𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐁𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟖

The walls of the shop are adorned with shelves displaying a wide range of bridal accessories, such as veils, gloves, and handbags. A section of the shop is dedicated to the display of wedding rings and jewelry, each piece crafted from precious metals and stones, offering an alluring selection to complement any bridal ensemble.

"Your Highness!" the shop's staff all exclaimed simultaneously, bowing in front of me. I try my hardest not to laugh at them—after all, they are being respectful, but I've never liked it when people bowed in front of me.

One of the staff members step forward, this one being a woman who looks to be in her late twenties. Her hair kept up in a tidy bun with a few red strands poking out in the front. "It is such an honor to have you here at our shop," she says with a smile. "Come. I'll show you all the dresses."

I politely smile back at her, but I can't help but notice the person standing beside her. She looks younger than the other lady—closer to Alex's age, probably—and she looks at him in awe. She's checking him out and can't believe what her eyes are seeing.

Am I jealous?

Swallowing hard, I shake such thoughts out of my brain and follow the lady to the expensive wedding dress section. I take in the luxurious fabric, sparkling jewelry, and sparkling shoes on display. The smell of fresh flowers is overwhelming, and the air feels heavy with anticipation.

While following the staff member, my eyes drift to Alex, who is keeping close to me, his hand constantly resting on the small of my back. Just having him near me brings me a sense of comfort—he's become a part of my everyday life, and I struggle to imagine it without him.

The staff leads me towards a rack of satin and lace wedding dresses, the fabric gleaming in the soft, warm lighting. She tells me about the different types of wedding dresses and the different cuts and styles of the gowns. I can't help but feel overwhelmed by the amount of choice; each dress is more ornate than the last.

Suddenly, my attention is drawn to a dress on a mannequin in front of us. It's a strapless, fitted style with a delicate lace overlay that's almost transparent. The dress is a radiant white color, and there are thin, sparkling beads embellishing the lace. The dress is a perfect balance of simple and intricate, and it makes my heart race.

If I'm going to get married to an asshole, I might as well look good doing it.

"Wow, that's lovely," I murmur, running my fingers over the delicate fabric. I need this dress.

The red-haired woman smiles, delicately grabbing a duplicate from behind on its hanger and folding it neatly onto her arm. "Right this way, please, Your Highness."

I follow her towards a private dressing room, my eyes constantly drifting between the dress in her hands and Alex, who's still standing by the door, his eyes trained on me.

The woman places the dress on a hanger and carefully hangs it up in my room, making sure it's perfect and straight. Once she's ready, she nods at me and closes the door behind her.

I watch myself in the mirror as she helps me into the gown, careful to slide the straps around my shoulders, and then checks the fit, making a few small adjustments here and there. It's so lightweight that it feels like I'm wearing nothing at all.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I feel as though I'm looking at a completely different person. The dress fits me like a glove, and its simplicity allows my natural beauty to shine through. However, even though the dress is beautiful, I feel like it doesn't suit me for some odd reason. Not that it looks tacky on me, but rather that I don't feel like I should be in a wedding dress at my age.

Before I exit the changing room, I take a deep breath, trying to instill confidence in myself. After a few months, I finally walked out, not showing any hints of nervousness. That is, until I see Alex.

His arms drop to his sides, and he remains uncomfortably silent. His lips are parted slightly, but no words are formed at all. It's almost unnerving how surprised he looks—I can't tell if he likes it or hates it. What if he hates it?

I'm not the type of person to be so self-conscious, yet that's how I feel right now. And I don't know why. It's pathetic, really, that I seem to be in desperate need of his approval. I don't know what's happening to me at all.

Anxiously, my hands fidget with the fabric of the dress. "Well? Don't just stare at me." I frown. "Do I really look that bad?"

The bodyguard bites his lip and looks away. "I could look at you for years," he says, turning to face me again, "and still not be able to find the words to describe how beautiful you look." The words that came out of his mouth leave me stunned.

What do I say to that?

All I can do is blush and look down at the ground like a lovesick teenager—which I'm actually not quite far from. "That's nice of you," I utter, trying not to show the fact that he's getting to me.

"I mean every word."

That causes me to look up at him again. His expression is dead serious now, his lips sealed in a tight line. But there's still that hint of admiration in his eyes, and it almost makes me melt.

"Oh, you look stunning, Princess!" the younger woman who was staring at Alex earlier suddenly exclaimed, beaming proudly.

Normally, I would thank her in response. I'm still mad, though. And I have every right. I don't like people looking at my bodyguard. Only I can look at him; I don't care.

When I don't respond to her, she squirms around uncomfortably, as if confused about why I didn't thank her. But that only lasts for a second, as her attention shifts back to the bodyguard standing beside the door. She's practically ogling at him.

I half-expect Alex to look back at her—to notice her, talk to her—something. But his eyes never waver from me, and I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me feel more secure.

What am I thinking? Me? Insecure?

The older woman with the red hair comes up behind me, holding a paper. "Here's the total, Your Highness. There is a 20% discount, since you're the princess!" she exclaims. "Also, we'll have the dress delivered to you by tomorrow."

I nod and take the paper, looking at the price. €332,000. Not bad. After that, I tugged on Alex's arm and led him out of the shop while glaring at the girl staring at him.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.・。.・゜✭・.・

authors note: their first kiss is coming shortly.. slow burn kills me but the tensionnn >>