He Let Her Try On My Wedding Dress

Chapter 3

Over the next few days, I began sorting through my belongings.

After 8 years of living together, there wasn't much that was truly mine.

Most of the closet was filled with Emmett's suits, shirts, and sneakers. My clothes occupied a small corner at the back.

I left every dress and piece of jewelry he'd given me untouched.

I heard the front door open.

Emmett came in carrying a bag from my favorite dessert shop.

Seeing the boxes all over the floor, he asked casually, "Packing away last season's clothes?"

"Yes."

He set the bag on the table. "I got you chestnut cake. Less sugar, as usual." Then he bent down and kissed my forehead. "You haven't given me any trouble these last couple of days. Good girl."

He sounded perfectly natural, as though nothing had happened between us.

I didn't respond, and he didn't seem to mind. He sat down and started talking about Nadine.

"The ceremony's the day after tomorrow. Her dad wants to see her wearing a full set of jewelry, too." At that, he finally looked up. "Lend her your mom's pearl necklace for a few hours."

I stopped what I was doing.

"No."

Emmett looked as if he hadn't heard me properly. "What did you say?"

"You've already taken the wedding dress and the ring. She's not getting the necklace."

He stared at me for a few seconds, then smiled. Getting up, he came over and leaned forward, bracing his hands on the edge of my suitcase and trapping me between it and his body.

"Still angry? I'll replace the wedding dress, and you'll have the ring back the day after tomorrow. Just lend her the necklace for half a day. Then you can have anything you want."

I looked at him without a word.

"What if I want you to cancel the wedding? Give me back the dress and the ring. Now."

Emmett's smile slowly faded.

"Celia, don't push your luck."

"You're not borrowing the necklace. Get out."

His expression cooled. "You've lent her everything else, and now you're turning on me over a necklace?"

"I didn't lend you anything. You took it by force." I pointed to the door. "Don't even think about touching this necklace."

His phone rang just then.

Nadine was video calling him. Her eyes were red.

"Emmett, my dad asked if I had any suitable jewelry. I lied and said I did. Don't ask Ms. Fenton for the necklace." She forced a smile, then lowered her eyes. "It's a keepsake from her mom. Of course she doesn't want to part with it. I don't have anything, but it doesn't really matter whether I wear jewelry or not."

Emmett turned to look at me, then gave a brief reply into the phone.

"Wait there."

After ending the call, he walked toward the dressing table.

I shot to my feet. "Emmett, don't you dare touch it."

He opened the drawer, sounding impatient. "It's only for a few hours. Stop making such a big deal of it."

I rushed over to stop him. He reached back and clamped a hand around my wrist.

"Celia, don't make me get rough with you."

I struggled to grab the box. The next instant, he shoved me away.

My waist slammed into the corner of the table. A sharp stab of pain made me double over.

Emmett froze. "Celia?"

He instinctively took half a step toward me.

I looked up at him coldly. "Don't touch me."

His hand stopped in midair. A few seconds later, he bent down and picked up the red velvet box anyway.

After opening the box to check its contents, Emmett came back over to me.

"I didn't mean to push you. I'll put some ointment on it when I get home tonight."

Speaking softly, he even reached toward my waist. I turned aside, avoiding his hand.

His expression tightened for a moment, then quickly returned to normal.

"Once Nadine's wedding is over, I'll make it up to you with another wedding."

He put the box in his pocket.

The door closed.

Holding on to the corner of the table, I slowly straightened. The chestnut cake still sat unopened on the table. A note from the shop assistant was stuck to the paper bag: Less sugar, just the way Ms. Fenton likes it.

I stared at the words, struck by the irony.

He remembered that I liked less sugar in my cake, but couldn't remember that my mother's belongings were off-limits.

My phone rang. It was my dad.

"Celia, Emmett says you've postponed the wedding? He says there's a project overseas. Is he very busy?"

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. "Yes, that's right."

Dad sounded relieved. He said he'd keep practicing his speech so he wouldn't get nervous when the time came.

Holding the phone, I answered, "All right. Take your time."

Just after I hung up, the lawyer sent over the divorce agreement.

I printed two copies and signed my name on the line for the wife: Celia Fenton.

My flight was booked for 3:00 p.m. the day after tomorrow.

That was exactly when they would be exchanging rings.

He could go and make Nadine's dream come true.

It was time I made mine come true, too.