“Where do you want to go?” Cade asked as they backed out of the driveway.
“Anywhere you suggest” Ophelia replied.
“Okay then”
Cade began to drive towards his stepmother’s favourite store. He had been forced to know this because he had to act like a good son to her even though she was never a good mother to him either.
“Ohh” Ophelia exclaimed as they came to the front of the store. She had been curious as to where he was taking her. When she asked him to suggest a place she had expected him to tell her but he drove quickly till they got to the front of the store. “You have good clothes taste” she added happily.
“Cael’s mom visits this place frequently so I know” he replied as he parked taking off his seat belt.
“I hope this will be the only store we visit today”
“Wait what do you mean?”Cade asked confused but she flashed a smile at him and gestured to her door. “Aren’t you going to get it?” she asked pointing to the door when he did not move out of his seat.
“Thank you” she murmured when he helped her out of the store. He held her hands and pulled her closer and then intertwined his hands with hers.
They got into the store and Ophelia spent the next three hours going in and out of the dressing room while showing him her clothes. Cade had to try his best to control his facial expressions so that he would not get caught staring at her with admiration.
“So which ones do you choose?” Ophelia asked after showing him about twenty outfits and he had no response. She had been patient thinking none of them were doing her body figure justice and that she might need to change stores and find something more suitable if he did not like them. At least if he liked them then she was sure that others might as well.
“They all look nice” Cade said startled by her question.
“So why are you not showing any emotions?” she asked coming to stand beside him.
“Because I assume that you already know it and that I don’t need to tell you” Cade replied. The words flew out his mouth before his mind could process what he was saying.
“Well even if I know it already, I guess a few words can be of help” Ophelia said. She wondered what she was saying. Did she need him to tell her that she was looking good in those dresses?
“Cade?” a strange voice said from behind Ophelia and she whipped her head so fast she was shocked that her head did not snap off her neck in the process.
Standing there was a girl whose family was oddly familiar but at the same time someone she could not place a face to. “And Ophelia,” the girl said walking towards them.
‘If she was calling me on first names basis then she must be close to me or maybe she knows me?’ Ophelia thought to herself as she smiled at her. ‘Am I going to embarrass myself here? In the presence of this strange girl claiming to know me?’ she added in her head.
“So glad to see you are back from the honeymoon, how was it?” Frances said. Ophelia glanced at Cade to see his reaction but the glance turned into a stare and she was glad that he was also thrown into a state of confusion as he was. She could not recognize this woman and one thing he noted was how well his facial expression spoke without him saying anything.
‘He must have really hated the clothes’ Ophelia said to herself as she turned back to face the woman.
“You both can not recognize me can you?” Frances asked quickly reading the expression on Cade’s face. He was the one who gave them away if not Ophelia would have found a way to play it until she gathered information about her.
“Yeah,” Ophelia said her voice lingering. If the woman was that important to her then there was no way she would easily forget what she looked like and her name as well.
“I am Frances Gates, the girlfriend of Cael?” Frances said. She felt a bit embarrassed that she was the one introducing herself when she was just on the same level as them in the eyes of society even though their families were far above hers.
“Oh yeah” Cade said standing to greet her. “Fancy seeing you here” he said stretching his hand for a handshake.
“I am here to get a dress for Cael’s birthday party” she announced wanting to see the reaction on their face but instead of the excitement she was searching for she was met with blankness as it drew on their face.
“I was going to pay you a visit tomorrow” she added when they did not say anything.
“What for?” Ophelia asked.
“To get an invite across to you for the party, I have been so swamped with preparation for the party that I had barely had time” Frances lied hoping to get a reaction out of them.
“Oh I understand the troubles of getting a party together and I am even surprised that you want to invite us” Ophelia responded.
“Why wouldn’t we want to invite you?” Frances asked going to hold her arm tightly and then pushing out a fake smile. “We are family and family should celebrate together shouldn’t they?” she asked glancing at Cade who shrugged.
“I will personally get an invite and still visit you at home, can I have your number?” Frances asked pulling out her phone and thrusting it into Ophelia’s hands.
“I guess” Ophelia said mapping the phone till her number was complete on the phone screen.
“I will call you tomorrow and set up a meeting so see you soon” Frances said before waving at them and walking to the other VIP room.
“Uggh, she is so fake”