8: shopping for diamonds

Carla

A burst of embarrassment came over me and I spluttered, struggling to quickly come up with the perfect excuse, and failing till a few more tries.

“I never said that.” I bit at but I was breathing hard, and my cheeks were on fire.

“I- I’d never offer you my body as payment! Why would I even do that?” I continued while glaring up at him.

“Good, because it wouldn’t work. I'd have rejected the offer since you’re not even my type.” He drawled as he rose to his full height and I found myself spluttering again.

“Good!” I ended up yelling back, but inside of me, not only was I feeling embarrassed, I was also feeling a little hurt. I knew I was never his type since when we were little, whereby he only liked blondes and girls that were taller and skinnier. However, I didn’t need to hear him say that, not that it mattered anyway because his preference wouldn’t have changed my mind.

He shoved his hand into his pocket and looked me over for a moment, making me swallow emptily and hold his gaze wiry the last of my willpower. Although I felt a small shudder roll down my spine at that very moment.

“We’ll leave in a minute, and you’ll also get some clothes on the way as well.” After saying that, he turned away and disappeared down the hallway before I could even get the chance to respond.

I glared at the spot he was just in a minute ago, feeling rage slowly come over me. The anger and hatred I feel towards him thicken within me like a bowl of soup, and I hope that that soup wouldn’t end up spilling over one day, for my own sake.

Begrudgingly, I went to wait in the sitting room till Zade emerged and announced it was time for us to leave. He had his hands in his pockets and his eyes filled with impatience as he walked past me. Not wanting to get on his nerves, I was trailing after him without wasting a second, while glaring daggers at his back.

~~~

Zade drove us to a store that sells real diamonds.

Real ones.

I refused to enter, feeling beyond bewildered.

“Are you crazy? What do I need a real diamond ring for? It’s just a fake marriage, you can even get me a ten dollars ring from temu!” I pointed out, feeling extremely perplexed.

I’ve never been to a diamond store before, nor have I owned real ones before. After going to prison, I thought after coming out, my husband would shower me with real diamonds and the rest, but that never happened.

“Despise it being fake, you still need to have the very best ring as someone getting married to me. Anyone being linked to me like this needs to have the best and nothing else.” He explained while massaging his forehead like he was starting to have a headache. We were still sitting in the car, because as soon as we arrived here, I refused to alight the car.

“I still have to refuse. This is ridiculous. Any ring would do.” I insisted.

Instead of arguing, Zade let out a long sigh and got out of the car, then he walked around to my side, got the door open and pulled me out like I was a petulant child.

“How I chose to spend my money isn’t any of your business; okay?” He began while staring down at me, his hand on the top of the door and on the roof of the car.

I nodded slowly, feeling like I just got slapped with reality.

It was his money, so why do I care so much that he was wasting it?

“Now, we’ll walk into that store together like a happy couple, and you’ll select a fucking ring. Can you do that?”

I swallowed emptily, feeling like his sharp gaze was burning right into my soul as I nodded.

“Use your words, Carla,” he stated and I shivered, silently noting that my name sounded weird on his tongue because all he called me in the past was ‘kitten’.

“Yes, I can do just that.” I breathed out and he held my gaze for a moment before nodding and stepping away from me.

“Let’s head in then,”

I sucked in a deep breath once he turned away from me, then I trudged behind him, into the store selling real freaking diamonds.

As I dreaded, everything in the store was freaking cost. The simplest looking band cost an arm and a foot. I was perplexed, blown away and unsure of what to select.

At first, I went for the simplest but Zade instantly shot that down, saying it was downright ugly.

After he shot down a few more options, I let out a frustrated sigh as I glared at him, folding my arms. “If you’re gonna shoot down all my options, why bring me along to this anyway? You could have just selected whatever you wanted and bring it over to me, then I’ll have no option than to wear it,” I informed him and his eyes narrowed at me.

“Are you questioning me?” He demanded and I stifled a groan. He was so insufferable!

I didn’t bother responding because I was still feeling so irritated. When I turned away, intending on checking out another row of rings, his hand settled on my wrist, halting me in place, then he was pulling me towards him so fast that I slammed right into his chest.

A startled squeak left my mouth and my eyes widened as I gaped up at him, feeling confused and lost at this sudden action. I want to demand what this is and remind him that something like this definitely wasn’t in the contract I sighed last night. However, when his hand unexpectedly settled on my waist, pinning me against his chest, my mouth fell open but no sound came out.

“A few people are watching and they recognize us. Don’t forget your part.” His voice was low as he spoke, his minty breath hitting my face and my eyes widened as soon as I realized what this meant.

What he spoke to me about this morning while being so closely in my personal space resurfaced in my mind and I remember some of the rules he listed pertaining to this. When in public, we’re to act like a happy couple that can’t keep their hands off each other.

I let out an awkward sound as our eyes locked again, then I struggled to think of something that I could do right now to seem very natural. Alas, I ended up coming up with nothing so I settled on closing my eyes and resting my head against his chest.

His hold on my waist tightened at that moment and I swallowed emptily, trying and failing to relax. Instead, I grew tenser, and when his jaw stifled on my forehead, I felt a shiver roll down my spine.

That had to be because of the cold temperature here.

I could hear the camera clicking away and the sounds of excited squeals, and so despite being curious to look, I kept my eyes closed and tried relaxing again. In this position, I could feel Zade’s heartbeat.

And it was pounding really hard… way harder than I expected.

The next moment, I was being shoved away and he rearranged his suit jacket and glanced around for a moment, then he focused on me as he spoke. “The onlookers are gone, and they definitely got enough content to shake up the internet for a start.” He remarked and I nodded awkwardly.

My mind slowed down for a moment as I tried to imagine how Zade would react should he regret making this fake wedding with me public. If my ruined image ends up affecting him, he’d not want to be sighted with me anymore, and I wonder when that’s gonna happen.

“Go find a ring you’d like so we can get out of here.” His voice pulled me out of my thoughts and I gave a stiff nod as I turned away and went down the second row this time.

The rings on this row were even cost, but way beautiful and exquisite. I stopped before the most beautiful ring on the shelf here before letting out a sigh of longing. That’s the exact ring I always dreamed of getting married with. Dave wasn’t that rich when we got together, so I never expected diamonds or anything. And now that I was getting into a fake marriage, my fake fiance can afford the same ring without breaking a sweat,

Life is really ironic.

“Is that the ring you want?” Zade’s voice echoed behind me and after I whirled around, my eyes landed on his imposing form, about three feet away from where I’m standing.

I shook my head but he had clearly seen right through me because he stepped forward and plucked off the ring from the shelf, then he began heading for the cashier while I kept trying to assure him that I hated the ring and wanted something else.

I didn’t want him to get the ring even though he could afford it. Perhaps a part of me wants to only accept my dream ring from someone that I love, who also loves me in return, and not someone like Zade that never bothered to hide his hatred for me.

We were about to get to the cashier desk when the door of the store suddenly opened and a woman sauntered in, a bright grin on her face as she flew into Zade’s arms.

I instantly recognized her.

She is Lena… Zade’s girlfriend.