“I need matching shoes of course and a purse,” Charlotte said, a smile curving on her lips “I’m going to sit over there, bring them to me so I can try them on,” she said nonchalantly, turning on her heel and heading directly back to the chair.
The manager looked resigned as she took the dress to the registers and then headed towards the shoe department. I sat beside Charlotte, feeling annoyed.
“You could have picked a different dress, instead of stealing one from another customer,” I said tersely.
Charlotte raised a brow “But that’s the one I want” she said coldly “and it’s not as though the other customer is as important as I am” she boasted.
She was gloating. She was enjoying the fact that she had taken something from another person, without consideration to how they might feel about it. Was this her usual mode of operation? Is this how she normally shopped? She saw something she wanted and she demanded it, no matter who was inconvenienced at the end of the day?
The dressing rooms opened and I saw out of the corner of my eye, two beautiful women step out. One looked incensed, glaring hard at Charlotte, while the other looked composed, a serene smile on her face. I swallowed hard. Flair. What was she doing here in a place like this? She couldn’t afford to shop here, could she? Unless somebody else was footing the bill. I turned to Charlotte, hoping to prevent her from seeing, but it was too late as her head turned and she gaped, unable to believe her eyes.
“Well, well, well” she murmured “what have we here” she added cattily, smoothly standing.
The saleslady Melanie was chatting to Flair and gesturing wildly. It occurred to me then, that Charlotte must have taken either Flair’s dress or her friend Rachel’s. Judging by the smug smile on Charlotte’s face, she knew it too. She began to stride towards Flair while I tried to prevent her, grabbing her arm.
“Charlotte, don’t do anything reckless” I warned her “we’re out in public and you know that you’re grandfather will kill you if there’s another scandal before the party. Just leave her alone” I pleaded.
Charlotte yanked her arm out of my grip and gave me a wicked grin “I’m just going over to say hello to your ex-wife Johnathon” she purred, flipping her hair over her shoulder and regarding me with feigned innocence “I don’t know why you want to believe the worst of me every time” she added, before beginning to storm over to Flair and Rachel who watched her approach with resignation.
I followed behind silently. Charlotte was a storm to be reckoned with. She paused in front of the two women and placed a delicate hand on her hip, her eyes glinting with mischief.
“Flair darling” she cooed as Flair turned glacial eyes on her “what a lovely surprise seeing you here. Of all places” she added as Flair’s friend Rachel stiffened “when a peasant such as yourself can hardly afford to be in such a place. I imagine that some man must be footing the bill” she finished.
“Hello Charlotte” Flair said politely “I trust that you’ve managed to find a dress suitable for the engagement party” she added with a wry twist of her mouth.
It had definitely been Flair’s dress that Charlotte had laid her greedy hands on, I grimly concluded.
Charlotte smirked “Oh, was that your dress that you picked out Flair” she feigned mortification “I’m so sorry, but when I saw it, I simply had to have it. I guess that’s one of the bonuses of being a Deluca and not from an average or poor family such as yourself. I can have anything I want and there’s never any consequences for me.”
I saw Rachel’s eyes flash and knew things were about to get heated. Charlotte had just started a fight and Rachel was known for her explosive temper. I wanted to groan out loud. Sometimes it was infuriating that Charlotte couldn’t be a little more civil towards others, but was it right to expect that from her when she had always hated Flair, for some unfathomable reason that I couldn’t even discern?
Flair POV
The second that we heard Charlotte Deluca’s voice inside the store, we knew that things were not going to go as smoothly as anticipated. We had delayed inside the fitting rooms for as long as we could. Now she had taken my dress and insulted us and Rachel was about to let loose. I could see the look on my friend’s face as she faced Charlotte.
“I suppose it must be exhausting,” she said with false sympathy as I looked at her, fighting back the urge to grin as Charlotte looked at Rachel confused.
“Exhausting?” she asked.
“Constantly having to steal from others because you lack intelligence,” Rachel said nonchalantly “What’s that saying again, Flair? Wisdom has been chasing you but you’ve always been faster?”
I snorted. I couldn’t help it. Charlotte still looked bewildered. Johnathon looked slightly angry. He at least, knew his fiancee had just been insulted even if Charlotte was too dim to realize the same. Rachel smirked.
“Whatever” Charlotte rolled her eyes “At least I can afford to shop in here” she added with a glower “The two of you should have been thrown out the second you stepped foot in this shop” she added as the manager came back, eyeing us both with contempt.
“We have every right to shop here as you do” Rachel snapped.
I saw the saleslady hovering in the background, looking concerned. “Ladies, please, I must ask that you don’t fight in our boutique” Sophie, the manager asked, almost pleading with us all “We have a reputation to uphold. Please, Miss Deluca, I have several pairs of shoes and purses that require your attention” she added, gesturing wildly towards the chairs that we had vacated.
Charlotte hesitated. I could tell she wanted to continue the fight. Johnathon remained silent and tight-lipped. Rachel looked ready to throw down and fling some punches. I gave the manager a cordial smile. “I apologize if we have not conducted ourselves in a seemly manner,” I said sweetly as Charlotte scowled “I have no desire to fight someone insignificant to me.”
Charlotte’s mouth dropped open. I continued, heedless of the rage on the girl’s face “Rachel, I can see Melanie there. I will need another dress now, let’s go and see what she’s able to find for me. Johnathon, I wish I could say it was nice bumping into you” I said with a faint trace of sarcasm.
Rachel grinned and followed me over to a repentant-looking Melanie while I heard a low growl come from behind me, sounding as though it was coming from an angry Charlotte.
“I’m so sorry Miss Flair” Melanie apologies “Miss Rachel. My manager insisted I give the dress to Miss Deluca and I could not disobey her instructions.”
I waved a dismissive hand at her “it’s quite alright Melanie. Is there by chance another dress out the back? One that is a dark wine burgundy? It should have a long split up the side, a gathering of the fabric across the bodice, and spaghetti straps with a crisis cross strapped back” I said with a frown, remembering the design.
Melanie’s eyes lit up “I think I know the one. I put it aside, thinking it may be a bit too daring, but Miss Flair, it would go wonderfully with your hair if you are willing to wear it. It’s just your size” she added with glee.
She didn’t even think to question how I knew about the design. I winked at Rachel. “There’s no need to try on the dress here,” I said to Melanie kindly “I will simply take it. I would hate for Miss Deluca to take a second dress off my hands” I added in a whisper as Melanie nodded fervently.
“However the shoes and the purse will no longer match” I added with a sigh.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.