“How much is this dress?” My palms glide down the soft fabric, knowing it must be thousands, easily.
They exchange a look.
“That’s not important, now, is it?” Kelly says.
“It is to me.” I hit them with a glare through the mirror. “How much?”
“Uh…” Claire clears her throat. “It’s, um, one point five.”
“One point five?” My gaze narrows. “Thousand?”
She laughs. “Of course not. Million.”
I choke. “Wh—what?”
“It was custom. Specially made for you.”
I whirl around. “What do you mean, custom?” My heart pounds; my head spins. “When did he order this dress?”
Another look between them. More hesitation.
“You might want to ask Mr. Marinov?—”
“No,” I snap, the edge in my voice sharp enough to cut through her. “I’m askingyou.”
Claire swallows. “It’s been over two months. I don’t know the exact date.”
My heart drops into my stomach.
He’s been planning this. The marriage. The vineyard deal. All of it.
I can’t breathe.
“Undo this dress, then get out.”
“But—”
“Now.”
They nod quickly, clearly sensing that I’m about to lose it. Kelly undoes the lace string of the corset while Claire helps undo the straps of my dress. As soon as they take the other garment bag, they scatter out of the room, leaving me alone with the future I never asked for.
I sink onto the bed, the weight of a million-dollar dress still clinging to my skin. If it wasn’t for my parents, I’d rip this dress to shreds and send him a care package with its remains.
But I can’t do that. I have to play the long game, even if it costs me everything.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
FIONA
Every timeI closed my eyes, I saw him again.
Cold. Cruel. So damn sure of himself. That smug little curl of his mouth the second I let those unforgivable words slip out.
I’ll marry you.
Now it’s the next day, and I’ve been running on autopilot since I walked into the office while that stupidly expensive dress hangs in my closet, reminding me of what’s coming next. My stomach heaves at the thought, and I can barely concentrate on my work.
The case files blur, and I swear I’ve typed the same line in a report three times and still can’t remember what it says. Hours have passed with me staring at my monitor while the edges of my world quietly unravel.
