My smile is wiped off my face the second I look in the mirror and see the kiss mark Alexander must have left on my neck last night. I blush scarlet, my mind drifting back to the way he held me, the way he touched me.
I grab a scarf that could easily pay for at least a day’s worth of hospital bills and sigh as I cover up the mark on my neck, transforming myself into the prim and proper wife Alexander asked for. I stare at my reflection, surprised at what I’m seeing. For the first time in years, I don’t look overworked and stressed out. I don’t look exhausted and sad . I look a lot more like I used to.
I grab the bag my mother got me shortly before her accident and frown at it. The edges are worn, and it’s discolored from the lack of maintenance, but it’s the last thing she ever gave me, and I never had the heart to sell it. Not that I’d get much for it—my mother had my name embossed inside it, so I doubt I’d ever be able to sell it anyway. Now that I can finally afford it, I’ll need to get it restored. I should be able to do that after visiting my mother.
My day flies by, and I check my watch as I walk into the Kennedy Mall. I ended up spending more time with my mother than I planned to, but I still ended up getting here early, with enough time to enquire about my bag. I hesitate just slightly in front of the store, feeling entirely out of place. I no longer feel like I belong here. After struggling with bills for so many years, spending an outrageous amount of money on material things doesn’t make any sense anymore. I glance down at my bag, and my heart wrenches. I still remember the smile on my mother’s face when she gave it to me. Usually there’s a waiting list of several years for this particular bag, but not for my mother. No, she had this one custom made for my birthday, and I’d been so ecstatic.
I inhale deeply before walking into the store. The store assistants smile at me, and I nod politely, feeling oddly nervous. “Hi,” I murmur, placing my bag on the counter awkwardly. “I’d like to enquire about getting this bag serviced. Do you think that’d be possible?”
Sharp laughter rings out behind me, and I tense, recognizing my stepsister before I even turn around. “How embarrassing. You can’t even afford to just buy a new bag?” Elise says.
I turn to look at her, a forced smile on my face. I should’ve known there’d be a chance she’d be here. This is her favorite brand, and this is their flagship store. It’s the only place to get their newest products, and Elise has been buying at least one thing from this brand weekly for as long as I can remember.
“Elise.”
She looks me over and then bursts out laughing. “Look at you. The last time I saw you, you looked like a beggar. Now you’re wearing clothes you can’t possibly afford. Is this fake?” she asks as she pulls on my scarf, unraveling it.
I clutch it, panicked, but it’s too late. She gasps when she sees the kiss mark on my skin, and then she bursts out laughing.
“I see. A sugar daddy, huh? I guess you had no other choice after Dad cut you off. Where’d you go, a gentlemen’s club?”
I turn away from her and fix my scarf, my cheeks burning with shame. Her words grate on me, and it hurts to have her confirm my suspicions—she’s the one that sent me to Vaughn’s. It’s my biggest fear come true. If she could get nurse June to hand me that card, then there’s much worse she can do, much more she has access to.
Even the sales assistants look embarrassed on my behalf, and I wish I could just sink straight through the floor. “So, the bag,” I say, trying my best to remain unaffected. “Can it be fixed?”
Elise laughs. “I can’t believe your sugar daddy can’t even buy you a new bag. But then again, these are so expensive they’re the equivalent of a couple of hospital bills, aren’t they? Man, you must be sucking some old wrinkly dick to be able to pay all that.”
The sales assistant looks as flustered as I feel and shakes her head. “Damage like this we just can’t undo,” she says, sounding apologetic. “It’s the leather that’s damaged beyond repair,” she adds, trailing a gloved finger over the tears.
“I see,” I murmur. “I… would it be possible to get an identical bag?”
Elise laughs again, the sound grating. “Are you stupid?” she says. “You could never afford a new one. Stop wasting everyone’s time.”
I turn back towards her, annoyed. “Why are you so concerned about me, anyway? Mind your own damn business.”
Elise grins. “Oh, I’m just bored waiting for the staff to bring out the new bags Dad ordered for me. Besides, how could I not be concerned after the way you came to our house the other day, begging for money?”
