Page 54 of Fake To Forever

"This one just arrived," she says, a smile playing on her lips. "I think it might be perfect for you."

She's right. The moment I step into the dress and look in the mirror, I know it's the one. It's unlike anything I've seen before—elegantly simple yet striking, with delicate lace detailing and a silhouette that fits me like it was made just for me.

Marie gasps, her hand over her mouth. "Haven, that's it. That's your dress."

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes as I turn, taking in every angle. I can picture Christian's face when he sees me walking toward him in this dress, and suddenly, everything feels incredibly real.

As I stand admiring myself in the mirror, the dress draping flawlessly over my frame, the consultant gently hands me a card with the price. My heart sinks a bit as I read the numbers—a sum far beyond what I’d ever imagine spending on a single piece of clothing.

Twenty thousand dollars.

The excitement swirling within me turns into a knot of apprehension.

Marie, noticing my sudden change in demeanor, steps closer, her eyes narrowing slightly as she tries to read the situation. "What’s wrong, Haven? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."

I hesitate, the price tag weighing heavily in my hand.

“It’s just… this dress, it’s more than I expected,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.

Marie takes the card from me, glancing at the figure. Her eyebrows shoot up for a moment, but then she laughs, a light, easy sound that fills the dressing room.

"Haven, sweetie, remember who you’re marrying. Christian isn’t just a nice guy, he’s a billionaire, and more importantly, he’s a billionaire who wants this wedding to be everything you’ve ever dreamed of."

I can’t help but smile a little at her enthusiasm, but the worry doesn’t completely fade. "It’s not just about the money, Marie. It feels extravagant. Unnecessary."

Marie hands the price tag back to me, her gaze firm and reassuring. "Listen to me, Haven. Christian sent us here with one job: to find the perfect wedding dress. He wants you to have what you want, what makes you feel beautiful and special. Don't think about the price, Christian sent you on an all expense paid weekend getaway. The price tag means nothing to him. Think about how you feel in that dress, think about what Christian will think seeing you in this dress. You saw yourself in the mirror—you know it’s the one."

Her words sink in, swirling around with the countless emotions I’ve been juggling since the moment Christian and I agreed to this arrangement. She’s right; Christian wouldn’t want me to settle and choose something less than wonderful because I was too concerned about the cost. He’s been nothing but supportive, going out of his way to make sure I feel cared for in every possible aspect.

I take a deep breath, looking back at my reflection in the mirror. The dress really is perfect. It fits as if it were made just for me, each detail enhancing something unique about my figure and style.

"Okay," I say finally, meeting Marie’s eyes in the mirror. "You’re right. This is the dress. It’s everything I could have ever wanted."

Marie claps her hands excitedly, her smile infectious. "That’s my girl! Christian is going to fall over when he sees you walking down the aisle in this."

The consultant, who's been quietly observing our exchange, smiles warmly. "It truly is stunning on you, Miss Young. Shall we prepare it for purchase?"

"Yes," I answer, my voice stronger now, filled with a newfound confidence. "Let’s do it."

“Excellent,” the consultant says with a wide smile. “If you’re interested, we have a lingerie set that was designed specifically for this dress. Would you like to see it?”

“Lingerie?” My cheeks flush at the thought and Marie starts giggling.

“Oooh, yes,” Marie says in a devious tone. “Bring the fancy lingerie. We’ve got to make sure you’re irresistible to Christian on your wedding day.”

I shoot her a glare and murmur, “I don’t think it’s necessary.”

Ignoring me, Marie tells the consultant, “We’ll take a look.”

Looking pleased, the consultant hurries away and I hiss at Marie, “A wedding dress is one thing, but overpriced lingerie? I can’t spend Christian’s money on something like that.”

Marie waggles her eyebrows. “Trust me, he’ll consider it some of the best money he’s ever spent.”

The consultant returns with a gorgeous white corset with see-through mesh panels and attached garter belts. The pattern on the corset’s material perfectly matches my dress, and as she holds it up for me to see, the urge to buy it proves overwhelming.

“All right,” I sigh. “I’ll get the lingerie.”

Marie claps her hands together in glee. “Oh, goody!”

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