Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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The year Dad took Sebastian in, he was ten, scrawny and scared.
I was the only kid, so I was thrilled to finally have someone around. He stuck to me like a big brother and spoiled me
rotten.
Then, at eighteen, someone joked. “Looks like you raised yourself a husband. Marry rich and act hard. Smart move.”
After that, he started keeping his distance and acting like he didn’t like me.
I shook my head with a bitter smile.
Gossip weighed more than whatever we had.
The day before I married Dewayne, I went to the bridal shop I had told Sebastian about a million times.
Every other time, he had always cut me off impatiently.
I never thought I’d see him and Clara there today. He was in a suit, and Clara was in a wedding dress, looking surpris- ingly perfect together.
I swallowed the weird feeling and stepped inside.
The manager, Frank Walter, rushed over, all smiles. “Ms Morland, your custom dress is ready. Want me to bring it out?”
I hesitated, then nodded.
I had spent three months designing it. No way I was ditching it because of Sebastian.
“Could you…”
“Aurora?”
A girl cut me off.
I glanced over. There were Sebastian and Clara, heading straight for me.
She hiked up her skirt and ran over, eyes sparkling when she saw the dress. “Wow! Is this your wedding dress? It’s gorgeous!”
Sebastian’s brows pinched together like he had seen something dirty.
Clara picked it up. “Can I try it on?”
Before I could answer, she turned to Sebastian. “Come help me into it, okay?”
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Chapter 3
He paused, then smiled and nodded.
“No!”
Even if I was nice enough to let them be together, there was no way I’d let Clara put on my wedding dress.
Sebastian’s face hardened, his voice edged with irritation.
“Look, we’re not getting married, so you’ll never wear that dress. Let Clara try it. It’s no big deal.”
I stared him down, my tone sharp. “It’s mine! Don’t even think about it!”
He froze. He wasn’t used to me saying no. After all, I had always let him have his way.
“Sebastian, please, let me try it,” Clara whined, clinging to his arm.
The next second, he snatched the dress from me. “It’s just a dress. Clara will give it back.”
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Clara lit up and grabbed the dress. As she turned, the skirt caught on a metal rack. Clothes and mannequins toppled like dominoes.
Sebastian instinctively reached for me, but Clara screamed.
“Ah!”
His hand swung the other way. He grabbed her and yanked her out.
I stayed under the mess, a metal bar jammed into my back. Every move hurt like hell.
After they dragged me out, I stared at Sebastian across from me. My heart felt dead.
Fifteen years with me, and he still picked some girl he had known for three months.
My dress lay right there on the floor, white satin now streaked with dirty heel prints. Obviously, someone had stomped all over it.
I glanced up. Clara was tucked under Sebastian’s arm, flashing me a cocky smirk.
I had had enough. I lunged to drag her out and have it out, but Sebastian stepped between us, face dark.
“Aurora, I know you’re mad that I didn’t pull you out first, but don’t take it out on Clara. She almost got hit too.”
I pointed at the dress on the ground, my voice cold. “What about this?”
He pressed his lips tight.
After a beat, he said, “Clara didn’t mean it. Things went crazy, so she panicked and dropped it. A quick dry-clean and those footprints are gone.
“Anyway, I’m not showing up tomorrow. You can’t marry yourself, so stop making a scene.”
With that, he took Clara’s hand and walked out.
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Chapter 3
They were barely out the door when Frank ran over, phone in hand.
“Ms. Morland, Mr. Frederick wants you on the third floor now.”
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