Chapter Three

Claire got through the first week of work and marriage somehow; both were difficult, but at least her manager talks, while it’s just pure silence with her so-called husband. He’s annoying, so annoying that she wants to avoid him at all costs. Her only companion in the house is the housekeeper, Mrs. Hampton, a middle-aged woman who mainly cooks for them.

She was having random conversations with Mrs. Hampton in the kitchen when her phone rang. It was an unsaved number. She picked up, and a familiar voice spoke through the phone.

“Claire, right?”

“Who is this?”

“Come on, it’s your mother-in-law. We haven’t had time to chat or see each other ever since that day.”

“Oh, Mrs. Steele. How are you doing?”

"I’m good. Since it’s the weekend, why don’t we go shopping together and get to know each other?” It’s not like she could just turn her down, so she said yes. She told Mrs. Hampton about who just called, and her countenance changed, but she said nothing and just told her to be careful.

Claire got dressed and got a cab to the boutique where Diana had asked her to meet. She wore a casual fitted top and baggy jeans with Converse. She left her hair down, and a cream tote bag was slung over her shoulder.

As she went in, she immediately spotted Diana and her daughter trying on shoes. The boutique was more luxurious than Claire had imagined; her eyes were drawn to the crazy price tags on each item.

Diana hugged her, which took her by surprise, and offered her a seat. “You look even prettier than before,” Diana said.

“Thank you,” Claire replied with a smile.

They continued trying on different things and asked for Claire’s opinions on which ones they should buy or not. Diana offered to buy a pair of heels for Claire, but she politely declined. She got a call from her mum’s doctor and excused herself to take it. She came back minutes later, and it was time to check out.

Diana and her daughter paid for what they got, and they were all leaving when the store attendant stopped Claire.

“I need to check your bag, ma’am,” the attendant said.

“Let them check it; it’s protocol,” Diana chimed in.

Claire gave the attendant her bag because she didn’t have anything to hide anyway. But she was shocked to the bone when the attendant brought out a pair of heels she hadn’t bought from her bag.

“How did that get there?” Claire blurted out, surprised.

“I should be the one asking that, ma’am.” The store attendant replied.

“Claire, you should have let Mum buy the heels for you when she offered. Why steal them when we can afford to buy?” Celine, Diana’s daughter, said.

“"Steal? I didn’t steal it,” Claire argued.

“She’s my stepson’s wife. I know she’s from a poor family, but I didn’t know she was a thief.”

“I didn’t steal anything, I swear, and why bring my family into this?”

“Then why was it in your bag? How dare you drag our family’s name and reputation in the mud, you sly bitch!”

Claire scoffed, seeing the switch in her earlier nice persona and her present self. “You’re finally showing your true colors, aren’t you?”

“I could have continued to be nice if you didn’t steal.”

“I wonder how the exact pair of heels I refused to accept from you ended up in my bag,” Claire said as she finally understood the whole situation.

“I…” Diana was going to say something but was cut off by Alexander, who entered the store.

Claire never thought she’d feel this way, but she was so relieved and happy to see him.

He walked up to the store attendant. “There must have been a mistake somewhere; my wife would never steal,” he said before bringing out his card. “Here. I’ll pay for it and the whole bag, shoes, and clothes in this section.” He basically gestured to half of the store.

Claire’s jaw dropped. She knows he’s rich, but buying a $4800 pair of heels alongside a whole section, which totaled $467,000, casually is crazy.

After he got his card back and they started packing what he bought, he faced Diana and her daughter. “Fancy meeting you here, but I don’t appreciate you calling my wife out without my knowledge and not taking good care of her.”

“"Already spending your inheritance on a woman? I wouldn’t have guessed poor women were your taste.”

“A particular someone started a rumor that traveled fast in the upper class, so no one was willing to marry me. At least she has a job, unlike a certain person who only knows how to mooch off other people and fight for inheritance that doesn’t belong to them.”

“You’ve grown up a lot.”

“Thanks to you, I had to grow up fast if I didn’t want to get eaten.”

Claire wasn’t sure why the whole situation was escalating so much, but she knew better than to say something. She was just grateful Alexander came at the right time.

“"Well, good luck trying not to get eaten,” Diana continued before she faced Claire. “It was nice shopping with you,” she continued with a smile on her face.

Claire looked her up and down and said nothing. Diana left the store with her daughter.

The store attendants helped them load some of the stuff they got into the car because it couldn’t all fit into the small boot of his black G-Wagon. Alexander dropped their address so the remaining stuff would be sent there.

“How did you know to come here?” Claire asked on their way home.

“Mrs. Hampton called me.”

“Oh, thank you very much. By the way, I don’t know what I would have done