21. Mia
MIA
Never in my wildest dreams did I think any of this was possible. There are a dozen people in the penthouse with their own crates and clothes racks. A few racks are for everyday clothes. Others have wedding dresses on them I can’t wait to try on.
Alek really did think of everything. From sleepwear, to blouses, to lingerie. I blush when I look at that rack. I know that was his idea and if he wants to see me in pieces of string, then I’ll gladly wear them.
I’d do anything for Aleksandr Bykov.
A designer named Antoinette Laurent, a French designer who is known for her beautiful wedding gowns is taking my measurements and speaking to her team in fluent French.
“Your fiancé was very helpful when explaining what you wanted in a dress. I brought everything I thought would be perfect.” She snaps her fingers and her awkward assistant stumbles to her side, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.
“Get me Veronica. I think that is the dress for my bride.” Her bright red lipstick stays in place as she smiles, her long black nails tapping her chin as she is deep in thought. “Yes, Veronica. Bring her to me.”
“Right away, Ms. Laurent.” Head down, shoulders slumped, the assistant hurries to the rack, pulling a dress from the rack.
It’s covered in a deep plum-colored garment bag, protecting the material from the pollution from the outside world. The exhausted assistant blows a piece of hair out of her face, clearly overworked and hopefully not underpaid.
My excitement dies a little when I see the dress. Did she listen to Alek? This dress has so much tulle, it would swallow me. I don’t like dresses like this.
“I think you would look wonderful in this,” she says, fluffing the skirt to give it a fuller effect. “See the beading along the corset and how your waist—”
“I’m sorry for interrupting you.” I hurry to cut her off before she spills the entire history of how this dress was created.
“This isn’t the type of dress I like. I’ve tried one on before and princess gowns aren’t what I like.
I like form fitted with beading. I fell in love with one dress.
It was off the shoulder, form fitted with a sweetheart neckline and bell sleeves that almost reached the floor.
It was timeless and dramatic with vintage lace and light beading.
It was perfect.” My eyes water knowing I’ll never see that gown again.
I wish I could have bought it when I tried it on. I remember not wanting to take it off. Leave it to Ivan to ruin the wedding dress experience.
“I know. I wanted to see how much you’d advocate for yourself.
This gown is gorgeous, yes, of course it is.
I created it,” she chuckles and even her laugh sounds expensive.
“I wanted to know if you’d have the same answer as Mr. Bykov.
You did.” She snaps her fingers again and the assistant zips up the garment bag, hanging the giant dress on the rack with the others.
“You want Halo from my Ethereal Collection.” Ms. Laurent snaps her fingers again and another assistant brings a shimmery gold garment bag from another rack.
“I brought other dresses, but when Mr. Bykov explained your dress, I knew it was from my Ethereal Collection.” The bag is slowly unzipped, time standing still as the light catches the first of the beading by the neckline.
Oh my god. This is it.
This is the dress. How did he find it? How did he know that the dress I wanted was from this designer.
The garment bag is stripped free, leaving nothing but the gown on the hanger. My breath catches as I take a step forward. I’m stunned.
“How…” I struggle to ask the questions running through my head. I can’t seem to find the words.
“Well, it wasn’t easy, but Mr. Bykov always finds the answers he was looking for. I must have been the tenth designer he called to describe the dress to me.”
“He called designers? For… me?” I wipe the tears from under my eyes away, his love for me flooding my heart.
“Oui. He wanted you to have your dream dress. Do you want to try it on?”
I nod so fast, my teeth clink together.
“Perfect.” She snaps her fingers again. “Everyone but Kelsey, leave the bedroom please.”
I’m in the primary bedroom where Alek and I slept last night while Alek is in the room on the other side of the penthouse. We still want to surprise one another with what we buy.
The bedroom door closes, leaving me alone with Kelsey and Ms. Laurent.
Kelsey wastes no time stripping me of my clothes until I’m left in a strapless bra and simple pair of white panties. I feel exposed and cross my arms over my chest to hide myself.
These ladies seem to be on a mission, not paying me any mind as they prepare the dress.
“Step in,” Ms. Laurent orders with another snap of her fingers.
Always snapping. It’s loud too. Seems demanding people has become a habit of hers. I don’t argue. I’ve thought about this dress too often to say anything now.
I do as I’m told and slip my arms through the dreamy lace sleeves that drag onto the ground, matching the length of the train.
“Oh my god,” I whisper when excitement boils over.
Kelsey zips the grown and it fits like a glove, just like before. The material practically melts to my figure, hugging every curve.
Ms. Laurent offers me her arm. “Come, Darling. Come see yourself the way you always imagined.”
I place my hand on top of her arm, and she helps me onto the round dressing stool. Kelsey fixes the train as it lies across the ground in a beautiful lace trail.
Ms. Laurent drops the cover from the mirror, and I gasp when I see my reflection.
“Oh my god.” My breath is taken from my lungs as I stare at the dress that’s been haunting me since the first day I saw it.
A tear hits my cheek. I’ve never seen myself look so beautiful. This is it. This is my dress.
“Wow. It fits you as if it were made for you,” Kelsey praises. “We have the perfect heel to go with it as well. The shoes are a simple, elegant white with gold bottoms.” Kelsey heads to the rack that holds all the shoe boxes. “What size are you?”
“A seven.”
She makes a clicking sound with her tongue as her fingers wave over every box while looking for my size. “Ah, here we are.” She slides the box out and walks over to me with it in her hands.
Even the box glistens gold and engraved on the lid says in elegant cursive, ‘Halo Collection by Antoinette Laurent.’
She opens the box, pulling out each heel that probably costs more than I’ve made in my entire life.
