Chapter Four

Maya’s POV

As I tried regaining my composure after what had occurred, I got down from the car and stepped into the store. As I stepped inside, one of the staff approached me with a demeaning look.

“What is someone like you looking for here?” She asked, looking at me from head to toe, “you’d be better off at a discount store, this place is not for someone like… you.”

My heart sank, her words cutting through me like a knife, humiliation burning hot in my cheeks. 

Tears threatened to spill over as I struggled to compose myself, I was also angry because she was right and if not for the current situation I had never dreamed of shopping or even entering somewhere as exquisite as this place.

Before I could respond, Alexander strode over, his presence commanding and intimidating as he looked at me, I avoided his gaze looking at my feet. He took his eyes away from me and bore his eyes into the girl who had just spoken to me with a cold, steely gaze.

“How dare you speak to my fiancée in such a condescending manner?” He growled, his voice low and menacing, sending a shiver down my spine. “If you ever address her like that again, ill make sure you regret it.”

The staff who was all high and mighty earlier paled visibly, realizing her mistake too late. “I- I’m so- sorry, sir,” she stammered, shrinking back under his intense glare. He dismissed her.

Turning to me with that cold look still in his eye but with a softer expression, “come,” he said. “Let’s not waste any more time here and get to why we are here.”

When we got inside the store, he asked the staffs to send everyone else away and they scurried away to do his bidding, from the corner of my eye, I saw a red-head stare at Alexander then at me with disdain. I took my eyes off her thinking she was probably angry she had to end her shopping early because of us.

After everyone in the story was ushered out aside me and Alexander, the staffs gathered in front of Alexander who was sitting on a couch and I standing not so far from him. He stood up, leading me through the aisles, my eyes scanned the racks, taking in all the designer clothing. 

Each item had a price tag that seemed too high for me to afford. Being in such a place made me feel out of place, like I didn’t belong here, and I realized that what the girl from earlier said was right cause never in my whole life would I have been able to afford the things sold here.

Alexander voice brought me out of my thoughts, as he started picking clothes for me. He picked over a million dresses for me and I was amazed at his taste.

He picked out a beautiful, red body hugging dress, its fabric alone spoke numbers and it was obvious that it was luxurious. I helped it up against my skin, inspecting the dress, it had a deep neckline and I couldn’t wait to try the dress on. 

After selecting all the clothes, he deemed fit for me, he went back to sitting on the couch and asked me to go get changed into them and show it to him.

In the fitting room, I shed my own clothes and as I slipped into the red dress, he had chosen last, I felt it embrace my body with a gentle, yet firm touch and it clung to my body like a second skin. it hugged my body down to my waist then flowed down freely down to my feet- it had a slit from my right thigh down to my feet. It highlighted my curves in a flattering way. 

The thigh high slit added a hint of allure, giving the dress a touch of sophistication and a playful edge. I loved how I looked, and I felt a surge of confidence wash over me. I hoped Alexander would like it too.

Stepping out of the changing room to show Alexander, I felt a surge of self consciousness wash over me. His cold eyes looked me from head to toe, making me feeling naked under his gaze. Every bit of confidence I had gathered earlier vanished into thin air and I couldn’t shake the feeling of not being enough away from my body. 

Staring at me intensely, he nodded his head, giving his approval before suddenly getting up and walking away. His dismissal and coldness cutting through me like a knife. 

Once again, I was mad at myself for thinking he’d react any differently and expecting anything from him, I hurriedly went back into the fitting room and got out of the dress, but I couldn’t help but wonder what I had done to warrant such a lukewarm response from him. 

Did I do anything wrong? Had I not looked how he had expected? Or was there something bothering him? But I quickly shook that thought off my head, he was the almighty mafia boss, what could be bothering him? 

Despite feeling discouraged, I decided to keep trying on the clothes, hoping to find something that would impress him and make him see me in a different light.

After I tried all the clothes and it was packed, I was led by one of the many staffs to another section of the store where a selection of jewelry and shoes awaited, each one selected carefully by Alexander. 

The jewelry sparkled under the soft store light, each piece more stunning than the last. There were delicate necklaces, shimmering bracelets, and dazzling earrings, all carefully chosen to compliment the outfits Alexander had selected for me earlier and I was once again amazed at his taste and eye for exquisite things.

I tried each jewelry and I couldn’t help but feel like a process getting ready for a ball. The diamonds and pearls shone under the light, and I couldn’t help but admire how beautiful they were. The shoes were equally exquisite, with heels that seemed to stretch on forever and soft leather that promised comfort with every step.

As everything was packed into bags, I realized this is the life I had always wanted but not under these circumstances but as it is I had no choice. 

The staff from earlier who had been rude to me approached me with an apologetic look, her voice drawing me out of my thoughts. “I am sorry for my behavior earlier,” she said. “I didn’t realize who you were.”

I simply laughed it off, knowing if she didn’t find out I was Alexander’s fiancée she probably won’t be sorry but not wanting to dwell on her earlier rudeness. “No harm done, it’s totally fine,” I replied with a smile, wanting to forget what had happened earlier.

As I made my way outside, the staffs followed me with the shopping bags, being extremely polite. They carefully place the bags into the car while I went to sit beside Alexander. However, he seemed to be avoiding me and was sitting farther away from me than before, his demeanor still cold and distant.

“Thank you, for everything,” I said, hoping to break the ice and get a reaction from him.

But instead, he ignored me, his gaze fixed at the window as he stared outside at something that wasn’t there. The driver started the car, and we began the awkward ride back to the mansion.

The silence between us was suffocating and I didn’t know if I should be grateful or worried that he’s ignoring me, and I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that settled in the pit of my stomach because it seemed that my husband to be whom I hate was determined to keep me at arm’s length and for some reason I didn’t like the idea of it.