Chapter 32
The day of the wedding had finally arrived.
The sun had barely crested the horizon, casting soft golden light into Gabriel’s bedroom, yet he was already awake, his mind buzzing with nervous anticipation.
His heart raced despite the calm exterior he tried to maintain.
He had never imagined that he would be standing at the altar, ready to marry, after everything that had happened with Ashley.
A relationship meant to be only a fa?ade had turned into something far more complicated, tangled in emotions he hadn’t fully anticipated.
He hadn’t seen Nicole for the past three days.
She had been adamant in her promise that he wouldn’t see her until the wedding day itself.
They had only spoken over the phone since then, as Nicole retreated to her bedroom to manage her own preparations.
And yet, even in the quiet of their distance, Gabriel had felt her absence, as they only talked on the phone.
He missed the sparkle in her eyes, the warmth of her smile.
He missed hearing the laughter that had once made even his worst days lighter.
He missed her presence—her voice, her scent, the way she carried herself, and yes…
he missed looking at her legs, long and graceful, which never failed to turn him on.
His mind wandered to her now, imagining what she might be doing at this very moment.
Was she awake, just like him?
Unable to resist the urge to hear her voice, he reached for his phone and called her.
Nicole was awake, though she remained nestled under her soft blankets, staring at the ceiling and thinking about the day ahead.
This wasn’t part of the contract—at least, not at first— it’s not like she had a problem with it.
She had promised to help Gabriel, to make his parents happy, to be the perfect fiancée.
Yet even with that determination, unease crept into her heart.
What if something went wrong? What if Gabriel changed his mind? What if he decided, suddenly and without warning, to cancel the wedding?
Even though the relationship wasn’t real in the traditional sense, and no wedding was planned from the very beginning, Nicole felt a surge of emotion at the thought.
If Gabriel suddenly called off the wedding, it would hurt her just like any bride facing such a betrayal, and that realization made her chest tighten with anxiety.
Why was she being so negative all of a sudden? She wondered. Gabriel had given her no reason to doubt him. He had never objected to the wedding plans, never hesitated when his mother made arrangements, and had sounded fully committed even during their phone conversations yesterday.
Nicole’s thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of her phone. Her heart leapt as she saw Gabriel’s name flash across the screen. A smile broke across her face, her nerves suddenly tingling with excitement as she answered.
“Good morning,” she greeted, her voice soft but cheerful.
“Did I wake you up?” Gabriel asked, his concern carrying through the line.
Nicole felt her chest tighten at the sound of his voice, nerves fluttering in her stomach.
“No, no… How was your night?” she replied, careful to mask the sudden racing of her heart.
“I couldn’t sleep. What about you?”
“Same… Gabriel?”
“Huh?”
“Are we really getting married?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Gabriel felt a pang of guilt. Nicole had a life before she met him, and he had turned it upside down. The contract, the plan—they were meant to be simple, yet they had evolved into something far more complex. He had no right to make her feel this anxious.
“Gabriel, are you there?” Nicole asked again, a hint of worry threading her words.
“Yeah,” he replied quietly, grounding himself in the present.
“Nicole, I promise to come up with something after the wedding,” he said, hoping to soothe the nervousness in her voice.
“Okay,” she murmured, though he could hear the faint trace of sadness lingering underneath.
“You know? I never imagined that we’d come this far…
” Nicole added, her voice trembling slightly as emotions ran deeper than she had expected.
She was hurt by Gabriel’s statement. Despite their arrangement, her feelings were real, and her voice betrayed the hurt she tried to hide.
Until now, Gabriel still refused to see her as something more than a friend.
He still considered her as his employee.
“Me too… Are you okay?” he asked, his voice filled with concern, sensing the fragility in hers.
“Yeah. I’m just nervous, so I’m having ice cream,” she lied lightly, trying to mask her tears, as she didn’t want Gabriel to notice that she was in tears.
Just then, Helen appeared, gently snatching the phone from Nicole’s hands.
