Chapter Twenty-Five – Pretty dress.
The door was opened and Arya stepped out. She stared down at her flip-flops and her dress, second guessing if she should have actually worn that.
“C’mon, you look amazing.” Damien assured when he noticed her expression. Her face lit up and she stepped out of the car. He stretched his arm for her to hold, and she clung into it.
The gesture put a small smile on Damien’s face as they walked into the mall.
The lights of the mall pierced into Arya’s eyes and she squinted, but her eyes widened again, darting around the place. It was almost empty even if it wasn’t yet midnight.
Pretty dresses and cosmetics filled the front row, making Arya run to them. She picked up a nude bow and raised it to the light. She smiled, bringing it down and ran to another row.
The sales assistant strolled towards Damien as he watched his wife. “Sir, is she the one?” she had a distinguished British accent, matched with a poker face.
Damien faced her, then nodded proudly. “Mrs. Arya Damien Wade. Be nice, okay?”
The sales assistant nodded, made a bow, then strolled back towards Arya.
The nineteen year old new wife was having the time of her life seeing many pretty things at one place at a time. And the fact that she wasn’t the one paying made it so much better.
“Ah! Arya pick something.” She scolded herself after she dropped the blue dress for a darker shade of blue hoodie.
The problem with having lots of pretty things at one place was that you didn’t know which one to take. And she was given clear orders to pick anything.
Damien noticed her troubled face as she dropped a blue dress. He frowned, taking steps towards her but she sprinted off towards the shoe rack.
The sales assistant turned to Damien and shook her head, mouthing. “She hasn’t picked anything yet.” She pointed at the dress Arya dropped. “But she liked this one.”
Damien nodded, looking around him for a similar dress. His eyes lit up seeing a purple one with pink straps.
He turned to see the first dress and back at the one in front of him. They had similar styles. He picked it and signaled to the sales assistant.
She hurried to him and snatched the dress then ran towards Arya. She slowed down on getting towards her and cleared her throat loudly to get her attention.
“You husband picked this out for you, Mrs.” she spoke curtly.
Arya stared at her long natural lashes and heart shaped lips, feeling immediately insecure. But when her eyes landed on the dress the lady was handing her, her jaws fell.
“That’s the dressing room. You can try it in there.” The sales assistant pointed to a door adjacent them and briskly walked off.
Following her directions, Arya marched towards the dressing room and made a little spin when she got in.
The dress in her hand was the prettiest thing she had ever seen. Purple and pink with flared sleeves. She hugged it tightly feeling premium excitement, which was rare for her.
She quickly took off her dress to try it on. But while taking the zipper up, her hair got entangled in.
She grunted, resting on the wall. Her mind kept blocking out thoughts to call the pretty sales assistant for help.
So taking things into her hands, she forcefully dragged her hair out, sending a sharp pain to her head. Thankfully, the zip didn’t pull off the dress.
Even if she felt slight banging in her head, she smiled gracefully, admiring herself in the mirror.
She tried to rush out to show Damien as he had picked it for her, but then she paused.
Why was everything feeling like a date? She never shopped like this for herself. And what if someone found her with him, maybe Seth?
Wouldn’t it look weird that she’d hit on him after going shopping with another man?
And the sales assistant, won’t she think she was a whore if another man brought her shopping?
Then there was a knock on the dressing room door that snapped her from the thoughts. She exhaled. “Maybe, no one I know would find me here. Let me just stay open minded.”
She flung the door open, wearing her brightest smile and cat walked to where Damien was.
He backed her so she tapped him, then spread open her hands when he turned. “How is it?”
He froze but his eyes stared at her, up and down. He tilted his head. “Enthralling. Enough to make me speechless.”
Arya’s cheeks reddens and she looked down at the dress. It was enthralling. “Thanks for this. I bet only an important enough occasion would make me wear it.”
Damien smiled, then pointed at the sales assistant. “You can meet her to help you pick more, take anything you want. Just tell her your style. I’d go take a call outside.”
Away nodded, watching him leave. Did he really want her to pick ANYTHING she wanted? “It would be wrong to take those words literally.” She mused within herself.
Because, as she passed the racks towards the sales assistant, she wanted everything in those racks.
“Hi,” she grinned at the sales assistant. “I’m Arya. Could you please help me get similar styles to this?”
The lady nodded, making Arya flustered. “Sure, come.”
She followed obediently. A slight pang came to her head, reminding her of the fight with the zip while in the dressing room. She ignored it.
“Um, Miss, could you tell me how much this dress is? I’d rather go for cheaper ones.” Arya asked.
“Oh that? $5000. It’s a collection from an upcoming fashion designer. She’d be glad to see you wearing her product.”
Arya’s eyes twitched. $5000? Or $500? But she felt embarrassed to ask again. If it was $5000, that meant that two of these dresses were $10, 000?
The exact amount that made her become an arranged wife? Since Damien picked it then he was very comfortable paying for it. He had even asked her to shop for more?
Arya’s feet went cold. If he was acting like a husband to her, shouldn’t she act like a wife? Was this in the contract?
“Sorry to ask. But is there a discount for all these?” she smiled shyly. Surely there was a discount cos there’s no way Damien will pay that much.
The sales person nodded, making Arya feel relieved.
“There’s a 10% discount as it’s a new collection, and I’ve already subtracted the cost so the dress is still $5000.”
Arya’s smile fell again. “Isn’t that much?” it left her lips.
The sales assistant smirked. “It certainly isn’t for Sir Damien Wade. Come on, that’s the full collection.”
Arya looked up and immediately fell in love with everything her eyes fell on. She walked to it slowly, still feeling guilty that she was making Damien spend too much.
Author’s note: Please drop comments.