**Cover made by : Helloitsme1984_xxx
"So let me make sure I understand this correctly. You had a conversation with this attractive man, he called you beautiful, but you didn't ask for his name?" Angelica repeated, exasperated. She placed her breakfast tray on the nearby table and turned to face me.
"Yes, that's exactly what I've been telling you for the past ten minutes!" I let out a heavy sigh as I closed the door to my walk-in closet. The room itself was rather empty, with only a few clothes and shoes remaining from my last visit.
I couldn't deny that I missed this room. It was exquisitely adorned with rich purple tapestries on every surface, a flawlessly polished marble floor, and an abundance of gold leaf accents. The furniture was carefully selected from various parts of the world. My father always wanted me to have the best.
"But... how could you forget to ask for his name? How will he find you now? Did he even recognize you?" Angelica continued to question, her expression filled with disappointment.
"It was a masquerade ball, Angelica. I didn't even recognize him. Besides, Ivan and Alex had no idea who I was either," I replied wearily.
"Those two don't count. They're just... well, they're dumb," Angelica remarked, her gaze dreamy as she thought of Alex. "Handsomely dumb, though." She giggled, lost in her own world.
I shook my head and rolled my eyes before sitting down beside her. Angelica would be staying with me for a few days before moving into her parents' condo in SoHo. Currently, the condo was undergoing major renovations, so she had to wait a little longer before she could move in. During her stay at my parents' house, Angelica provided me with all kinds of advice-relationship advice, fashion advice, and advice for every possible situation in the future. Or so she claimed.
"I don't think a handsome stranger would be interested in me," I mused, absentmindedly playing with the fluffy blanket on my bed that I had cherished since I was fourteen. "He seemed completely captivated by a girl with blue eyes like mine."
"Oh, really? Did he actually tell you that?" Angelica asked, her disappointment evident in her voice. "Damn it, and here I was hoping he could become your boyfriend, and we could go on double dates."
I chuckled and playfully tossed a pillow at her. "I will find a boyfriend, and you'll have your double dates. Just not right now."
"Then when? Let's not pretend we're not getting older. Before you know it, I'll be popping out little Alexes while you're still single and a virgin."
"There's nothing wrong with being single and a virgin."
"Sure, keep telling yourself that." She rolled her eyes before gathering her hair into a ponytail. "You have no idea what you're missing, missy. By the way, did you happen to see Zane yesterday?"
"No, thank goodness. Have you seen him?" I asked curiously.
Angelica shook her head. "Not at all. But then again, he never shows up at the parties he organizes for the club. Although I thought he might make an exception for this one."
I snorted in response. "My brother saw him in the elevator. I think he dropped by for a minute or so to check on things. And by the way, Angel, I'm not that special to him anymore. When will you finally understand that?" "Come on, Amari. We all know how much he cares about you. He never stopped caring," Angelica insisted, her voice filled with conviction.
"Yeah, right," I muttered, my gaze fixated on the view outside the window. If only I had stayed home that night of homecoming, Zane and I would still be the best of friends.
As much as I hated to admit it, a part of me still missed him. He was like a missing piece of myself.
New York served as a constant reminder of him, bringing back memories, fights, and, of course, our separation.
The city was too painful for me, which was why I didn't want to stay here for long.
A soft knock on the door interrupted our conversation, causing both Angelica and me to startle. Before I could respond, the door swung open, and Yasmin peeked her head inside. "Hey, girls. I was wondering if you'd like to come to my bachelorette party this weekend," she asked cheerfully. Yasmin was such a sweetheart. I wondered how my brother got so lucky.
"That sounds like a ton of fun, Yas. Count me in!" Angelica exclaimed, her smile widening.
"Count me in too. Where are we going?" I inquired, raising an eyebrow at Yasmin.
Instead of answering, she gave me a mysterious smile. "It's a surprise. By the way, Amari, could you come with me for a moment? It's about your dress for the wedding."
I nodded and glanced at Angelica, gesturing towards the breakfast tray on the table. "Could you take that back to the kitchen, please? I don't want ants in my room."
"Don't worry, I'll take care of it," Angelica assured me, picking up the tray and making her way to the kitchen.
I followed Yasmin into Milan's old bedroom. It was the room Yasmin and Milan used whenever they visited the States. Milan's bedroom was vastly different from mine. Stepping into it felt like entering a whole other world.
A grand chandelier hung above his bed, and the plush silver-gray carpet felt heavenly underfoot. Milan's room had been kept simple, with minimal furniture since he used to play soccer in his room when he was younger.
"Yasmin, is there any chance I could change partners?" I asked as she closed the door behind us. I still held a glimmer of hope about swapping partners. "I'm really sorry, Amari, but I can't change it now. I've already ordered your dress and Zane's. Since you two will be making the grand entrance, your attire is a bit different from the others," Yasmin explained with a sympathetic smile. "If I had known you weren't on good terms, I would have paired you differently."
"No worries, Yas," I reassured her as I took a seat at the end of the bed. I decided to stop pestering her about changing partners. I didn't want to disrupt the arrangements she must have made months in advance, and most importantly, I didn't want to upset her or make her second-guess her decisions. "It won't be that bad. At least, I hope so."
Yasmin chuckled and opened the walk-in closet. Milan's closet was smaller than mine, but it still had enough space for all his shoes and clothes. I glanced around the room and noticed not much had changed, except for the curtains. The previous blue curtains had been replaced with a beautiful shade of gold, fitting the room perfectly.
A few moments later, Yasmin emerged with a large red box in her hands. "Your dress is in here. I want you to try it on so I can see if any alterations are needed."
She opened the box, and my eyes widened at the sight of the stunning gown inside. "It's absolutely beautiful," I gasped, gently running my fingers over the incredibly soft fabric. "If this is the bridesmaid's dress, I can't even imagine what your wedding dress will look like."