The heel itself is high, a skinny stiletto that I have no clue how to walk in, but I’ll figure it out. Kelsey was right. The design of the shoe itself is elegant, a smooth gorgeous satin creating the main body.
“The bottoms are twenty-four carat gold,” Ms. Laurent adds.
I almost say it’s too much. I almost say no because why spend so much money? And then I remembered Alek would want me to. He wouldn’t care if I bought everything on every rack that has come in here.
“Can I try them on?”
“Of course,” Kelsey says, lowering herself to the ground to help slip them onto my feet.
“Woah,” I sway when I lose my balance.
They are much higher than I expected, but they are perfect for the dress.
“Gorgeous,” Ms. Laurent says with a clap of her hands. “I’ve done it again.”
I don’t want to take the dress off. I want to walk out of this room and have Alek take me to the nearest chapel. I don’t want to wait another second to be his wife.
Kelsey unzips me and I step out of the dress, using her shoulder as support. Ms. Laurent hangs the dress, slipping the garment bag over it, and zipping away my dream.
I slip off the heels next and get dressed in the leggings and off the shoulder T-shirt I pulled from one of the racks from another designer. It feels good to wear something that isn’t saggy sweatpants and a shirt that falls to my knees, no matter how much Alek loves it.
There’s another bag that no one knows about it that is hidden in the bathroom under the skin. I had asked Kelsey to bring it up from the front desk when she got here.
That bag is all I’ve been able to think about. It holds the answer to what has been on my mind.
A pregnancy test.
I don’t even need to really take it. I’m late and I’m always on time. Like clockwork. Something about knowing for sure helps. Instincts, while they are right most of the time, aren’t right all the time.
Maybe I’m late due to stress. I did nearly die in that lake. If it weren’t for Alek saving me, again, I wouldn’t be standing here in high heels that could pay rent.
All of the clothing boutiques that brought racks, are paid in full. All the clothes are mine. Even evening gowns that I had no idea I’d need. There are so many shoes, I’m not sure if there will be space in the closet whenever we go back home.
Everything has been provided for me today. Bras. Panties. Socks. Sleepwear. Comfortable clothes. Casual clothes. Fine dining clothes. Balls and fundraiser gowns. Jeans. Graphic tees. Makeup. Toiletries.
Anything. Everything.
Alek has paid for.
I can’t even imagine the total.
“Kelsey,” I stop Ms. Laurent’s assistant.
She turns so fast, her long brown hair fans over her shoulders as she smiles at me. “Yes, Ms. Roswell?”
I lower my voice so only she can hear me. “How much do you think all of this cost? Not just the dress, but everything.”
Her brows raise and she looks around the room where clothes are everywhere. Folded on the floor, the bed, taking up the closet space, and boxes are even sitting in the tub.
“This is just an estimate. I’m probably wrong, but probably three to five hundred.”
“Dollars?” Okay. That’s not bad at all. That’s actually a steal for all of this. He must know people.
She giggles and shakes her head. “No, Ms. Roswell. Thousand. Three to five hundred thousand dollars.”
My jaw would hit the floor if it weren’t attached.
She squeezes my arm. “Lucky girl.” She winks, rushing to catch up to her boss.
One by one everyone leaves. All but the jeweler who has been sitting on the couch patiently waiting for me. He’s an older man with a bald head except for the long white hair on the sides. His glasses take over his entire face, his eyes frighteningly magnified by the lenses.
He has a few black briefcases with him with gold handles.
“I’m sorry for the wait. Please, come in.”
“I was advised to stay in the living room with you, ma’am,” his old voice shakes.
I step out of the room, grabbing the handle to shut the door behind me. “By who?”
“Mr. Bykov. I happen to like my life, so I won’t argue with him.”
Does Alek think an eighty-year-old man is a threat to me? I would laugh if the concern for my safety didn’t make me fall in love just a little more.
“I am sorry about that.” I come over and sit down next to him. “Alek can be a little worried about my safety, but he means well.”
“Oh, I know exactly what he means and I’m not risking it.” He unclips his briefcases and opens them onto the coffee table.
Men’s rings shine as they are revealed, but I already know what I’m looking for.
“I know what I want. A simple gold band with the words ‘I Promise’ engraved. I know engraving takes time, but is it possible to rush it? He wears a size eleven.”
“You’re going to want this one.” He plucks a polished gold band from the velvet cushion.
It’s a thicker band that gleams just like the bottoms of my new heels.
It’s perfect.
“I can engrave it in my van and then it will be all yours.”
“Thank you.”
“Anything for the Bykovs.” He slams his briefcases closed and locks them with a flick of his fingers. “I’ll be back soon. Less than an hour. I don’t move as quick as I used to.”
“Take your time,” I say to him as he leaves.
Just as he steps onto the elevator, Alek and Nikolai come from the other room. Alek’s eyes search the penthouse for me, and he smiles the moment they catch me sitting on the sofa.
“Lyubimaya,” he greets in relief. “Did you have a good day? Did you get everything you needed? I missed you.” He sits down next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder to pull me close.
“It’s only been a few hours,” Nikolai groans.
A few hours too many.
“I missed you too.” I nestle against his chest, wondering if I need to talk about how much I spent today, then realized I don’t have to do that with Alek.
“Tomorrow. We are getting married. There is a chapel here in the hotel.”
“Tomorrow?” I look up at him with a frown.
“Are you disappointed, My Love? I am sorry it is rushed but we have no choice.”
“It isn’t soon enough,” I admit, not wanting to waste another day not being married to him.
“You’re right. Get ready. I’ll make some calls. By tonight, you will be my wife.”
And there won’t be anything Ivan can do about it.