My heart twists painfully. It’s not even the humiliation or everything I’ve lost—what hurts the most is that my father clearly has the money to buy a bag Elise doesn’t need, but he wouldn’t spend that same money to save my mother’s life.
I’m shaking so hard, and even though I want to come up with a retort, I can’t. My throat is closing up, and words escape me.
I’m close to bursting into tears when a strong arm wraps around me. “I’m late, Buttercup, but I’m here now.”
Chapter 25
A lexander
I stand at the entrance of the store, silencing the sales assistant with my finger. I recognize my wife straight away, but unfortunately, I also recognize the woman standing next to her. I stand back, out of view, my focus entirely on Elena.
I listen as Elise accuses her of having a sugar daddy, as she throws Elena’s mother’s hospital bills in her face. It doesn’t escape my notice that she purposely makes it clear that the bags Alaric Rousseau bought for her are of the same value as the hospital bills.
I keep waiting for Elena to stand up for herself, but she doesn’t. None of the confidence she has when she resists me is present. She’s feistier when she’s reminding me that all I own is her body, than she is right now.
She starts to shake, and I walk toward her. Elise’s eyes widen when she sees me, but I keep my attention on Elena. “I’m late, Buttercup,” I say, wrapping my arm around her. “But I’m here now.”
Elena relaxes in my arms and looks up at me in relief. The trust in her eyes… it does funny things to my heart. I tear my eyes away from her and turn toward the sales assistant with raised brows. “Didn’t you hear my girl? She asked if you can make her an identical bag.”
The sales assistant’s eyes widen and she mumbles an apology before rushing off to the computer to process Elena’s order. I’m going to need to educate my wife on the treatment she should demand. She’s a Kennedy, damn it.
I sigh and grab my phone. “Baby,” I tell her. “You don’t ever have to talk to mere staff. Especially not in a mall we own . You just call the CEO of this brand’s company, you hear me? I’d love to see him deny any of your requests. He’ll have his stores booted from every Kennedy Mall faster than he can blink.”
Elena nods, her eyes moving from me to Elise. I can see Elise posing from the corner of my eyes, and it disgusts me. She’s crazy if she thinks she could ever catch my eye.
I turn away to find Elena fidgeting with her scarf. I frown at it and look at her through narrowed eyes. “Trying to hide the damage I did?” I ask. “Who for?”
I pull on the scarf, unraveling it to admire my work. Elena blushes when I put her scarf in my pocket. “Alexander,” she murmurs, her cheeks bright red, and I can’t help but smile. I love making her blush. She looks so sweet when she does, so disarmed. I lean in and press a lingering kiss to her lips.
“You can’t be serious,” Elise says. “This… this was all a rumor, wasn’t it? You two… you can’t…”
Elise’s eyes roam over Elena’s neck, and I see the annoyance in her eyes. Considering that she just admitted to being the reason my wife ended up at Vaughn’s, her days are numbered.
“Who are you even?” I ask Elise, knowing full well who she is.
She looks at me in disbelief. “Elise Rousseau. I’m Elena’s sister.”
I glance at my wife, anger flashing through her eyes. “You have sisters, babe?”
Elena shakes her head, and I nod. “I didn’t think so,” I say, before turning back to Elise. “What has the world come to for a mistress’s daughter to liken herself to my girl? You must’ve lost your mind.”
The sales assistant returns with a quote, and I shake my head. “Don’t bother looking at it,” I tell Elena. “Just put your card down, Buttercup. This bag clearly means something to you. It’s worth any price.” She’s a Kennedy now—prices are irrelevant.
Elise smiles. “Oh, Alexander. You do know Dad disowned Elena, right? She’s broke.” Her words are meant to hurt Elena, and I smile to myself as Elena takes out her wallet. It’s as worn as her bag is, and I’ll need to make sure we select her a new one before we leave this store.
Elena looks into my eyes, and I wink at her. She bites down on her lip as she takes out her black card, and Elise blanches.