Chapter Three

Elle

MY FIRST STOP was the shop floor of Belle Elle.

Being our flagship location, the merchandise section took up multiple levels of the skyscraper.

We sold everything from top-of-the-line technology to baby toys and everything in between, and I knew every nook and cranny.

I’d spent the majority of my life helping design displays and solving stock issues.

But not tonight.

Tonight, I wasn’t there on business.

Taking the elevator down from the offices, I swiped my keycard and entered my passcode to prevent the alarms going off.

The store had shut to the public an hour ago, and the hushed world of cotton and silk welcomed me.

I clipped in red high heels past pantsuits and high-fashion attire straight to the teenagers department.

Ever since I’d signed Dad’s Last Will and Testament—and even before that—I’d dressed like a woman. I’d never dressed in a garment with a popular quote or profanity like the kids at my school.

I’d never worn anything valued at less than four hundred dollars.

That was about to change.

Browsing the racks of diamante-encrusted jeans and off-the-shoulder tops, I found myself critiquing the display and position of the mannequins rather than shopping for an outfit.

~Stop it.

You’re a customer right now, not the boss.~

Forcing myself to exhale and loosen my shoulders from stress, I stopped beside a table with discounted denim. I grasped the pair neatly folded on top and shook it.

The baby-blue washed jeans had a skinny leg and silver embroidery on the pockets.

I did my best not to recall the cost of bulk buying these from Taiwan. How I’d placed the order at the start of last year to be out for this season.

How, even on sale, we were still making money because that was how businesses worked.

Price high and then slowly discount until no more remained in stock, our margins slowly narrowing but still profitable.

~Ugh, stop it.

You’re not an heiress tonight. You’re just Elle. A nineteen-year-old about to break all the rules and go out.~

What would my driver, David, say when I didn’t call him in a few hours to take me home? What would Dad say if I had so much fun tonight and I didn’t return home until daybreak?

~Does it matter?

“You have to do this for yourself.”

You’re an adult.~

Clutching those thoughts, I stole the pair of jeans, pilfered an off-the-shoulder cream and black top from the rack beside it, scooped up a black lace scarf from the new arrival podium, and traded the clothing department for the shoe emporium.

If I were going to walk around New York until midnight, I had to wear comfy shoes.

My blood-red heels would have to go.

Eyeing up a rack of recently ordered sneakers, I decided on a pair of white ones with rose gold piping—something I would never be allowed to wear as the figurehead of a billion-dollar company.

I’d worn heels every day of my life since I could remember. The only difference was they were lower when I was a child, and now, they were soaring, sharp stilettos.

Taking my new wardrobe into one of the changing rooms, I once again found myself assessing the locks on the doors and the wobble in the mirror from the second-rate glass.

No flaws should exist in any aspect of our sales experience.

I made a note to have all the mirrors replaced next time we overhauled this department.

Slipping from my pencil skirt and black blouse, I rolled down my stockings and frowned at my underwear-clad form.

The black bra offered support to my generous B-cups, but would the straps look hookerish peeking out from the off-the-shoulder top?

I had no experience dressing like this, even though I’d gone to countless runway shows and hand selected the latest fashions.

~Suck it up and stop procrastinating.~

Tugging the tight jeans on, I slipped the top over my head and secured the lacy scarf around my throat. I made sure it hung loosely so as not to cover the blue star glittering on my skin.

~Ugh, no.~

I yanked the scarf off again and draped it over the door.

It wasn’t needed.

I touched the sapphire star. This would kill my father if he knew how unhappy I was after he’d given me everything. I could never explain the emptiness inside when I was so blessed on the outside.

And I could never admit that I’d heard him discussing my love life with Steve the other day.

Wondering if now was the time to parade me in front of New York’s finest bachelors in order to find a willing right-hand partner to run Belle Elle.

I shuddered as I traded my stilettos for the white sneakers. The thought of giving my life to a company that’d always been there was one thing.

The idea of sharing my life with a man who would never understand me was appalling.

A meow sounded, followed by the streak of silver fur as Sage appeared under the changing room door.

I scowled. “What are you doing down here?”

I ought to regret teaching her to jump up and swat the buttons on the elevator.

She was like Houdini with her ability to chase me down anywhere in the building, no matter if I’d kept her in my office or taken her to a meeting.

“You know you’re not allowed on the shop floor.”

She flicked her tail and leaped onto the small stool where I’d placed my pencil skirt. She meowed again then licked her paw.

