdi was the half sister of Venetia and Viviana Botticelli, being the illegitimate daughter of their father who requested on his deathbed that they help her find a husband in society to improve her chances of a better life.

Upon her arrival in Toronto the Botticelli sisters initially showed kindness to their younger sister, expressing joy at their 'reunion', however the pair were already plotting to use Verdi to restore their diminished fortunes by selling her virginity to the highest bidder. As such they were pleased when she had already begun to be noticed by wealthy gentlemen, considering them to be potential buyers; when this turned out to also include Basil Garvey, whom Viviana considered herself betrothed in spite of the lack of a formal marriage proposal, Viviana became enraged. After returning from the theatre where Basil had shown a distinct interest in the young girl over her sister, Verdi was slapped by Viviana and accused of being a whore 'like her mother'. Venetia then continued to 'discipline' her in the form of corporal punishment.

Basil Garvey continued attempting to court Verdi, visiting her at home while her sisters were away which elicited further brutal punishment which they later claimed to Dr. Melanda Israel was self inflicted when she arrived to treat the wounds. The sisters took Verdi to the Queen's Chamber where their family portrait was taken by Salomé before leaving them alone together for an 'individual' portrait; this was a ruse for Salomé to coerce her into agreeing to take a series of titillating photographs displaying Verdi in lingerie, allegedly for the sole enjoyment of her future husband but which would instead be used to help her sister's efforts to sell her.

A box of chocolates was later delivered by a courier to the Botticelli house as a valentine's gift to Verdi from Basil as further efforts of courtship, however Viviana assumed they were for her and began to consume them- becoming further enraged when Venetia revealed they were meant for Verdi and stated that they would be selling her right away. Basil visited Verdi once again at the mansion where she refused his courtship and claimed that she did not wish to betray her sister; an eavesdropping Viviana listened in tears to the conversation but was not deterred from the plan. At the Queen's Chamber Salomé showed the photographs to a group of elder gentlemen, one of whom even purchasing the lingerie she had worn, however Venetia was displeased with their bids when presented with them and suggested that they narrow their search. She took the photos to Basil Garvey whom appeared disgusted by the sisters' machinations but later arrived at the Botticelli mansion with a case filled with money for her purchase.

Horrified at having been sold to Basil, Verdi was able to play on his feelings and his insistence that she would eventually grow to love him in order to forestall his lust for her by asking him not to deprive her of the thing she valued most- her virtue- and honour her wish to save it for the man she married, to which he agreed and had a separate bedchamber prepared for her. While Basil was imprisoned under suspicion of the Widow murders, Verdi saw her opportunity to escape but was advised to rethink her plan by Gladys, Basil's servant, as it was far better to have him love her than to hate her- although offering the key to the front door should she still desire to leave. Upon his release, Verdi was revealed to have remained and appeared to be overjoyed at his return. Believing Verdi to be accepting him, Basil took her to visit the theatre he owned and where Georges Rondeau had been performing, even taking her backstage and revealing the secret to the trick of sawing a woman in half. Basil argued with Rondeau, who did not want to perform another show planned for that evening owing to his grief at the death of his lover and the departure of his assistant, upon which Verdi proposed her sister Venetia take on the assistant role as she is a huge fan of Rondeau's and stated that she hoped the offer could help mend the fractured relationship between her and her sisters. Verdi later sat in the audience alongside Basil where she witnessed Venetia's death as the sabotaged box meant she was unable to avoid the saw as Rondeau carved down into her, and was present afterwards when the key that locked the trapdoor within the box was discovered on Viviana's person and she was arrested for her sister's murder- and ultimately all those committed by Widow.

Returning home in a carriage with Basil, he revealed to Verdi that he knew it was really her that had sabotaged the box and planted the key on Viviana, setting in motion the death of one sister and the destruction of the other, to which she tearfully confessed and told him to take her back and turn her in for the crime. Instead however he seemed pleased at her actions and the flawlessly executed plan, his affection for her only seeming to grow.

In spite of all they had shared the previous evening she continued to rebuff his advances however when she awoke the following morning to discover him in her bedchamber, whereupon he formally proposed to her with their wedding set for the following day. Later on he was gifting her with the lingerie she would wear when he deflowered her in-between the ceremony and the reception when a supposed engagement gift was delivered- actually revealed to be the decapitated head of Georges Rondeau.

After leaving the house on errands, Basil arrived at the church and discovered the skeleton of Margaret Mehar in a pew wearing Verdi's wedding dress; initially concerned for Verdi's safety, when confronted by the Widow he briefly believed that she could be the Widow herself. He was partially incorrect as once subdued Verdi revealed herself from behind the altar alongside Gladys, Andrew Mays Jr. and eventually Kenneth Rijkers who all joined in killing Basil alongside the Widow for his crimes.

## Murders Committed

* Venetia Botticelli (indirectly, arranged)
* Basil Garvey