Chapter 16: Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Carol’s POV

The upscale boutique practically gleams as a personal driver drops us off at the front door. The store is located in what is presumably the most expensive part of town. Although there are people in fine clothes bustling around on the street, the store itself seems quite private. The windows are tinted, and an attendant stands by the door waiting for us.

I already feel out of place. Aiden seems to notice my hesitation and takes me by the hand, leading me up to the door. The attendant looks up at us with a smile.

“Welcome back to Lupa, Mr. Cruz Feel free to follow me.”

I’m immediately swept away by the opulence of the store’s interior. The soft murmur of hushed conversations and the rustle of luxurious fabrics adds to the private yet glamorous ambiance.

The attendant takes us back to the changing area. The floor–to–ceiling mirrors that take up an entire wall. In front of the mirrors stands a raised walkway–most likely somewhere for me to show off the outfits I try on. There are a few plush chairs around the room to watch the small fashion show.

“Don’t worry, ma’am,” the attendant says, “I will be sure to take good care of you.” She calls a few assistants to take my measurements and they bustle off.

Aiden settles into a chair close to the stage and smiles. “Are you excited?”

I rub my arms nervously. “Honestly, I feel like I don’t even have nice enough clothes to shop here,” I confess. Aiden smiles reassuringly at me.

“No one has expensive clothes until they buy them. You look stunning in everything, though,” he insists.

The attendant re–enters the room. “We have your room all prepared for you, ma’am,” she says.

I make my way back to my changing room where four gorgeous dresses are hanging up. I feel oddly nervous. Just by looking. I can tell any one of these dresses costs enough to cover my rent and then some. I steel myself and grab the first dress.

The first dress is an emerald green masterpiece. I’m amazed to find that it fits perfectly. It hugs my curves in a way that’s shockingly flattering. I decide to forgo looking too closely in the mirror, instead heading into the showing area. so Aiden can weigh in.

Aiden looks up as I make my way out onto the walkway. His eyes go wide and he sucks in a breath between his teeth.

“You look absolutely stunning,” Aiden marvels. My face flushes. I turn to look at myself in the mirror.

“Do you think so?” I murmur. Since my hair is a reddish–auburn, it’s common that people recommend I wear a green dress. Seeing myself in this one helps me finally understand why.

I turn around to find Aiden staring, his eyes filled with lust. I can’t help but giggle softly.

“OK, lover boy, there’s still three left to try,” I say. Aiden sits back in his chair and folds his arms behind his head.

“Fine by me,” he says. I wink at him and head back to the changing room.

The second dress is a deep Crimson. The piece has a deep neckline and a daring slit. I step out of the room. I feel almost self–conscious, but only for a moment. As soon as soon as Aiden catches sight of me, he lets out a low whistle.

“You’re going to turn heads if you wear that,” he remarks. Aiden lets out a few wolf whistles as I head back to my

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Chapter 17

changing room.

I am weighing my options when my attention is seized by the final dress on the rack.

The dress I have lined up to try on next is undeniably beautiful, but something inside me tells me the last dress can’t

wait.

The final dress is a floor length, midnight blue gown. The cut of the dress is breathtakingly, elegant, but not to ostentatious. I can’t help but stare at myself in the mirror. I didn’t even think it was possible for me to look this good. As I move toward the door, I realize there are delicate silver embellishments all over the dress, just subtle I might not have noticed. They only add to the beauty.

As I step out onto the walkway, Aiden stares at me as though no one else in the world exists. Even a few other customers have stopped in their tracks to watch me. The silence drags on for so long I can feel my skin prickle

-Well? What do you think?” I ask. Aiden gets to his feet. He steps up onto the platform beside me his hands drifting between the embellishments on my dress as if mapping constellations.

“Bewitching.” Aiden whispers. “Absolutely bewitching” Before I can respond, he pulls out of his credit card. As if summoned, the attendant rushes to his side.

“The price is —”

– I don’t mind,” Aiden breathes. “Whatever the cost is, I don’t mind. I’m buying this dress.”

1 reluctantly head back to my changing room. An attendant is waiting for me outside as soon as I get back into my normal clothes. She holds a clear dress bag in her hands, inside which is the exact dress I have been wearing

ас

The woman must have noticed my confusion, because she explains, “the dress you tried on is only a sample. Inside. this bag is the real dress. It is entirely original no others like it exist in the world.”

I have to fight to keep my jaw from dropping. I clear my throat awkwardly and hand her what was apparently the sample. “Right of course. Thank you so much,” I say.

I head back into the showing room and sit down in one of the plush chairs. My attention of is immediately grabbed by the sight of a tall woman clad and expensive clothing striding through the door of the boutique. As soon as she steps inside, she’s flocked by attendants, but she shoos all of them off.

The woman is strikingly beautiful with sleek blonde hair and sharp features. For a moment, we lockeyes, but her eyes move away dismissively.

I’m not particularly bothered. I stop paying attention to her and let my eyes wander back to the fabric in my lap. marveling at how it glitters like starlight.

I am jolted out of my reverie by the sudden feeling I am being watched. I look to my right and almost jump seat with surprise. The woman from before is standing only feet for me – how did I not hear her approach?

out of my

“Um… Hello?” I say. It only takes me a moment to realize she isn’t looking at me. She’s looking at the dress in my lap with a predatory gleam in her eyes.

“That dress,” she says, her voice, just as elegant and cold as her appearance. “I need it.”

I blink at her, caught off guard by her bluntness. “I’m sorry, but we’ve already purchased the dress,” I say.

The woman raises an eyebrow. “You don’t seem to understand. I need it for an important event tomorrow night.”

I hesitate for a moment. I can understand why she feel so strongly about the dress. Still, her demanding nature squashes any empathy I feel.

4:52 PM

Chapter 17

“You must have tried on the dress. That means there’s a sample. You take that one, and I’ll take the real thing. It’s that simple.”

I stare at her blankly. Is this woman serious? I wonder. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I say.

The woman seems to stare through me. “I can assure you it will be worth much it was, I’ll pay you double. I need this for an important event.”

your

while

How much did it cost? However,

“So do 1,” I say, crossing my arms. I can see the woman become visibly furious.

“As if you would be worthy of such a dress!” She growls. Just when I think the woman might be about to transition from bribery to threats, our conversation is cut short by a familiar voice.

“Katrina. Apologize.” I look over to see that Aiden has returned from paying.