Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 61851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 309(@200wpm)___ 247(@250wpm)___ 206(@300wpm)
She ate a few sauteed mushrooms and nodded. “I get it.” And she really did, considering her own relationship with Noah. “And what about getting engaged?”
“Pure pressure,” he admitted with a sigh as he set his knife and fork down on his plate. “From Claire. My mother and her mother. Hell, even my father, though he didn’t often express an opinion. My mother went on about what a great couple we were, that I wasn’t getting any younger and I should start thinking about starting a family and how I’d already disappointed my parents by not following my father into politics. My mother is a master manipulator, and I’ll admit, she got in my head. Again, it was easier to go through the motions and get engaged than to deal with the constant reminder of what a disappointment I was.”
Finished with her own meal, Jessica pushed her plate aside and reached for her wine, taking a drink. “I take it you finally realized the mistake you’d made with Claire?”
“A mistake is an understatement,” he muttered, leaning back in his chair, the look in his eyes troubled. “The entire time I was dating Claire, she was always on her best behavior. Sweet. Kind. Understanding. I swear, there were no red flags until that ring was on her finger. It’s like knowing we were getting married made her more lax and careless about her real attitude. It wasn’t long before I started noticing how she treated the waitstaff when we went out to dinner or how rudely she’d talk to people she felt were beneath her. I heard rumors about her saying shitty things about Nikki and her modeling career behind her back.” He shook his head in frustration. “Claire’s entire demeanor changed, and the more I saw this entitled, spoiled woman emerge, the more I realized that her behavior was too ingrained to be some kind of new personality trait.”
Jessica could vouch for who the real Claire was, but she didn’t want to sound like a jealous or petty person. “I’m really sorry,” she said softly. “I know what it’s like not to live up to the standard your parents set. And I’m even more sorry you had to learn the hard way about Claire.”
He absently tapped his finger against his empty wineglass. “I think the worst part was, since I wasn’t as attentive and present as I should have been in the relationship, Claire totally took advantage of me and the situation.”
“How so?” she asked curiously.
“The final catalyst that led to me ending things was when I got a call from my accountant, who wanted to make sure I was aware of the excessive charges on my American Express Black Card, which he handles for me,” Derek said, a bitter note tinging his voice. “The charges were from places that I wouldn’t normally shop, mostly online luxury designer websites like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, those types of stores. When I finally took a look at the statement, there were over a hundred thousand dollars in charges that I didn’t make. Claire did.”
Jessica’s mouth opened in shock. “Holy crap,” she said before she could stop herself.
“Holy crap is right,” Derek agreed. “She’d taken my card number at some point, along with all the pertinent information, and went on a fucking shopping spree.”
“Did you, umm, confront her?” she asked, hoping she wasn’t being too nosey.
“Oh, hell yeah, I did,” he said in a fierce tone. “I came right out and asked her about the charges, and she didn’t deny them. Instead, she used the excuse that her father had cut back on her spending allowance, and if we were going to be married, she needed to ‘look the part,’” he said, using air quotes, “of being a Bettencourt, and she didn’t think I would care if she bought ‘a few things.’”
Jessica cringed, feeling bad for Derek. “I’ll admit, that’s a bit ballsy.”
“You think?” He shook his head in disgust. “She was actually offended that I was angry and she had zero remorse. The thing is, I wouldn’t deny my wife or fiancée something she wanted. Hell, I can more than afford it, but the fact that Claire had no problem going behind my back, being so cavalier about taking my credit card information, and racking up massive debt without discussing it with me was what really pissed me off.”
Jessica sat in silent disbelief and let Derek get everything off his chest, which he seemed to need to do.
“There’ve been rumors that her father is having financial issues and her family is living beyond their means, which is probably why he cut back on her spending allowance. Never mind that she should have a job that paid for the things she wanted,” he muttered. “But the whole situation, along with her dishonesty and lack of accountability, opened my eyes to just how shallow she is, and I was done because I didn’t trust her,” he said with a shake of his head.