Chapter 19
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ANASTASIA
Reaching out, I let my fingers traverse the soft white chiffon. I wonder how something so pure and delicate could ever be worn by a bloody soul like me.
My fingers tremble, afraid I’ll stain it with whatever darkness lies inside of me. The screams from last night still linger in my head.
It was her fault for believing that she could steal from me and yet for a moment I hesitated. My palm wavered as I forced Draco, our tiger, to stand back, stopping him from ripping her apart straight away like intended .
The woman was an addict for fuck’s sake. She would have said anything to save her life and besides everyone has a family.
Why should I care if her son needed new school shoes?
It was probably a lie anyhow and she should have thought hard before deciding it was a good idea to steal my product alongside four other idiots. Ever since that ordeal with Garcia I’ve been on edge, needing to establish order on the streets again otherwise shit like that would be a daily occurrence.
I could barely get a word out as Uncle Kai asked me if I was okay. Instead, I told him it was just period cramps and asked him to handle it like a coward. But those screams, so loud I could hear them echoing against the hollow walls, conjured this stupid guilt that I can’t seem to shake off.
My body jumps up as Enzo’s mother sets her palm on my shoulder. “Are you okay, figlia?” Daughter.
Turning to her, my smile falters. I see all the beauty I used to worship in Enzo. Those same amber eyes, full lashes and sun kissed skin. Yet there’s also a darkness she’s hiding.
A duplicity I’m sure will come crawling out of the shadows soon.
“I’m not sure about this one.” Shoving the dress back into the rack, I move onto the next. I don’t even know how I’m dress shopping right now. I just know I’ll end up flying out Vera Wang or Pinina Tornai so they can custom design my dress but Angelica was adamant about dress shopping first.
She just arrived two days ago yet has already met my family and persuaded my mother to let us dress shop alone, despite her son’s objections. To be honest, the fact Enzo in no way wanted me alone with his mother pushed me to go. Yet after two hours of useless perusing, I’m quickly regretting it.
Sensing her about to ask me another question, I quickly grab whatever dress I can and thrust it into the shop attendant’s hands. “I’d like to try this one on.”
“Certainly.” She says with a smile way too cheery for my liking. I allow her to corral me into the dressing room but once the door is locked, I bat her hands away from me “I can do it myself.”
The astonishment on her face is laughable, as if she had never had a customer who didn’t want to be dressed like a toddler.
It’s a battle to put it on but I manage, immediately regretting my choice once I look in the mirror. It’s straight out of a stupid fairytale — one where the princess needs a man to save her.
My face screws up at the mass of tulle, wanting to rip the entire thing to shred already.
“You look wonderful.” The attendant beams from the corner .
I roll my eyes. “Of course I do. I look good in anything, but the dress is an atrocity. You should really do yourself a favor and burn it.”
There’s a sharp click of heels hovering outside of the door. “Can I see the dress?”
“One minute.” I fight a growl in the back of my throat, quickly snapping a few pictures of myself to send to mom as per her request. I hesitate sending the pictures to Calista as well, knowing how much she would laugh, seeing me in this ridiculous dress.
Yet the likelihood she would reply is slim.
All my texts have been ghosted, my calls unanswered and it’s been weeks since our petty argument. I want to forgive and forget but I know she wants more than a rushed apology.
She wants answers.
Sighing, I tuck my phone back into my bag. “Anastasia!” I almost wince, forcing myself to open the door for her.
Her face drops as she takes in my appearance. “It’s a little…” Ugly. Monstrous. Hideous. “Much. I see you in something different.”
Funny, because I can’t even see myself walking down the aisle. Period .
Almost everything has been planned by my mom and Aunt Emery, right down to the cutlery. I was happy enough to step back, only requesting blood-red roses in the bouquet and the ceremony to be as short as possible.
“Try this one on.” She hands me another dress and pushes me back into the dressing room. “You can leave.” The attendant stills, glancing up towards the tiny window.
“We’re not going to steal anything.” I snap, throwing her my black AMEX card and flashing my engagement ring that’s probably worth more than her apartment. “How about you get us some coffees and one for yourself too. On me.”
Once she shuffles out of the room, I expect Angelica to follow her, but instead she takes the attendant’s seat fixing her gaze on me. “Don’t be so shy. I won’t look if you don't want me to.”
It’s not that I’m embarrassed of my body or anything but it’s weird having some woman I’ve never met before act as if we’ve known one another for years. I don’t respond.
Instead, I strip off the poofy dress in exchange for a new one.
My arms stretch to reach the zipper but Angelica is already there, pushing my onyx hair to one side as she fastens the dress up. I hold her gaze in the mirror. "Bellissimo." Beautiful. She murmurs and strangely I find myself agreeing with her.
It is beautiful .
The white satin clings to my curves, billowing slightly at the waist into a small train that swishes at my feet. The corset is embellished with small jewels on a background of transparent material, held up with off shoulder sleeves. It’s simple, pure and for the first time, I feel like every other bride.
“This is it.” Angelica nods, smiling as she pulls a small box from her bag. “Here.”
I tentatively take it from her, pushing open the lid. Reaching inside, I pull out a string of white pearls that glisten as I dangle them under the sun’s touch. “They were my grandmother’s.” She says, taking them to fix the clasp around my throat. “Her husband gifted them to her on their wedding day. They didn’t have much but he was an oysterman, so every day from the moment they met he would pocket one of the oyster pearls he found to craft them into a necklace. He gifted them to her on their wedding day. It’s been through my family, my mother wore them, I did and now I would like it very much if you did too.”
“It’s beautiful.” My fingers rest on the smooth pearls, hating how right they feel around my neck. “Of course I’ll wear them.”
She smiles. “Now all you need is a veil and you’re good to go.”
I let out a shaky laugh. “Well, I’m wearing my mom’s so I suppose…I have everything I need.” I’ve always wanted to ca rry a piece of my parents' love story with me if I ever did marry. The veil is my something old, the pearls my something borrowed, the jewels on my heels are my something blue and I suppose my fiancé is my something new.
“Are you okay?” I ask, carefully settling my hand on Angelica’s arm. She startles, a haunted expression cast over her face that dissipates into something that scares me a lot more.
Guilt.
“Angelica?” I probe.
She grasps my hands in a strange desperation and pulls down onto the ottoman with her. “You’re just not what I thought you would be.” I frown but she carries on. “I’ve seen you with your family, with your associates and most importantly with my son. I flew her expecting…oh gosh I don’t know what I was expecting, but certainly not a woman perfect for my son.”
She knows it's a business deal. She even pushed Enzo to secure the marriage, unless she knows—
Tears begin to pool in her eyes, tugging at my damaged heartstrings. “When your son tells you that he’s so in love, he’s willing to give up his legacy, his entire empire to be with her, you make damn sure that it doesn’t happen.”