Chapter 16 – Wick
Chapter Sixteen
WICK
The footage from the security cams has me racing to Belle’s. Two strange women appeared in her living room, and from the way she hugged her arms to her sides, they weren’t welcome guests. After yesterday’s shitshow, I wasn’t going to allow her to be ambushed in her own home.
I walk straight in. “Honey, I’m home,” I sing, but no one hears me over the screaming.
There’s a plate of scones on the table along with a teapot, but one blonde is standing, her hands holding up the hem of her shirt. The other blonde is bent over, shaking her finger at a third woman, who is on her knees.
“You’ve always been a worthless screw-up! Can’t even serve tea like a normal human being.”
“My shirt is ruined.” The blonde shakes her hem. “It’s from Bien. Do you know how expensive that brand is?”
“She did it on purpose because she’s jealous. She’s always wanted what you had, Quinn.”
“You’re a disgrace, Belle. I hope you know that. I hope you know that everything you ever touch you ruin. God, Kate, what am I going to do?”
“Make her pay for it.”
“Get up and clean this shirt off!” Quinn screams.
“I’m sorry, really. It was an accident.” Belle finally speaks. When I reach the women, I see a cup on the carpet and a roll of paper tolls next to Belle’s knees. She’s frantically scrubbing a tea stain on the carpet.
I crouch next to her and cover her hand with mine. “Don’t worry about it, Belle.”
Her head jerks up, and she throws herself in my arms. “Oh God, Charlie. Wick is going to kill me.” Her eyes are glassy, like she was crying. “Look at what I did.” She points to the tiny stain on the carpet.
I lift her to her feet. “It’s not a big deal.”
“This is a big deal.” Quinn holds her shirt out so that we can see the large patch of discolored fabric. “I want you to fix it right now!” Her voice is getting shrill again. “Who the hell are you?”
“Wick, Belle’s husband.” I throw my arm around Belle’s shoulders and draw her tight to my side. “Who the hell are you?”
“I’m Kate, and this is Quinn. We’re the Reese sisters.” The slightly smaller blonde sidles up to her sister and smiles.
“I have no idea who you are, but I do know you’re leaving right now. No one comes to my home and yells at my wife. Get out.”
“Your husband? Don’t make me laugh, Belle. As if you could afford any of this or could ever get a man with your fat ass,” Kate sneers.
I’ve never hit a woman before, but there’s always a first. Belle jumps into my arms and pushes me back.
“Don’t. She’s not worth it,” she whispers. She shoves the engagement ring in the woman’s face. “Here. It’s real.”
Quinn snatches it off Belle’s finger and holds the ring up to the light as if she has the ability to tell a real diamond from fake when she doesn’t even know that her Bien blouse is a replica. “This big? It’s definitely a cubic. Not even lab grown.” She tosses the ring onto the table.
Belle winces at the clinking sound it makes when it hits the marble. “What kind of scam are you running?”
“We should report them,” Kate suggests. “They’re probably squatters.”
“You two should leave. Tell Mom and Dad I said—” Belle stops abruptly. “You know what. Don’t tell them I said anything. I’m sorry about your blouse. I’ll replace it.”
“It’s a couture item from the House of Bien. You would never be able to afford it.”
“It’s not a genuine,” I say, dropping onto the sofa and texting Rise to come up. “All of Bien clothing has a discreet 14K solid gold branding on them. For shirts, it’s on the underside of the right collar. Yours is missing the brand.” I tap the collar. “Look it up on the internet if you doubt me.”
The two girls look at each other uncertainly, and then Kate, the younger one, turns away from us, hiding her activity.
“And you are?” Quinn’s chin is still up in the air, but she’s lost some of her haughtiness.
“Charles Wickham. I own Wickham Enterprises, and Bien is one of the subsidiaries under that holding company.” I tug Belle down beside me.
“Belle is my wife. This is her home which she received as a bridal gift when she did me the pleasure of accepting my plea for her hand in marriage.” I bring her hand up to my mouth and press a kiss to it.
“He’s right,” I hear Kate say quietly, holding her phone up to Quinn’s face.
Quinn’s cheeks turn tomato red. “The gold piece fell off. It’s a cheap piece of shit.”
“One that you bought,” I point out.
“What’s your proof that you’re Charles Wickham?” Quinn shoots back.
“I’m his assistant,” Rise announces from the entrance. “I can vouch for him.”
“And who are you?” Quinn shouts.
But behind Rise stand two security guards. Kate catches on quicker than Quinn. She grabs her sister’s hand. “We don’t want to be here anyway. It’s so gross of you to pretend to be someone you’re not, Belle, but I guess that’s what people with low self-esteem do.”
The two run out before any of us can respond. Rise is looking shell shocked at the encounter. As for me, I’m glad the two women are gone. Belle gives us a wobbly smile.
“Look at the three of us, standing up for each other.” Sheholds out her fist. Rise and I look at her and then each other. “Don’t leave me hanging here,” she says.
I push my fist in to meet hers. “The thing is—”
“You too, Rise. I’m impressed at how quick you were on your feet.”
I nod slightly at Rise’s questioning look. He jerks his chin up. “It’s what I’m paid for. I expect I’ll get a bonus for my work, though.”
I nod again. He smiles and puts his fist in. “Teamwork.”
We all give a little cheer, and then after that awkward moment, Rise sees himself out.
I take Belle’s hand. “Belle, I really am Charles Wickham. I know it sounds crazy, but two months ago, you were at the food tasting in your cute brown apron. I took one look at you and knew I needed you in my life, but I was going to Hong Kong the next day for a very big deal. I wouldn’t be back for at least two weeks, and I couldn’t risk losing you.
I sent Rise to you with a deal I figured you couldn’t turn down.
Spend one year in this apartment and you wouldn’t want to leave.
I’d turn up at some point, introduce myself, and we’d…
” I trail off because I can feel myself losing aura points the more I talk.
Belle stares at me.
“Say something,” I urge.