"My wedding dress is something out of this world," Yasmin said, beaming as she retrieved her own breathtaking silver dress. "Your brother wanted nothing but the best."
I nodded in agreement. Of course, he would choose only the finest for his Queen. That's what he affectionately calls her.
Taking the dress, I made my way into the bathroom to change. As I slipped it on, I couldn't help but stare at my reflection in the mirror. I was in complete awe of how beautiful the dress looked on me.
"It's made for you," Yasmin commented, her voice reaching me from behind. "It complements everything, from your eyes to your curves."
"Thanks, Yas," I replied, turning around and offering her a bright smile. "But I'm pretty sure you'll look even more stunning than me. After all, you're about to become the official Queen."
Yasmin burst into laughter, a snort escaping her lips. "You've been spending too much time on Instagram."
"Can't help it when those fan pages tag the entire family in their edits," I explained, joining in her laughter.
-
"I'm not really hungry, Mom. I think I'll just skip dinner. If I get hungry later, I'll order something," I stated, trying to convey my lack of interest in joining the family dinner.
Mom's reaction was immediate, waving her hands frantically. "No, no, no! Everyone will be there. It's a reunion. I want you to be present and spend time with us."
"Mom!" I pleaded, hoping she would understand, but she remained unwavering.
"Come on, Amari! Don't be difficult."
Letting out a deep sigh, I reluctantly grabbed my phone from the kitchen counter. "Fine! I'll be there. Where is it again?"
"We're going to Ocean Prime. You know the place, right?" I wanted to wipe the triumphant smile off her face, but I couldn't deny the love I had for her, even when she could be so persuasive.
I nodded in response. "Yes, I do."
Leaving the kitchen, I made my way to my room to get dressed. I was really not in the mood for a fancy restaurant outing and socializing. Mom had mentioned that everyone would be there.
That meant the Shaw family would be present too. Meeting Zane's parents was never an issue for me. They were the kindest people on earth and always made me feel welcome in their home. It was Zane himself who posed a problem. However, earlier today, I overheard Milan mention that Zane had gone on a business trip to Maryland.
"I'm here to save the day!" My bedroom door swung open, revealing Angelica in her bathrobe, holding a gray mini skater dress. Her hair was in a bun, and her makeup was only partially done. "This is the perfect outfit for tonight's dinner!" "How did you even know I was going to dinner?" I inquired, realizing that I had informed her earlier that I wouldn't be attending. "Have you been eavesdropping on me and my mom?"
She scoffed and rolled her eyes at me. "Of course not. Your mom called my mom like three minutes ago, and my mom immediately texted me. Well... yeah, you know."
I facepalmed myself, forgetting that those two women were best friends. They shared everything with each other. "Right, how could I forget... Anyway, let me see the dress."
Angelica handed me the dress, and it was undeniably stunning. Sleeveless, with a plunging neckline, a self-tie wrap-around belt, an open back, and a flared silhouette. Paired with silver heels, this outfit would make me look amazing.
"The dress is more than okay."
"Okay?!" Angelica exclaimed. "Don't you mean perfect, beautiful, thank-you-for-saving-my-ass-angelica?"
I laughed, acknowledging that she was right. "That's what I meant. Anyway, I'll see you at Ocean Prime later."
Angelica would be picked up by Alex, while I would accompany Yasmin and Milan.
Once Angelica left my room, I took a long shower. Afterward, I styled my hair and applied my makeup before slipping into the dress she had given me. I opened my walk-in closet to find my silver heels, and just as I found them, Milan burst into my room.
"Are you ready, sis?!" his voice echoed from somewhere inside my room.
I stepped out of my walk-in closet and saw him standing in front of my bed. "I'm ready, let's go."
He gazed at my dress, and I anticipated him telling me to change, as he often did. However, what he said next completely caught me off guard.
"I can't believe you're an independent woman now. To me, you'll always be pearl."
"Milan!" My heart melted at his words. Sometimes, just sometimes, he had the ability to say things that brought tears of happiness to my eyes. "I'll always be your pearl, no matter how old I am." "Will you listen to me then when I tell you to change into something else?" Milan's protective side emerged once again. It seemed he would never fully accept that I was already an adult and not a twelve-year-old girl. Just like Dad, he inherited that protective nature. Instead of arguing, I simply rolled my eyes and walked past him. "As always, no."
Ocean Prime, a five-star seafood restaurant, was the epitome of elegance. Its impeccable decor and captivating ambiance left me in awe.
Stepping into Ocean Prime, I was immediately captivated by its stunning interior. The restaurant exuded luxury, class, and was undoubtedly the best seafood dining experience I had ever had in America.
I greeted everyone at the table. Zane's parents, Timothy and Christine Shaw, were overjoyed to see me again. Angelica's parents, Reina and Luca Rossi, embraced me warmly. Reina, as always, showered me with affectionate kisses on the cheeks, treating me as if I were still a toddler, while Luca greeted me with a smile and a nod.
Next, I had the pleasure of meeting Alex's parents and his adorable little sister, whose dimpled smile made her the cutest girl ever. Lastly, there were Ivan and his parents, along with his little brother who already had the looks of a future heartbreaker. As we settled into our seats, I noticed there was an empty chair beside me. "Is someone else joining us?" I inquired, scanning the table.
"I don't believe so." My dad glanced at his watch. "We'll be starting soon and-"
"Sorry I'm late!"
I turned my head to identify the source of the voice, and my eyes widened, my heart sank, and a feeling of dread washed over me.
There, just inches away from me, stood the person I had actively avoided for the past few years. He appeared more striking than ever. Wasn't he supposed to be in Maryland?
As our eyes locked, a smirk played on his lips.
"Sugarplum."
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