Page 20 of Wedding Contract
“We'd love to meet this husband too,” Kate adds, making air quotes around the wordhusband. “Or are you really house-sitting? The live-in maid?” There it is. Their true colors bleeding through.
I don't have a clue what I'm going to tell them. They'll never believe I'm married, but it's not as though I can produce a husband either.
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.”
