Page 89 of Savage Pakhan

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.