Page 78 of Bride By Coronation

I crumple the note, go to the fireplace, and toss it inside. The edges curl in the flames, and I don't take my eyes off it until the entire piece is incinerated.

All I hope is that I'm making some progress with Sean.

For Fiona's sake, I have to.

13

Fiona

"Are you still feeling okay?" Zara frets.

"All good. You can stop worrying now," I reply. Shortly after the medics arrived, my heart stopped racing and I could breathe again.

They did an EKG and echocardiogram. Both tests were perfect. So they claimed I had a panic attack and asked if I had been under any stress.

It was the most ridiculous question anyone had ever asked me.

All day, Zara and Valentina have been exchanging nervous glances, checking my heart status, and fussing over me. It's getting old, adding to the unsettledness of my upcoming nuptials to a stranger.

The makeup artist orders, "Close, please."

I shut my eyelids, and she brushes more shadow on them.

"We just needed a bit more," she mutters, spinning my chair, then chirps, "Perfect!"

I open my eyes and stare at my reflection. My hair is sleek at the front and pulled back in a low, poofy bun. Shimmering gold, brown, and abit of copper adorn my eyes. Soft pink highlights my cheeks, and my neutral-colored lips have gloss over them.

I praise, "You're talented, Lainey."

"Thank you. You're naturally beautiful, so I only had to enhance your features," she claims.

There's a knock on the door, and I spin in the chair.

Valentina answers it, and a woman with a long, gold, spaghetti-strapped dress, stilettos encrusted in jewels, and a matching-colored eye mask steps inside.

It's the same outfit Zara and Valentina are wearing, but their eye masks are sitting on the table. I asked them what they're for and they said I'll see.

The woman states, "I have the wardrobe."

Valentina steps back. "Please, bring it in."

A woman in the same outfit wheels in a cart. Two garment bags hang on the rack, and a shoebox sits on top.

A third woman carries a black box with a gold bow. She holds it out toward Valentina, declaring, "The king said to make sure only our future queen opens this."

Butterflies take flight in my stomach, confusing me. I don't know why I get them whenever the king sends me anything. I shouldn't when I haven't met him, and this entire situation is bizarre. Yet they always appear and mix with my apprehension.

Valentina takes the box and sets it on the table. "Thank you."

The three women line up in front of me, curtsy, and say, "It is an honor to serve you," in unison.

The same strange feeling that hit me when Vaughn referred to me asqueen flares in my belly, fighting with my butterflies. Not knowing what else to do, I awkwardly reply, "Thank you."

They smile, rise, and leave the room.

As soon as the door shuts, I sigh in relief.

Zara unzips the garment bags and takes the lingerie and wedding dress out.

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