His Pride & Her Prejudice (in the 21st Century)-unedited.

Chapter Eight

Ella

"You kissed him," Jane cried. "Ella, you don't even know this guy. This is very spontaneous even for you."

Ella collapsed against her couch and smiled. "Wickham is something. He has this vibe that touches the heart. When you meet him, you will know what I mean."

"Again? Are you serious about him?"

Shrugging, Ella hugged an oversized cushion against her chest. "Who knows? Even if it's a fling, it's worth it. You know I am not interested in a relationship right now."

Grabbing her tepid coffee from the table, Jane took a sip. "Yuck, this is horrible. Did you check the expiry date?"

"Forget the coffee. Wait till I tell you what he told about Mr. Darcy," Ella said excitedly. Then she related to her sister about what she had unearthed through Wickham.

Jane's expression changed to one of disbelief. "Are you sure there is not some misunderstanding between them? I just can't reconcile the version of William as narrated by Wickham. Braden trusts him implicitly and consults him on personal things."

"Must you always believe good in everyone," Ella said with a twinge of annoyance. "There are purely evil people in this world who can't be redeemed. I am not insinuating he is a monster. What I am saying is he isn't as virtuous as he portrays himself to be."

"He is certainly a silent type, but maybe he is shy around people," Jane argued.

"He isn't shy. He only consorts with people who are either wealthy or benefit him in some ways," she reiterated her point.

"Mock me all you want for being naïve, but we haven't heard William's side of the story. We just have a one-sided account. Let's not be prejudiced without having all the facts," Jane insisted.

"What did Wickham gain from lying? He didn't get a chance to graduate from an Ivy League. Without such a premium education, he got robbed of his future just because Darcy's father preferred him more," Ella maintained her stance. "Once you meet Wickham, you will see for yourself."

"But it doesn't make sense. Braden isn't from old money when he met William at Yale. He was on a full scholarship and working at a grocery store job to make ends meet. How do you explain their friendship?"

"Braden's coding significantly improved artificial intelligence in the health industry. It made William a lot of money. No point in shunning the goose which lays the golden egg," Ella countered with a triumphant reply.

"All I can say is we need to hear both of them out. Everyone has their one truth." Jane sighed, looking conflicted.

The implicit trust Braden had in his friend bothered Ella. Did Braden always follow the latter blindly? It irked her how William expected everyone to follow his will. Oh, his arrogance riled her.

Seeing she was going nowhere with her sister, she checked her phone and swore. "Damn."

"What?" Jane threw a questioning look.

"Mom has given David my number, and he has been texting me nonsensical stuff. He wants to know where the best shoe store is. Why can't he look it up online?" Ella grumbled, dropping her cell phone on her lap. "She should think twice before giving my contact information to random people."

"He is better off asking Charlotte. I am sure she can help him," Jane said.

"What do you mean?"

"Since you skipped the dinner yesterday, Charlotte came over at the behest of David. Apparently, Dorothy had invited him over, and he got to meet her then. Seeing that dad is busy, she volunteered to show the downtown and the Wildwood Boardwalk," Jane filled her in about weekend events.