Chapter Five

Elias was not the type to be impressed easily, as a lot of things didn’t pique his interest. Until today. He couldn’t deny that he was very interested in the young woman standing before him, clad in his large jacket. Everything about her was interesting to look at. With the way she tilted her head at him expectantly to how small she looked in his jacket. 

“Elias?” She repeated, calling him by his name. He liked how his name sounded on her lips.

“What kind of proposition would that be?” He couldn't help asking.

She glanced around like she wanted to reveal a secret. “We can’t talk here. Let’s meet up in a quiet place. Say, tomorrow?” She suggested.

He wondered what was going on in her head. She had looked so pale and shaken up earlier. Right now, there was a hardness about her that he didn’t quite understand. He wasn’t sure he liked it.

“Why don’t we meet up at a restaurant? I’ll text you the time of the reservation. My driver will come pick you up tomorrow.” He added.

Dakota shifted uncomfortably. “How are you going to do that? You don’t even have my number.” 

He smiled lopsidedly. “What makes you think I don’t?”

She rolled her eyes. “I never gave it to you.”

He chuckled at her response. She was adorable.

“I have my ways, love.” He said, vaguely.

She shot daggers at him, clearly irritated. “Of course you do. Why didn’t I think of that?”

Elias suddenly realized they were having a silly banter and to his surprise, he was enjoying it. He wasn’t looking for an excuse to end the conversation or retire for the night, which was strange.

He felt her tense up beside him and caught sight of the reason for her stillness. Her mother and sister were approaching them with questioning looks. For some reason, he felt the urge to wrap his arms around her protectively.

“Mr Persson! How nice of you to honor our invitation. It’s a pleasure to see you again!” Her mother expressed cheerfully. She cast Dakota a quick look, while Diana bored holes at the jacket on her.

He nodded curtly. “Thank you for the invitation.” 

Dakota remained quiet. A faraway look in her eyes.

“Diana will show you to the men’s section. The spring set is absolutely divine.” She appraised. Diana gazed at him with a huge smile, clearly happy that she was going to be by his side.

“Dakota has some other things to attend to in my office.” Her mother added as she pulled her away from him, leaving him alone with Diana. Dakota didn’t stop her mother as she was pulled away. 

Diana’s enthusiasm irked him. It made him uncomfortable when people tried too hard to please him. He had to let her down quickly before she took his silence as a sign he was interested.

“Look, Diana—” He began.

“Come Elias, let me show you around.” She slipped her arm around his elbow, breaking him off.

He sighed wearily. “You don’t have to. I can find my own way.”

She didn’t take the hint. “Of course I have to. It’s my job to show our guests around.” 

He cursed under his breath at her insistence. It was like the more he resisted, the harder she tried. 

***

Her dress fitting was today. 

It was supposed to be a joyous occasion for her but all she felt was rage and disgust. She was angry at herself mostly for being so stupid and placing her trust in a man that took her heart in his hands and crushed it into tiny pieces. 

She was going to give Ryan a taste of his own medicine, with a sweet smile on her face. He had called earlier to confirm the time for the fitting, while she fought the urge to tell him to go to hell.

He really took her for a fool. Well, she wasn’t going to be taken for granted anymore.

When they got to the dress shop, two attendants took her into a large room to change into the first wedding dress. It was a strapless white ivory mermaid dress, with lace fitting. It fit her perfectly. A bouquet of Calla lilies was handed to her. The curtains slowly opened to reveal Ryan seated right in front of her. He gave her an unsteady smile. She felt her skin crawl.

“You look good, babe. I like the dress.” He gave a casual nod and shifted his focus back to his phone.

Dakota scoffed. He couldn’t even give her a proper compliment to make up for his disgusting ways. Sickened, she threw her bouquet of flowers at him. 

The stunned look on his face was so satisfying to see. “What did you do that for?!” 

Walking up to him, she grabbed a pen from his shirt pocket and made a slit on the wedding dress from her thigh down to her feet. The attendants gasped loudly.

“Much better.” She smiled at her gown’s new look. The long slit showed off the lower part of her thigh.

“I can wear this outside, right?” She asked the horrified attendants. They nodded slowly, unable to speak.

“Great. Thank you.” She smiled brightly.

Ryan stood up, stupefied. “Babe. What's-what's going on? You’ve ruined your dress!”

Dakota rolled her eyes. “In case it wasn’t clear to you Ryan, I’m breaking off our engagement.” She announced.