Chapter 2: The white dress

Lumi’s POV

I had barely gone three streets down before I felt it again. That same unease, it settled somewhere in my chest, low and persistent, like it had been there all along and I was only just noticing.

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel slightly.

“You’re overthinking,” I murmured, but the words sounded thin, unconvincing.

I exhaled slowly, trying to focus on the road ahead. The city light stretched in front of me, steady and familiar, but my thoughts kept circling back—to the message, to the tone, to the way Caius already knew where I was going. It didn’t make sense.

Then something else clicked, my second phone. I blinked. And my wallet.

My stomach dropped slightly.

“I left it.”

Of course I did, out of everything I needed tonight, I forgot something important. I let out a small breath and reached for my phone, already dialing Wren.

The line rang, once, twice, three times. No answer.

I frowned. “That’s strange…”

She usually picked up, especially if she knew I had already left the house. I ended the call and stared at the screen for a second.

Maybe she was busy, maybe she didn’t hear it.

Or maybe—

I shook my head lightly.

“Relax.”

I dialed again, this time it rang longer. Still nothing.

My brows pulled together slightly. “Wren?”

I lowered the phone slowly, unease creeping in just a little deeper.

“Okay…”

I inhaled, then exhaled. “It’s fine. Just recheck.”

I shifted slightly in my seat, reaching down to search through my bag. Lip gloss, compact mirror, keys, but no wallet. I leaned toward the passenger side, opening the compartment. Nothing.

A small sigh left my lips. “I definitely left it.”

I leaned back into my seat, staring ahead for a second before my gaze drifted to the dashboard, then to the screen, the home system.

I hesitated, then reached forward.

“Let me just check…”

My fingers tapped lightly against the screen as I pulled up the security feed. It flickered for a second before the image came into view. The house, still, no wallet on sight.

I let out a small breath. “See? Nothing.”

I was already about to close it when…I noticed movement. My eyes narrowed slightly. The feed shifted to the closet, my walk-in closet. My breath slowed. Wren stepped into view, alone.

I frowned faintly. “What is she doing in my closet?”

She didn’t look rushed, or like she was searching for anything. She walked in like she belonged there. I leaned slightly closer to the screen. Her hand reached out, toward the rack, then the dress.

My chest tightened.

The white dress, the engagement dress. The one she said didn’t fit me.

My fingers stilled. “Wren…”

She touched it slowly. Her fingers dragged along the fabric like she was feeling it—really feeling it. My stomach twisted. Then, she took it off the hanger.

My breath caught, but I didn’t move nor blink. She stepped out of her clothes like it was nothing, like she’d done this before, and there was no hesitation in her body at all. Then she slipped into it.

My chest rose slowly, fell slowly. I couldn’t look away. She stood in front of the mirror, adjusting, smoothing the fabric over her body. Then she smiled, like she wasn’t trying it on for fun, but for herself.

My fingers curled slightly against my palm. “That’s… weird.”

The word felt too small for what I was seeing. She reached behind her back, pulling the zipper up untill it sat perfectly.

My throat tightened. She turned again, and her expression changed into satisfaction.

My stomach dropped. A strange feeling spread through my chest, discomfort.

I leaned back slowly against the seat. “What are you doing…?” My voice came out barely audible.

I told myself it didn’t mean anything, that she was just curious. That she just wanted to see how it looked. But the way she looked at herself, that wasn’t curiosity.

I swallowed hard and turned my face away from the screen. I didn’t want to watch anymore.

I reached for my phone again, Caius. The name sat there for a second before I pressed call. The line rang, once, twice, no answer.

My grip tightened slightly. “Pick up…”

Nothing, the call ended. I stared at the screen, then it buzzed. A message.

Caius:

Driving. I’ll call you when I get home.

That was it. My chest tightened.

The unease from earlier came back stronger. I hope this isn’t what I’m thinking. I stared at the message longer than I should have.

“It’s nothing,” I whispered.

But it didn’t feel like nothing. Something wasn’t lining up.

I leaned back in my seat, exhaling slowly.

“Okay…”

Maybe I was reading too much into it. My eyes flicked back to the screen. The image of her in that dress flashed in my mind again.

My fingers tightened around the steering wheel. “No.”

This time, the word came out firmer.

I didn’t want to sit with this feeling. I turned the wheel, a sharp U-turn. The car shifted smoothly as I redirected back to the house.

My pulse picked up slightly.

“I just need my wallet,” I said under my breath.

That was the reason, that was what I told myself. But deep down, I knew that wasn’t all. Something wasn’t right.

And for the first time…I wasn’t willing to ignore it.