Madeline watched Chase cross the street with some purpose and glanced around.  It appeared to be Chase and he seemed to be fixated on some red head.  That would just not do.  She frowned, her MAC pink lacquered lips tilting ever so slightly at the ends so not to get wrinkles.  That auburn heifer almost looked like Antoinette, but perhaps it wasn’t Chase or Antoinette.  She had been coming out of a charming little French boutique, shopping bag in hand, when she noticed him turn the corner.  No, she would have recognized the tailored cut of his business suit anywhere, but his dark chocolate brown glistening hair just made him stand out that much more.  She smiled faintly at the handsome figure he made, but where was he going?  He was supposed to be going back to his office in the Seagram’s building so she could surprise him with the nice snake skin wallet she bought for him.  She hated that office, but knew he would be moving on to better things shortly.  His secretary said he had a late lunch meeting and then he might be back later – Chase had confirmed the same thing over the phone as he had left the office.  She could hear him say good afternoon to the help and then to his business associate.  He was supposed to be there so he could be impressed with her thoughtful and sincere purchase and they could go out to the ballet.  She would have to convince him that it had been his idea, of course.  He didn’t like for her to tax herself with too many thoughts because he knew it gave her headaches, and he dearly loved to spoil her.  Her bottom lip protruded in a practiced pout.  A man walking in the street stopped for a moment to check on her, but she sneered and waved him off.

Chase’s office was in the other direction from the St. Regis Hotel.  He was messing up all her plans for wearing a new dress to the Met so that she could be seen in a BR original design.  It had been bought directly off the runway so that no one else could have one and she could show it off before a version of the brand new design ever hit stores.  Didn’t he understand she had an image to uphold?  How was she supposed to be fashionable in the flirty black Halas butterfly lace and ribbon concoction that had been described as a cross between a debutant gown and a mermaid sheath, if Chase didn’t take her out?  She considered stomping down the street after him, but decided to wait and see what he would do.  Besides, she didn’t want to have to walk very far in her new high heels – she might scuff them up on these dirty sheets and scuffed patent leather was never in.  If she did mess them up, Chase would just have to buy her a new pair, since this was all his fault.  Perhaps he and Antoinette, whom Madeline was more and more convinced was leading Chase, would talk and then he would go back to where he belonged.  Madeline’s face screwed up into an unsightly grimace – not very likely.  She took a couple of steps toward the hotel.  If she called him, he would probably mumble something about a business meeting and make some excuse to get her off the phone.  Or worse, he would forward his calls to that mousey little secretary of his and she would make fun of Madeline behind her back.  Madeline could tell that the stupid little girl didn’t think much of her and probably laughed about her behind her back all the time, but it didn’t matter, because Madeline knew Chase would never leave her and they would be more famous and rich than the ugly little bookworm could ever dream of.  Then who would be laughing?  She would be laughing all the way to the bank in her limousine.  Madeline gave a little laugh out loud and hefted her purse higher on her shoulder.  If she never had to talk to her again, it would be too soon.  After all, she was the hired help – no different from Madeline’s dog walker.  Why couldn’t she just do what Madeline said and answer her questions without all the cocky attitude and get over it?  If she wanted a letter of recommendation from Chase, she would have to learn where her little sniveling place was.

But, Madeline didn’t want to think about that jealous little heathen right now.  She wanted to know why ‘Little Miss Save-the-World’ was in New York messing up her plans and why her rich, all too easily corrupted, fiancée was following her.  Antoinette was always messing up her plans.  Once upon a time, she had been friends with Antoinette, but that had been before she decided she was too good for Madeline and Chase and left poor Chase broken hearted in Charleston.  Madeline had been there for every second and helped him get over ‘Toni Duke,’ while realizing Chase could make her big lifestyle dreams a reality.  She had helped him move out of that old town and into the busy modern world of Manhattan.  Besides, the shopping had been far too out of date in South Carolina for Madeline.  Being a debutante was nice, but being a socialite was much better. It hadn’t taken very long for Chase to get into a business of his own.  He was, after all, smart and very talented, and he had just enough ambition to make it happen.  Now, he owned his own company with powerful partners and was rich enough to start thinking about politics.  She would make a great politician’s wife, and with just the right hints, Chase believed it too.  She was beautiful and poised – all the beauty show judges had told her so, and maybe someday, she could be a First Lady.  The President’s wife always looked classy and smart, and she had people to cook for her, and dress her, and everything she didn’t want to do.  It was like being a Barbie.  Madeline had adored her Barbies – they had everything: cars, clothing, mansions, and a million people looking up to them, but never seemed to do much of anything.  She shook her head full of fat, bleach blonde ringlets with the dark low lights and posed for a second, checking her reflection in a restaurant window.  Having everything would be wonderful.

