Wife, Wine, War

These valuables were meant to remain locked behind secured glass boxes and cabinets. If that prick had managed to seize them and claim them as his own…

What would happen to everything else in Belgard?

My vision darkened. Anxiety and rage gave me the strength to wrench free from the men restraining me. "Unhand me! If any of you dare harm a hair on my head, I'll have the city deport every last one of you by tomorrow."

I knocked aside their hands and bolted into Belgard.

The first horror that greeted me was graffiti scrawled across the 10,000-dollar wine barrels: *Jacques Mightiest*. Every glass I had commissioned at great expense from master artisans bore a tacky tag that read, *Art, by Jacques.*

The drawing room, once lined with refined paintings by masters spanning centuries, had been stripped. The canvases lay heaped in a corner as though set out for a yard sale. In their place, an ugly canvas reading "Jacques and the Jax-Minnies" hung at the center of the wall.

Someone had smashed the glass cabinets that housed our diamonds, ceremonial tiaras, and art pieces. Every priceless antique was gone.

I had spent years shaping Belgard into what it was. Now it looked like the gutted shell of a nightclub.

Rage coursed through me.

To make matters worse, Jacques stood there snickering. "What do you think? My decorating style's pretty damn street, huh? Unlike yours. Yours suuucks. What are you, a vampire? Your decor made the place look like a museum. Get with the times, old fart."

So he knew that I was Belgard's true owner.

I clenched my fists and faced him with a tight smile. "Do you have any idea what my decor cost? You're nothing but a dirtbag influencer, Jacques. At your rate, you couldn't repay me in a decade."

He laughed. "Who the hell cares? My girlfriend's got the money."

He shot me a provoking look. "You must be Sylvia's dumbass fiancé. I get why she calls you an eyesore and a bore. Just look at you.

"I'll be real with you, dawg. If I asked, she'd hand over every cent in your family vault. She's that big a simp for me."

That did it.

I snatched up an ashtray and hurled it at him. "You piece of shit! I've never seen a homewrecking gigolo this shameless and proud. I swear, I'll take you down before Sylvia gets what's coming to her."

The ashtray had barely hit the floor when Melanie shrieked, "Oh my God! Minnies, this con man tried to hurt Jaxie!"

Jacques immediately arranged his features into a pitiful mask. "I was just trying to reason with you, man. You have to pay if you want to meet me. It's only fair you do that too. What's wrong with that? I even offered to cover your ticket if you can't afford it. Isn't that your dream come true?"

As expected, his fans turned into foot soldiers. Some livestreamed the chaos to "expose" me as a "fan." Others delivered breathless commentary.

Melanie took charge, urging the online audience to unleash their worst.

[Shameless! Disgusting! Jaxie doesn't deserve this blasphemy! I want to give him a hug!]

[You've done it now! I'm a Jax-minnie and a witch! I can curse you without even knowing your name. Jaxie will be protected!]

I surveyed the twisted faces and snarling glares in the crowd. Some looked amused. Some were eager to vilify me. Others chased the controversy for clout.

Not one of them spoke in my defense.

When I first opened Belgard to the public, I had thought of it as an act of generosity. People could use it without charge and build their online ventures. I had meant it as a public good.

I felt none of that goodwill now.

Jacques beamed at me as though he expected an apology. Instead, I called the International Vineyards & Wineries Association. "Hello. This is Richard Vernon, owner of the first-class Belgard Estate. My property is under IVWA protection. Both the estate and I are under serious threat. I am requesting immediate protection."

I ended the call and fixed Jacques with a hard stare. "From this moment on, Belgard is closed to the public. None of you will ever earn another dime on my estate."

Jacques' eyes flickered. He seemed to weigh how much of that was true.

Suddenly, Melanie cried out, "Oh my God, it's Miss LePenn! Jaxie, the queen is here! She must have seen the livestream and come to deal with him. You're so cooked, con man!"

A Rolls-Royce pulled up at the estate gate. William hurried forward to receive her.

I took a seat and waited for her to enter. "So, Sylvia, I trust you have a very good explanation for all of this?"