Looking for a Bride

05 - Amélie Petit

Amélie Petit

I remember the rough way Tommáz took me in that room at the Moulin Rouge, how even though he accepted being blindfolded he tried to give me as much pleasure as possible, how even though the sound of the other dancer on stage performing was loud, the sound of our moans was enough for us to create a bubble with the horniness we felt at that moment, the fact that I created a connection with him there was something that surprised me.

It had been a few months since I ended my last relationship, especially when I had that crazy Jacques on my tail, and I ended up being afraid of that loan shark, that he would end up killing my ex. I didn't want to have the blood of an innocent man on my hands.

I began to help myself to the coffee that was on the table for the mansion's servants, even though my boss liked me to sit at the table with her, I saw no reason to be there alone when, apparently, they were meeting with the matriarch of the Miller family.

Madame Enora Miller is a charismatic lady and has always said that my courtship would lead nowhere, that I had the beauty to destroy Troy and make men of dubious character surrender to my charm.

But it's impossible not to like Madame Enora, she's an old lady I'd like to have as a grandmother, the same one who would be sitting next to me listening to her life stories, just as I've heard some of her adventures in my youth.

I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't even notice when Laura approached and touched my shoulder, startling me and making us laugh by spilling some coffee on the kitchen table.

"Leave that there, miss..." I hear the girl who prepares the meals say as I try to clean up the mess I've caused.

"I'm sorry if I startled you, but you know my mother, she's at the table waiting for you to have coffee," I roll my eyes at my worried boss.

"Have you had yours yet? It's your big moment soon!" Laura's eyes widen and a glow of euphoria makes me happy.

Even though I work directly for Noely, I've always had a good relationship with all the women in the family, even with my boss's ex-husband I've had to deal with him sporadically, but when they finally split up due to the various accusations of cheating, I got rid of having to look at that asshole, who doesn't deserve the wonderful family he ended up with.

"I'm elated..." she starts to say and we're interrupted by Madame Enora, who stops us as soon as we approach the coffee table with the whole family gathered around.

"Good morning! Amélie, how are you, dear?" The sweet grandmother greets me and I smile back.

I stop next to her as I notice that the seat I normally sit in has been taken, leaving only the chair facing Tommáz vacant for me.

"You must know Tommáz, don't you, chérie?" I look at her grandson and just nod.

"They've only just met, Mom," I notice a look appearing between everyone at the table, which makes me intrigued by the exchanges of glances.

I walk over to the vacant chair and Tommáz's younger brother gets up and gently pulls out the chair so I can sit down. The table was in a light conversation about what to expect from the ceremony that was to take place in a few hours' time and, above all, for the first day of the fashion show, which would be at the beginning of the evening.

"Darling, if it wasn't for Amélie today, I'm sure we wouldn't be able to handle the events," my boss says to Tommáz's mother, who is smiling kindly at me.

"That's all, I'm just doing my job, it's my job to do everything I can to make your lives easier today," I say affectionately to Noely, who is sitting a few chairs away from me.

We start chatting about today, I notice when Laura gets up and asks to be excused so she can go and get ready, I sip my coffee slowly while I listen to Noely's gentle requests to talk to the models, especially the underwear ones.

"Speaking of which, auntie, this morning I found a white garment signed by you," we hear Tommáz's voice, making everyone look at him. "At the Moulin Rouge.

When he said that, I choked on the brioche I'd just put in my mouth. s**t, he recognized the piece, but how did he know that the piece he was dancing in was part of a Miller collection?

"That's why you're so late!" I hear Emily's voice scolding her son, who continues to sip his coffee quietly.

Everyone's attention is drawn away from me and back to the smiling rascal in front of me. I feel a flush growing on my cheeks, almost like a confirmation that I'm the masked woman wearing an exclusive piece of haute couture while dancing the pole dance in the world's most famous brothel.

I lowered my gaze when I realized that I had caught the attention of the person I least wanted at that moment, the Miller matriarch, her narrowed eyes probing me, while a parallel conversation circulated among the other members of the table, practically fighting a battle of looks with the sweet grandmother.

"What a piece, maybe I can help you find that masquerade," I hear Noely laugh, as I turn my attention back to the conversation.

"A white one with Portuguese lace, the back of the panties was caved in, making it almost like a thong..." I feel my boss's gaze on me.

"I don't think that piece should be mine, Tom!" I hear Noely say and I keep my gaze on my empty cup.

I was ashamed to look at either of them, for the simple fact that the big mouth said where he'd found the exclusive lingerie, nor for the fact that I'd gone to bed with him, just the shame of saying it was at the Moulin.

I let out a breath, with the sadness of having to face the two women who are probably going to pepper me with questions as soon as possible.

"Let's get ready, family, it'll be time to marry our Laura soon," I heard Emily's voice, which was enough for me to get up from the table and try to get to work.

"Amélie, I need you to sort something out with me!" I sigh in defeat when I hear Enora's voice from the edge of the table, turn towards her and approach her to help her up.

I help the little voice walk, we leave everyone else talking about the evening in Paris, apparently Tommáz and Ethan already had some plans for the evening after the fashion show on the first night, Madame Enora had a smile on her face that looked to me like she was up to something, we walk and I enter with her into the office she has next to the beautiful staircase full of ornaments, making her mansion look refined and luxurious.

As soon as we enter the large office, we walk over to a sofa facing a dark oak table, and I help her settle down among the cushions that are part of the decoration.

"Why do I see guilt in your eyes, young man?" Hearing her question, I felt a ball in my chest almost suffocate me, I just shrugged at her question.

"I noticed your glances, even if they were very discreet, I noticed them." It wasn't an accusation, she just let out what she noticed, I took a deep breath and decided to tell the truth.

"I was just dancing to earn a little money, Madame." I confess. "I didn't think I'd attract your grandson's attention, but he didn't see me," I say.

I hear her laugh, which startles me, and I look closely at the little old lady sitting next to me on the sofa, now holding my hands. I can't explain how comfortable I feel among them, when I first met them I felt welcomed by them as soon as I started working directly for Noely and I was always doing something to help Madame Enora or Laura with their wedding.

"I don't care what you were doing, or what you do after hours, dear, what interests me is that you did something that made my grandson curious," I narrow my eyes without understanding what she was saying.

"Madame, I don't understand what you're trying to tell me..." We are interrupted by Noely who opens the door with a smug smile on her face.

"Tell me you're Cinderella?" Noely enters the office with a huge smile on her face and I sink into the sofa, ashamed of the two women who are an icon to me.