Chapter 3 - JULIANNE’S SECOND MISTAKE
Julianne stopped attacking Belle publicly.
That made her more dangerous.
For two weeks, nothing happened.
Belle returned to normal work.
Nikolai stopped hovering.
The manor settled.
Then payroll disappeared.
Not everyone’s.
Belle’s.
She checked her account twice.
Nothing.
Trevor looked uncomfortable.
“There’s an administrative issue.”
“What issue?”
“Payroll says your employee status was changed.”
“By who?”
Trevor hesitated.
Belle understood.
“Julianne.”
“She no longer has authority.”
“Apparently somebody forgot to tell the computer.”
Belle walked away.
She did not ask Nikolai for help.
That irritated him when he discovered the problem himself.
“You worked twelve days without pay.”
Belle stood inside his office.
“I noticed.”
“And you said nothing.”
“I was handling it.”
“With whom?”
“Payroll.”
“They were ignoring you.”
“I noticed that too.”
Nikolai leaned back.
“You could have called me.”
Belle folded her arms.
“I don’t want you solving every problem.”
“Why?”
“Because then everyone will believe the rumors.”
Nikolai’s expression darkened.
“You care what they think?”
“No.”
“That sounded like yes.”
Belle sighed.
“I care what I think.”
He waited.
“I had a career once.”
“I know.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Edith.”
“She was persuasive.”
“She betrayed me.”
“She likes you.”
“That doesn’t make it less annoying.”
Nikolai almost smiled.
Belle continued.
“I ran operations. I made decisions. I handled impossible guests and impossible budgets. Then my mother got sick.”
Her voice changed.
“I lost everything piece by piece.”
Nikolai remained silent.
“I don’t want another powerful person rebuilding my life for me.”
He absorbed that.
Then nodded.
“All right.”
Belle looked surprised.
“All right?”
“You fix payroll.”
“Yes.”
“And if somebody interferes illegally?”
“I handle that too.”
He nodded again.
Belle left almost disappointed that he had listened so easily.
Julianne’s next move arrived three days later.
A diamond bracelet disappeared from a guest suite.
Security searched staff lockers.
They found it inside Belle’s.
Trevor looked sick when he carried the evidence into Nikolai’s office.
Belle stood beside him.
Julianne entered without invitation.
“What a surprise.”
Belle looked at her.
Julianne smiled.
“All that dignity.”
Nikolai’s face revealed nothing.
Julianne continued.
“Turns out the saint steals.”
Belle stared at the bracelet.
Something inside her went cold.
Not frightened.
Focused.
She had managed hotels long enough to know theft investigations.
“Who found it?”
“Security.”
“Which officer?”
Trevor answered.
“Dawson.”
“Who opened my locker?”
“He did.”
“Who witnessed the search?”
Trevor paused.
Belle looked at Nikolai.
“Exactly.”
Julianne rolled her eyes.
“Oh, please.”
Belle ignored her.
“What time was the bracelet reported missing?”
“2:12.”
“What time did security enter the staff room?”
“2:27.”
Belle nodded.
“Pull corridor cameras from 1:45 to 2:30.”
Julianne laughed.
“You really think cameras are going to save you twice?”
Belle finally looked at her.
“No.”
She smiled.
“I think your arrogance will.”
Julianne’s smile faltered.
Security returned with footage.
At 2:19, a junior housekeeper entered the locker room.
She stayed less than thirty seconds.
Trevor recognized her.
“Madison.”
Nikolai ordered her brought in.
The girl arrived crying before anyone questioned her.
Julianne immediately said:
“She’s probably Belle’s accomplice.”
Madison broke.
“No!”
Everyone turned.
“I didn’t want to do it.”
Julianne went still.
Madison pointed at her.
“She said she’d get my mother fired if I refused.”
Belle watched Julianne’s face.
For the first time, there was no clever excuse waiting.
Nikolai stood.
Julianne backed away.
“You believe her?”
He said nothing.
“She’s nobody!”
Belle’s expression sharpened.
There it was again.
Nobody.
Maid.
Servant.
Housekeeper.
People like Julianne needed labels because labels made cruelty easier.
Nikolai walked closer.
“You planted stolen property on an employee.”
Julianne swallowed.
“This family owns half the damn city. Stop acting like this is some crime documentary.”
“It is a crime.”
Her face changed.
“You wouldn’t.”
“I already contacted counsel.”
“Nikolai.”
“You wanted consequences.”
His voice remained calm.
“Now you have them.”
Julianne suddenly looked at Belle.
“This is your fault.”
Belle laughed.
Not politely.
Not gently.
A real laugh.
“My fault?”
“You came into this house pretending to be humble.”
“I came here because I needed a paycheck.”
“You made him obsessed with you.”
Belle’s smile disappeared.
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“You burned me because you thought I was beneath you.”
Julianne’s mouth tightened.
“You spread rumors because being liked by employees offended you.”
Belle took another step.
“And now you framed me because consequences hurt your feelings.”
Julianne’s eyes filled with hatred.
Belle lowered her voice.
“You don’t hate me because Nikolai noticed me.”
Silence.
“You hate me because I survived you without becoming afraid of you.”
Julianne slapped the desk.
“Go to hell.”
Belle nodded.
“There you are.”
Nikolai looked toward security.
“Escort Julianne out.”
Two officers approached.
She stared at him.
“You’ll destroy the family for her?”
Nikolai answered quietly.
“No.”
“You’re destroying yourself.”
Julianne was escorted away.
Belle remained standing.
Nikolai looked at her.
“You handled that yourself.”
“I did.”
“Happy?”
“Extremely.”
“Good.”
Belle turned toward the door.
“Belle.”
She looked back.
“There’s a position opening.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“No.”
“You haven’t heard it.”
“I know exactly what you’re doing.”
“Do you?”
“You discovered I used to run hotel operations and now you want to promote me.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Roman—no, Nikolai—looked genuinely surprised.
“Why?”
“Because if I take a giant promotion immediately after you publicly destroy Julianne, every rumor becomes permanent.”
“That’s irrational.”
“Welcome to society.”
“When?”
Belle paused.
“When I earn it where everybody can see.”
Nikolai leaned back.
“And how do you intend to do that?”
Belle smiled.
“Give me one broken department.”
His expression changed.
Interest.
“The banquet operation.”
Belle nodded.
“Thirty days.”
“If you fail?”
“I go back to housekeeping.”
“And if you succeed?”
“I want the operations-director position interviewed openly.”
Nikolai extended his hand.
Belle looked at it.
Then shook.
“Deal.”
For the first time since her mother became ill, Belle felt something she had almost forgotten.
Not safety.
May you like
Not romance.
Ambition.
