hapter 9
The car sped through the city and finally stopped in front of a discreet, almost hidden bridal boutique. Emelia had already changed and emerged from the fitting room, radiant in a wedding gown encrusted with tiny, diamonds. Under the boutique’s soft lights, the dress shimmered with an otherworldly beauty.
Nathan, already dressed in a crisp suit, stood off to the side, his gaze fixed on Emelia, eyes brimming with tenderness.
The sales associates whispered among themselves, marveling at how perfect the two looked together–like a couple straight out of a fairy tale.
Katie couldn’t tear her eyes away from Nathan. The scene before her was something she’d dreamed of countless times. But today, it was real–and the woman by Nathan’s side wasn’t her.
Suddenly, Nathan turned. Their eyes met, and in that instant, the warmth in his expression froze over, turning cold and sharp. Katie blinked, and before she could react, someone pressed their lips against hers.
It lasted only a moment. Zane’s warm lips brushed from the corner of her mouth to her ear. “Stop looking at him,” he whispered, teasing. “I’m way better–looking, anyway.”
Katie couldn’t help herself–she let out a soft laugh. As her lips curled into a smile, she realized, to her surprise, that she’d been crying.
Zane’s fist clenched at his side, and with visible reluctance, he slipped his hand from her waist. He reached up, gently wiping away the last traces of her tears.
Emelia, still admiring her reflection in the mirror, caught sight of the
DON
Chapter 9
couple’s intimate moment out of the corner of her eye. She sighed dramatically. “They say men change after marriage. I wonder if Nathan. will still spoil me like this once we’re married.”
She glanced at Nathan, half teasing, “I don’t know why you’re in such a rush to marry me.”
“When you love someone, you can’t wait another second,” Nathan replied. He toyed with a silver lighter in his hand, his voice casual, but coming from someone as aloof as him, the words carried a magnetic pull.
Not just Emelia–the young women working in the boutique blushed at his words.
Katie alone remained expressionless.
She’d always suspected Nathan didn’t really love Emelia–that he was marrying her to get under Katie’s skin, to warn her that he could marry anyone, just not her.
After all, this was Nathan. If he truly wanted to get rid of her, he had a thousand ways to do it. He didn’t need to force himself into a marriage he didn’t want.
-He’d always been distant with women–almost ascetic.
But even her numb heart couldn’t help but ache at the sight.
“Katie, what’s that you’re holding?”
Emelia’s question snapped Katie back to reality. She looked down and realized she’d wandered from the bridesmaid section into the wedding gown display, a satin dress draped over her arm.
Nathan sneered, “In such a rush to get married?”
Katie was about to explain when Zane’s hand settled on her shoulder.
05.500
“Mr. Morley, you have a short memory. Wasn’t it you who helped arrange our wedding?”
With that, he turned Katie to face him. “We just don’t want to wait any longer. When you love someone, you can’t help wanting to marry her as soon as possible.
“So, sorry, but we’ll have to pass on the bridesmaid thing.”
He turned her quickly enough that neither Nathan nor Emelia saw the stiffness on Katie’s face.
“Right, babe?” he prompted.
Katie felt Zane’s hand tighten reassuringly on her shoulder. In that instant, she understood he was helping her out of an impossible situation. She composed herself, turned to face Emelia, and managed a polite smile. “I’m really sorry, Emelia. You’ll have to find someone else for your bridesmaid.
“I need to pick out my own wedding dress.”
Chapter 10
