Shopping

Chapter Five

Elena spent the weekend alone in the house. Jack didn't come home Friday night or Saturday night. His text messages were short and cold. "Working late." "Don't wait up." "Busy with business meetings."

Elena knew he was with Victoria. The image of Jack in that hotel towel kept flashing in her mind.

By Monday morning, Elena couldn't stay in the house anymore. She decided to go shopping in the Goldenvale District, where all the expensive stores were. Maybe buying something pretty would make her feel better.

Elena parked Jack's car outside Luxoria, the most expensive boutique in Vaelthorne City. She had only been there once before, for their wedding dress shopping. Jack's mother had insisted Elena needed "proper clothes" for being a Kaelthorn wife.

Elena walked into the store and immediately felt out of place. The saleswomen looked at her with fake smiles. They remembered her as the orphan girl who married Jack Kaelthorn.

"Mrs. Kaelthorn," the store manager approached. "How lovely to see you. Are you looking for anything special today?"

"Yes, I am," Elena said quietly.

She walked through the store, looking at dresses. Everything was beautiful but what was the point of buying expensive clothes when Jack never noticed her anymore?

Elena was examining a blue dress when she heard familiar laughter from the front of the store. Her heart dropped.

That was Jack's voice and Victoria's musical laugh.

Elena hid behind a rack of clothes and watched through the gap. Jack walked into the store with Victoria on his arm. Victoria was wearing a stunning red dress and diamond earrings. She looked like a movie star.

"This is my favorite store in the city," Victoria said loudly. "They have the most beautiful things."

"Then we should buy you the most beautiful things," Jack replied with a smile.

Elena had never heard Jack talk like that. So warm and generous.

"Oh Jack, you're too good to me," Victoria said, touching his chest playfully.

The store manager rushed over immediately. "Mr. Kaelthorn! What an honor! And Miss Ravencrest, you look absolutely stunning!"

Even the staff treated Victoria better than they treated Elena.

"Victoria needs a complete wardrobe," Jack announced. "She's been living in Lysandria for years and doesn't have proper clothes for Vaelthorne City weather."

"Of course," the manager beamed. "We'll take excellent care of Miss Ravencrest."

Elena watched from behind the clothes rack as three saleswomen surrounded Victoria. They brought out the most expensive dresses in the store.

"This one would be perfect for you," a saleswoman gushed, holding up a black evening gown. "It's from the latest collection. Very exclusive."

"Try it on," Jack encouraged. "Price doesn't matter."

Elena felt sick. Jack had never told her price didn't matter. When Elena shopped, she always checked the price tags first.

Victoria disappeared into the fitting room. When she came out, Elena's breath caught. Victoria looked like a goddess in the black dress. Elegant and sophisticated and perfect.

"Beautiful," Jack said softly. His eyes were full of admiration.

"You think so?" Victoria spun around playfully. "I feel like a princess."

"You look like a queen," Jack replied.

Elena had to bite her lip to keep from crying out loud.

"We'll take it," Jack told the saleswoman.

"Excellent choice, Mr. Kaelthorn," the manager said. "Should I wrap it up?"

"Actually, let's get several dresses," Jack said. "Victoria needs options for different events."

For the next hour, Elena watched Jack buy Victoria a complete wardrobe. Dresses, shoes, jewelry, handbags. Everything Victoria wanted, Jack bought without question.

Elena counted at least five hundred thousand dollars worth of purchases. Money Jack had never spent on Elena in three years of marriage.

"This is so generous of you, Jack," Victoria said, kissing his cheek. "I don't know how to thank you."

"You don't need to thank me," Jack said. "You deserve beautiful things."

Elena felt like she was being stabbed in the heart. Jack had never said Elena deserved beautiful things.

"Actually," Victoria said suddenly, "I think I saw someone I know."

She walked directly toward Elena's hiding spot.

"Elena?" Victoria called out sweetly. "Is that you behind there?"

Elena had no choice but to come out. Her face was red with embarrassment.

"Victoria," Elena said quietly. "Jack. What a surprise."

"What are you doing here?" Jack asked coldly. He looked annoyed to see Elena.

"Just shopping," Elena said, holding up a simple blouse she had picked up. It cost two hundred dollars, but next to Victoria's purchases, it looked like nothing.

"How nice," Victoria smiled cruelly. "What a lovely... simple choice."

The saleswomen stared at Elena with pity. Everyone could see the difference between Elena's modest shopping and Victoria's luxury spree.

"Elena always shops so carefully," Jack said dismissively. "She's very... practical."

The way he said "practical" made it sound like an insult.

"Well, some of us have to be careful with money," Elena said quietly.

Jack's face went dark with anger. "Careful with money? You spend my money every day. At least Victoria appreciates what she's given."

Elena felt like she'd been slapped in public. The other customers were staring now.

"I'm sorry," Elena whispered. "I didn't mean anything."

"Victoria, are you ready to go?" Jack asked, completely ignoring Elena. "I made reservations at Le Château for lunch."

"I'd love that," Victoria said. "Elena, you should join us. Oh wait, did Jack make a reservation for three people?"

It was a trap. Elena knew Jack hadn't included her in his plans.

"I'm sure Elena has other things to do," Jack said coldly. "Don't you, Elena?"

Elena nodded, too hurt to speak.

"That's what I thought," Victoria smiled sweetly. "Well, have a lovely day, Elena. Try not to spend too much of Jack's money."

Jack handed his black credit card to the store manager. "Please have everything delivered to my penthouse downtown."

His penthouse. Not their house. Elena didn't even know the address.

Elena watched Jack sign the receipt. Five hundred thousand dollars with extra twenty. For one the shopping trip and the other one for a tip. More money than Elena had ever spent on herself in her entire life.

"Ready, beautiful?" Jack asked Victoria, offering his arm.

"Ready," Victoria said, taking his arm naturally.

They walked out of the store together, leaving Elena standing alone among the expensive clothes. The saleswomen looked at Elena with pity and embarrassment.

"Will you be purchasing anything today, Mrs. Kaelthorn?" the manager asked awkwardly.

Elena looked down at the simple blouse in her hands. Two hundred dollars that suddenly felt like stealing.

"No," Elena said quietly. "I changed my mind."

She walked out of the store as fast as she could. Outside, she saw Jack helping Victoria into his red Lamborghini. Victoria was laughing at something Jack said. They looked like the perfect couple.

Elena sat in Jack's other car and watched them drive away to their romantic lunch. She felt like the loneliest person in the world.

Her phone buzzed with another W******p message from Victoria: "Thanks for not making a scene at the store. Jack was so happy today. Can't wait to spend his money on our future family."

Elena turned off her phone and drove home. The house felt bigger and emptier than ever.

In her bedroom, Elena looked at her own closet full of expensive clothes. But she realized something horrible. Jack had never enjoyed buying her these clothes. He had never smiled when she tried things on. He had never called her beautiful or said she deserved nice things.

Everything Elena owned was of duty, not love. Victoria got joy and romance and generosity but Elena got obligation and cold transactions.

Elena sat on her bed and cried. Thirteen more days until Dr. Mortaine came back. Thirteen more days of watching Jack fall deeper in love with Victoria.

Elena wasn't sure she could survive it. What can a poor girl do?