chapter 5: The fitting
1085 Words
Wedding preparations swept through the Voss household with startling speed.
Every morning brought a new wave of florists, decorators, caterers, jewelers, and designers until the modest home barely resembled the place Mara had grown up in.
Her father stood at the center of it all, directing everyone with a smile that never seemed to fade.
He looked happier than he had in years.
Adrian Kane's influence had transformed his struggling business almost overnight. New clients called daily, orders flooded the warehouse, and shelves that had sat half empty for months were now overflowing with inventory waiting to be shipped.
Everything he had dreamed of was finally happening.
At the cost of his daughter.
Mara had stopped arguing days ago. Every conversation ended the same way, with her father insisting this marriage was their family's salvation.
She had accepted her fate.
Not because she wanted to.
Because resisting no longer changed anything.
If there was anything good left to find in Adrian Kane, she would have to discover it herself.
That afternoon, Mara sat beside her youngest sister at the kitchen table, helping her with a math assignment. The little girl frowned at the page, chewing absentmindedly on her pencil.
Before Mara could explain the next question, the front door opened.
Several men in matching black suits stepped inside.
Their polished shoes gleamed against the wooden floor, and silver cuff links bearing the Kane emblem caught the light.
Mara slowly stood.
"What does he want this time?"
The tallest man bowed politely.
"We've been instructed to escort Miss Mara Voss to Mr. Yakub's bridal fitting studio. Mr. Kane is already waiting."
Before she could reply, her father's voice drifted from the living room.
"Go on, Mara. Adrian already told me."
She let out a quiet sigh.
"Of course he did."
Without another word, she followed the men outside.
A sleek black limousine waited by the curb.
"He certainly enjoys making an entrance," she muttered as she climbed inside.
The drive passed in silence.
Mara watched the city through the tinted windows, wondering how every step toward this wedding carried her farther from the life she had worked so hard to build.
The limousine eventually stopped before an elegant boutique.
Her eyes widened.
Yakub Atelier.
For years she had admired Armani Yakub's work. His designs were famous for combining luxury with sustainability, using recycled fabrics and environmentally friendly materials.
She had dreamed of visiting his boutique.
Just never like this.
The showroom was breathtaking.
Elegant gowns stood beneath warm lights while framed sketches of past collections decorated the walls. Every dress looked like a masterpiece.
She wandered farther inside, unable to hide her admiration.
Then she saw him.
Adrian Kane stood outside one of the fitting rooms with his tie loosened and the top buttons of his white shirt undone.
Even dressed casually, he carried himself with effortless confidence.
As if sensing her presence, he looked up.
A faint smile crossed his face.
"Miss Voss."
She pretended not to hear him.
Unfortunately, Adrian ignored the hint.
He closed the distance between them, gently resting an arm across her shoulders before placing a light kiss against her cheek.
The gesture was brief.
Unexpectedly gentle.
She froze.
His expensive cologne lingered in the air.
For a moment, her mind went blank.
Then she stepped away.
"I assume this is another one of your scheduled surprises."
"You'll need a wedding dress," Adrian replied calmly.
"I could have chosen one myself."
"I know."
His voice remained even.
"But I wanted you to have the best."
Mara simply walked past him.
An assistant led her into the fitting room where dozens of gowns waited.
Some glittered with crystals.
Others flowed with delicate silk.
Every dress was beautiful.
None of them felt right.
Until she found one.
It was simple.
White lace flowed gracefully from shoulder to hem, while delicate lavender embroidery climbed along the sleeves like blooming flowers.
Elegant.
Gentle.
Natural.
It reminded her of spring.
It reminded her of herself.
A small smile appeared on her face.
"This one."
The assistant smiled warmly.
"It suits you perfectly."
Before Mara could admire the dress any longer, a sharp voice echoed through the boutique.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
The room fell silent.
It was Adrian.
Without thinking, Mara hurried toward the sound.
She rounded the corner to find thread, measuring tape, and pins scattered across the polished floor.
A frightened tailor stood before Adrian, whose expression had darkened with frustration.
"I told you these pants are too tight," Adrian said coldly.
"You adjusted the seams instead of making a new pair."
"They'll loosen with wear, sir," the tailor replied nervously.
"I don't want them to loosen with wear."
His voice rose.
"I want them to fit correctly."
The tailor bent down to gather the scattered supplies.
Before he finished, Adrian kicked the tray from his hands.
The pins scattered across the floor once again.
Without hesitation, Mara knelt beside the tailor.
"It's alright," she said softly.
Together they began picking everything up.
The tailor's hands trembled.
When he finally stood, Adrian kicked the tray away a second time.
That was enough.
Mara rose to her feet.
"How can you treat someone like this?"
Her voice rang through the silent showroom.
Adrian turned toward her.
"You listen..."
"No."
She refused to back away.
"You don't get to intimidate me."
Another step.
She stood her ground.
"You can't treat people this way simply because you're rich."
She pointed toward the tailor.
"He made a mistake. That doesn't make him less deserving of respect."
Her voice shook with emotion.
"Money doesn't give you the right to humiliate people."
Tears gathered in her eyes before she could stop them.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
Something in Adrian's expression changed.
The anger slowly disappeared.
Without another word, he stepped back.
Mara looked away from him and returned to helping the tailor gather the scattered supplies.
The assistants exchanged uneasy glances.
No one dared speak.
Adrian remained where he stood, watching her in silence.
No one had challenged him like that in years.
No one had defended a stranger without expecting anything in return.
A faint smile touched his lips.
Perhaps this marriage would be far more interesting than he had imagined.
As Mara handed the tray back to the grateful tailor, she felt Adrian's gaze still resting on her.
For the first time since they met, she couldn't tell whether she had just made an enemy...
...or awakened something neither of them had expected.
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