I never liked cars with too much room in the back.
The partition was up, closing us off from the front, leaving anyone outside to wonder what he and I might be doing back there.
But today, Ethan was quieter than usual.
I was shaking uncontrollably, and despite the temperature rising in the car, I couldn’t stop.
He ignored my reaction and pulled me into his arms.
“Alice, are you that scared?”
His whisper brushed against my ear, and he knew exactly why I was trembling.
“I’ll take you to pick out a wedding dress later, okay?”
I managed to steady my trembling, but a bitter laugh escaped my lips.
Who would have thought that the man who once pushed me into the abyss was now gently telling me he wanted to take me to pick out a wedding dress?
…
Ethan took me to a boutique located in a private villa.
The crystal chandelier reflected dazzling light, illuminating the wedding dresses displayed on mannequins, making them sparkle.
I had no interest in looking or choosing a dress. I let Ethan and the designer discuss which style to customize for me while the assistant measured my body dimensions.
The shop’s backyard was a small garden, which caught my attention more than the dresses.
So, while they were talking, I lifted my skirt and wandered to the small pond in the backyard.
There was a door at the back of the garden, and beyond it seemed like a path to unlimited freedom.
I’d thought about running away countless times.
But when I finally mustered the courage, I was disheartened to realize I had nowhere to go.
My mother was desperate for me to marry Ethan, pulling my hand and urging me not to resist.
I sat by the small pond, waiting until Ethan finished his conversation and came to find me.
“What are you thinking about?”
Ethan always had this air about him, as though he were above everyone else.
So, I exposed my arm to him.
