The Beautifully Damned and the Eternally Blessed (SAMPLE)

Chapter Nine: The Suspects (Wendy and Ariah)

Wendy Daimler, the business rival.

New York City, Lower Manhattan...

"Miss Yeun, Derrick's death is something that still haunts me," commented Wendy Daimler, the heiress of Daimler Fashions that was known to create knockoffs of other designer labels, as she and the Asian-American lawyer sat in the former's Spartan-themed office. "I'm sorry that I wasn't around to attend the private funeral and all, but I had to deal with my family's empire which is all but going under."

"Even so, Miss Daimler, you know that my late client insisted that you'd attend the reading of his will," Diana replied gently, noticing how the redheaded beauty was distraught from dealing with her family's financial issues and gambling habits. "From what he told me, he has no ill will against you even after what your family pulled."

Wendy snorted, rolling her emerald-green eyes as she brushed a strand of hair back into place. "That's an understatement," she scoffed. "Miss Yeun, none of my family members really liked how a person of color was suddenly on the rise of being a talented designer. When Derrick splashed onto the scene, I was a young intern looking forward to do my family proud by planning to create original pieces. Father and Mother, on the other hand, saw it best to continue copying other designers because they didn't trust my family's business acumen. Neither did Derrick, and he and I went to school with that Everett guy who's his best friend. I had to be the bitter rival all to appease my family but Derrick saw right through me. He knew that I was special and he entrusted me to help him out a few times. When Father learned of my partnership with him, he was initially livid that 'a fine heiress of my caliber was working with some colored runt who's likely selling drugs on the side.' But then came the idea of me stealing of few of Derrick's designs for a fashion competition a few years ago."

"I remember that," Diana replied, nodding her head. "It was for a charity benefit for the Children's Miracle Network."

"Right. Father said that I owed my family this since I was working with my family. I wanted no part of it, but had to do so if I wanted any of my designs to be made into reality. One thing led to another and I lost a good friend while my designs never made it to the runway. A part of me hated that I lost a good friend, but a part of me was envious because Derrick was special. He was unapologetic with his lifestyle and wasn't afraid of being himself- something that my family taught me to be since they valued appearances and prestige. In their eyes, it's all about faking it until we made it," Wendy said. "So you can see why I'm apprehensive on being at the reading of the will. I can't risk any of Derrick's private circle giving me the fifth degree and accusing me of being that stalker Deathly Glamour."

Diana sighed. "Miss Daimler, you'll have at least a week to make your decision," she intoned, "but be aware that if you refuse to attend you'll lose out on your claim of the inheritance and also risk the other guests to not get anything as well."

"I never really thought about that," Wendy replied, biting back a sigh. "And that'll mean being seen as a bad guy once again. If's a damned-if-I-do-damned-if-I-don't situation. I might as well pick the lesser of the two evils and actually attend."

"Are you sure, Miss Daimler? I don't want to pressure you into doing something that you don't want to do."

"Miss Yeun, it'll be a far better idea to go through the month of June and face down my demons like a Irish warrior than to cry in my soup and hide in this office. I have to go, for the sake of my conscience and for Derrick."

Diana smiled thinly, handing her a check of one-hundred thousand dollars. "I promise you, Miss Daimler, that you're not going to regret it," she commented.

"For your sake and mine, Miss Yeun, I hope you're right," Wendy breathed. "I really hope you're right."

The silent witness watched from afar as the cameras in Wendy's office filmed everything.