“You also know you can’t come with me tonight, right?”

Her head wrenched up as if I’d uttered some terrible curse.

She spread her claws and licked between them, daring me to say such blasphemy again.

I ignored her display of feline annoyance, pushing her off my uniform. “You heard me, Sage.

“Don’t pretend otherwise.” Bundling the clothes up, I took one last look in the mirror and decided I looked sufficiently teenagerish. I sure looked nothing like the head honcho of Belle Elle.

“Good.” I nodded, fluffing up my blonde hair that cascaded down my back to my waist. Dad constantly moaned for me to have it cut, but it was my one rebellion.

The length wasn’t practical, and most of the time, I just let it air dry into messy waves. The only part of the perfect rule-abiding CEO that was wild.

Heading back to the shop floor, I grabbed a shopping bag from beneath one of the many cashier stations and tucked my expensive clothes inside.

Once folded neatly, I tucked the glossy bag into the cupboard beneath the till where manila folders rested with daily tasks and checklists.

Two more things and then I would be ready to go.

~I need a coat in case it gets cold and some cash.~

I hadn’t brought my handbag down from my office. Not that it would’ve made a difference if I had.

I had no cash. If I needed something, my assistant bought it for me. I only had a credit card for emergencies (not that I’d ever used it), and my I.D badge to access restricted parts of the building.

Sage joined me from the changing room and prowled down the aisle, dragging my attention to a small table with funky purses on display.

Seeing as I’d stolen jeans, a top, and a pair of shoes already, I supposed taking a purse wouldn’t matter.

And hell, while I was at it, I might as well take some spending money, seeing as there wouldn’t be anyone to buy me anything tonight.

Using the universal key attached to my lanyard and badge, I unlocked the cash register and looked at the float. There were no big bills, only regimented change ready for a new day of transactions.

The rest of the day’s takings would already be counted, bound, and in our vault, ready for a bank run.

~No matter.~

Three hundred dollars in twenty-dollar bills would be fine.

Taking the wad, I wrote a quick note on a Post-it:~Noelle Charlston borrowed $300 in petty cash. Please contact her assistant, Fleur Hemmings, on extension #4456 to reimburse for morning business.~

I placed it where the bills had been (so no one would get into trouble for missing money), closed the till, and headed toward the purse display.

Selecting one with a graffiti skull on a black background, I tucked the cash inside. The loneliness and strange lostness inside me slowly trickled away, blossoming into fear and excitement.

I flashed the skull wallet at Sage. “See, I can be a rebel if I want to.”

She licked her lips, her whiskers quivering.

Stepping around her, I beelined for the final thing on my list.

I’d never worn anything less than a thousand-dollar cashmere coat. However, tonight I would wear…

I tapped my fingers, deliberating the jacket choice.

~Tonight, I’ll wear a patent leather black bomber with a price tag of $19.99.~

Pulling it off the hanger, I fondled the cheap material. I’d always wanted to wear something like this.

As I slipped it on, two emotions skittered: terror and the sudden desire to return all the clothes to where they belonged, and eager frustration to begin my exploration of the Big Apple.

I was afraid.

I was excited.

I was so sick of being sheltered and only being good at one thing.

~It’s time for that to change.~

“Happy birthday to me.” I tucked the wallet into my bomber jacket pocket, scooped Sage from the floor and rubbed her nose with mine. “I love you, but you can’t come.”

Her little face pouted.

“Don’t look at me like that. I won’t be gone long.”

She meowed sadly.

My heart squeezed, but I steeled myself against her guilt trip and headed toward the elevators. Walking was so much easier and comfier in sneakers than heels.

~No wonder people choose them over fashion.~

“I’m sorry, Sage, but it’s only one night.” Holding her firm with one hand, I pressed the button to summon two elevators.

One to go up and one to go down.

The up one came first, and I plopped her into it. Giving her a smile, I pressed my office level on the top floor. “Go back. Curl up in your basket. You won’t even notice I’m gone.”

She meowed again as the doors slowly closed.

I whispered, “Don’t look at me like that. It hurts too much.”

I hugged myself the moment she’d gone, feeling utterly alone and terrified.

~Why am I doing this?~

I should forget it and just go home.

But then the down elevator pinged and waited for me to be brave and commit to one night away from Belle Elle.

Hesitantly, fearfully, I stepped into it and prepared to become someone else.

Someone free.