Madeline had always dreamed of being famous.  She loved being adored in the cities she was in but if she could be adored all over the country, that would be even better, and fame often came with more money.  Of course, she already had the rich part down, and thanks to her mother’s shrewd sense of dying rich men, she would have rich for the rest of her life, But, if she could be rich, famous, and look smart, well that would be even better.  But first, Chase had to stop putting it off and decide on a wedding date.  She wasn’t completely oblivious.  She knew he had tried to break up with her more than once – but it wasn’t going to happen.  She had worked too hard to stop when she was so close to getting exactly what she wanted.  If he wanted a divorce later, that would be fine.  She would have her half of his money and the publicity of being a senator’s ex-wife then, she would be able to stay in New York like those stupid women on the television and entertain in high society while she looked for her next victim – Oh, husband, of course.  Madeline smiled as she walked a few more steps toward the St. Regis Hotel.

After all, she thought, Chase had to become a senator or representative – or something equally high up, because you can’t run for President without clout and one of those positions.  Otherwise no one would know who you were, and you would be a joke running. Madeline dearly hated to be made fun of.  Wait, the St Regis?  Wasn’t that where the BR representative had said her dress would be delivered from after the show?  Madeline paused and pulled the card with the directions and address out of her handbag.  The designer was staying at the St. Regis hotel.  Maybe that wasn’t Antoinette and it was just a coincidence that Chase seemed to be following her.  Maybe he was going to surprise her with something from her favorite designer.  He could after all find out where to meet them.  Madeline’s confidence grew a little as she walked a few more steps toward the front of the hotel.  She could casually bump into Chase and surprise him there.  If he was going to buy her something, the least she could do was pick it out and make sure it was the one she wanted.

Something niggled in the back of her mind that said he wasn’t going to see the designer for her, but she ignored it.  Chase was firmly tucked into the pocket of her favorite Louis Vuitton handbag, and he wouldn’t be getting out anytime soon.  He would just have to learn to deal with that little fact and every teensy little ounce of her that came with it.  Chase was to be a kept man.  No more jetting half-way across the world for some supposed business meeting and leaving her behind for a month.  No more rushing to mom’s side in Charleston and Greece and leaving her in New York where it’s snowing or worse, sweltering hot.  She stamped the toe of her Louboutin bootie and scowled, forgetting her mission momentarily.  She was putting her expensively clothed foot down – no more!  She reached in her bag for her cell.  She was going to call him and ask him point blank what he was doing.  If he lied, she would never let him hear the end of it, because she would have him red-handed.  She would be able to march through the doors, because she could say she was picking up her dress, and she would be able to be surprised and offended and he would have to beg and plead for her forgiveness.  She stopped in the middle of a crosswalk, oblivious to the honking horns of the cars that were trying to turn, and then continued her saunter across the street.  But what if he didn’t?  What if he wasn’t sorry and didn’t care that he had hurt her feelings?  Madeline shook the thought away and carefully fixed one of her curls.  This was Chase.  He wouldn’t want to hurt her pretty little gentle feelings – even for Antoinette.  He would be sorry and then want them all to sit down and talk.  But, Madeline decided, she would only do it if he would take her up to get the dress and introduce her to the designer and buy her another one.  Or better yet, commission the designer to make one just for her – to show case all of her gorgeous assets.  That would be his punishment.  Smiling once again to herself, Madeline dialed the digits to his cell number.