"Co," Jenna urged.
The second Alia and Matteo stepped into the room, she closed the door shut with a flourish. Instantly, the world felt quieter and more serene without the other couple on the other side. Internally, Jenna prayed that there was even an ’other side’ for her to return to, given how one was drunk and the other acted like she wished she was.
"Each gown I make tells a different story," Jenna said as she led Alia to a row of dresses.
She pushed an empty rack in front, and every ti she passed one that caught her eye, she would pull it out from the stash and add it to the rack. Slowly but surely, the rack was filled with dresses of all cuts and designs.
"Tell more about yourself," Jenna continued. "That way, we will be able to pick the best dress for you."
Alia and Matteo exchanged a look before a small confused smile curved Alia’s lips.
"My story?" Alia repeated, dumbfounded. The wry smile that ford stretched even thinner. "I’m sure it’s all over the tabloids by now," she joked.
"Everyone can read the dumb little tabloids," Jenna said with a wave of her hand. Then, she placed her hand on her hip, resting it there as she looked pointedly at Alia. "I want to hear it from you. You’re going to be the star of the show, dearie. We don’t read the stories from the eyes of the side characters."
Her words caused Alia’s smile to grow a little more genuine. The warmth of Matteo’s hand on the small of her back boosted her confidence greatly as well, and confidence blossod in Alia’s chest.
"Well, I was once married to soone I thought was the love of my life," Alia started. "Only, turns out he was a fraud, and I only thought what we had was the love of a lifeti because I was in love with the idea of him. We never had a wedding― he even recently spilled wine on the very white dress I wore when we registered our marriage."
"That marks the Chapter closed, I suppose?" Jenna mused. She began to ransack through the dresses she picked out. "What was that dress like?"
"Flowy," Alia said, "and cheap. I had to make do."
"What do you feel about rmaid dresses?" Jenna asked, only to see Alia’s lips pursed together like a lemon. "Alright. No then."
"I think there was so form of lace on that thing," Alia said as she tapped a finger to her chin.
"Then we will not be looking for anything with lace," Jenna firmly said. She picked the lacier designs out, hanging them back up. "We do not want anything related to that bum of a relationship here."
As Jenna fussed over her designs, Matteo leaned in. "Love of a lifeti, huh?"
Alia elbowed him gently. She playfully muttered back, "Convenient for you to not hear the part where I said he was a stinking fraud."
"What can I say?" Matteo simply shrugged. "I am an easily jealous man."
Oddly enough, that statent made Alia chuckle. It felt oddly wonderful that she was wanted enough to be able to induce Matteo Montgory’s jealousy. He was the ultimate bachelor of Solara― and she was the one he wanted.
Despite everything that had happened, the truth was that Caleb’s words at Paragon Luxe had scorched a deep scar in Alia’s heart. He so easily let her go and could even offer her to his friends.
It was nice to not be given away like a toy after the child had turned bored.
Then, Jenna’s eyes brightened. She reached for a dress she hadn’t picked out previously, and with a flourish, she revealed the dress to Alia and Matteo.
"How about this one?" she asked, just as Alia gasped softly. "Off the shoulder, silky smooth, no frills and lace. Simple, but elegant."
However, this wasn’t the only design Jenna had in mind. She placed it on the rack and flounced over to the other side of the racks, pulling out a second design. This ti, it was a much puffier dress with crystals embroidered into the corset.
"Bright, dazzling, and eye-catching," Jenna said. "A little more extravagant than the first one, but the crystals do make it a lot heavier." Then, she paused, wrinkling her nose. "Have you thought of where you’re holding the wedding?"
That was when Alia and Matteo shared a look once more. Matteo had fantasized about it more than once. And in every fantasy, there was a different setting. A beach wedding would be nice, with the dusty pink dusk as their background. Or perhaps a floral garden wedding in springti. Or the classic, holding their wedding in a large cathedral with stained glass windows.
Seeing the hundred possibilities flash past his eyes, his gaze distant, Alia shook her head with a wistful smile.
"We haven’t thought about it yet," Alia replied instead. "Honestly, I thought we would just... elope."
"Elope?!" Jenna echoed, aghast. "My dear, your grandfather would be so disappointed if you do that!" She shook her head and clicked her tongue. "It was such a great regret of his that he never got to walk Elaine down the aisle."
"Elaine?" Alia’s eyes brightened. "You knew my mother?"
"I have been friends with Horace and his wife for decades," Jenna said with a laugh. "I’ve watched over your mother a couple of tis when she was a re babe." Her smile turned a little sad. "It was a sha she never got to try the wedding dress we designed for her."
Then, Jenna perked up.
"That’s it!" she exclaid, slapping her own forehead. "Look at , really getting on in my years. Wait just a minute, dearie, I have just the thing for you."
With that said, Jenna rushed through the racks of dresses and disappeared behind a door at the back.
"Is she getting what I think she is?" Alia asked Matteo breathily, to which Matteo only offered her a soft smile. He said nothing, rely shrugging.
But before Jenna could return and satiate Alia’s curiosity, a clash ca from the door where Horace and the others were waiting, causing Alia and Matteo’s heads to turn in that direction in shock.
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