“Okay, love birds, it’s time to get off the phone,” she said with a bright, teasing smile, giving Gabriel a soft goodbye before hanging up.
“Honey, why are you crying?” Helen asked, concern flickering across her face as she noticed the streaks of tears on Nicole’s cheeks.
“I was just thinking about my mom,” Nicole replied quietly, half-lie and half-truth blending together. She didn’t want Helen to know the full depth of her emotional turmoil, though thoughts of her mother’s happiness for this day did bring a small pang of bittersweet longing.
“Oh, dear. I don’t know if you’ll feel offended, but I’m right here. I can be a mother to you if you want me to,” Helen said softly, taking Nicole’s hand in hers with warmth and sincerity.
“Really?!” Nicole asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
“Yes, princess,” Helen said, a genuine smile lighting up her face.
Nicole’s emotions overflowed. She threw herself into Helen’s arms, embracing her tightly, tears spilling freely as she sobbed into the comfort of someone who had become family. Helen held her, gently soothing her until the tears finally subsided, leaving only a sense of calm and reassurance.
“Okay, honey, let’s get you ready for your day,” Helen said, her voice cheerful and encouraging as she guided Nicole toward the preparations.
Nicole entered the bathroom and took a long, relaxing bath, letting the warm water ease the lingering nerves from her body and mind.
When she emerged, wrapped in a soft bathrobe, she had a light breakfast to steady her stomach before the team of makeup artists and hairstylists began their meticulous work.
Time seemed to stretch endlessly as the artists worked their magic.
Layers of foundation, subtle contouring, glistening eye shadow, and perfectly arranged curls transformed Nicole gradually.
When they finally stepped back and she gazed into the mirror, she barely recognized herself.
She looked ethereal, breathtaking—a vision of a princess from a fairy tale.
A bright smile spread across her face as she absorbed her reflection, marveling at the transformation.
Once they were certain she was satisfied, the artists left, and Helen called in two maids to help Nicole into her wedding dress.
The gown was a vision of pure elegance—pristine white with delicate lace embroidery tracing the bodice, cinching at her waist and flaring out into a flowing skirt that brushed the floor with every step.
The sweetheart neckline framed her collarbone beautifully gave the dress an ethereal, almost fairy-tale quality.
Nicole looked every bit the bride of a dream, her hair cascading in soft waves that complemented the gown perfectly.
Once she was fully dressed, Helen couldn’t contain her emotions any longer and tears began to flow down her cheeks.
“Is something wrong?” Nicole asked, concern lacing her voice.
“Don’t pay any attention to me, they’re just tears of joy… You look beautiful,” Helen said, planting a gentle kiss on Nicole’s forehead.
“Thank you,” Nicole whispered, a shy smile gracing her lips.
Helen then picked up her phone, her fingers flying over the keyboard.
“Gabriel got a surprise for you,” she announced, causing Nicole to tilt her head in confusion.
“You can come in now!” Helen called out to no one in particular, her voice carrying excitement. Nicole’s eyes widened in anticipation.
The bedroom door opened, revealing Rick and Vanessa.
Nicole gasped in surprise as they enveloped her in a warm, joyous hug, congratulating her.
Shock registered on her face—how had Gabriel managed to find them?
How did he know who her friends were, and why was he orchestrating this for a relationship built on a contract?
“You know, you could’ve told us about your hunk of a fiancé earlier,” Vanessa teased, her smile bright and full of excitement.
“Now, I didn’t get enough time to pick a nice dress for the occasion,” she continued, frowning at the red lace-up midi dress she wore.
“You can pick something from my closet,” Nicole said with a gleam in her eye, pointing toward the enormous walk-in closet filled with elegant options.
“Are you for real?!” Vanessa squealed, her excitement echoing in the room. Nicole nodded in affirmation, and Vanessa immediately dashed into the closet.
“Oh my gosh! Nicole, this is like paradise itself!” Vanessa exclaimed from within the closet, her delight filling the space, and they all burst into laughter.