Chapter 31

Hannah’s POV

The Dress

I didn’t realize how tight I was holding the dress until my fingers started to ache.

The fabric felt too soft.

Too expensive.

Too beautiful.

Like it didn’t belong in my hands.

Like I didn’t belong holding it.

“Try it.”

Kael’s voice broke through my thoughts.

Calm.

Firm.

Not demanding.

Just… certain.

I looked up at him.

“You really expect me to wear this?” I asked quietly.

Riven sighed from where he leaned against the wall.

“Yes,” he said bluntly.

“That’s the whole point of giving it to you.”

Lucien didn’t speak.

But his eyes stayed on me.

Watching.

Studying.

Like he wanted to see what I would do next.

I swallowed slowly.

“I don’t even know how to wear something like this.”

Kael’s lips pressed slightly together.

Then he turned toward the door.

“Tianna.”

The door opened almost immediately, as if she had been waiting outside.

“Yes, Alpha.”

“Help her prepare,” Kael said.

“Make sure it fits.”

Tianna bowed slightly.

“As you wish.”

I froze.

Wait.

Now?

Already?

“I— I think I should check on my mum first,” I said quickly.

Trying to delay.

Trying to breathe.

Trying to calm the nervous storm building inside my chest.

Lucien spoke then.

His voice low.

Steady.

“She is resting.”

I looked at him.

“How do you know?”

“I passed her room,” he replied simply.

“She’s asleep.”

That eased my chest… just a little.

Still

The nervousness didn’t leave.

“Come,” Tianna said gently.

Her voice softer than the others.

More reassuring.

I hesitated.

Then slowly stood.

Still clutching the dress.

Still unsure if this was really happening.

The triplets watched silently as Tianna guided me toward the door.

I could feel their gazes following me.

Heavy.

Intense.

Unavoidable.

And for some reason

My heart wouldn’t stop racing.

My Room

The moment we entered my room, Tianna closed the door behind us.

The silence inside felt… safer.

Quieter.

Less overwhelming.

“You can place the dress here,” she said, gesturing toward the bed.

I walked slowly toward it.

Carefully laying the fabric down.

Like it was fragile.

Like it could tear if handled wrongly.

“May I?” she asked softly.

I nodded.

Still unsure.

Still overwhelmed.

Tianna gently lifted the dress fully from the bag.

And the moment it unfolded

My breath caught.

It was even more beautiful outside the bag.

Deep midnight blue.

Soft silk flowing like water.

The fabric shimmered slightly when the light touched it.

Elegant.

Powerful.

Royal.

My chest tightened.

“This is too much…”

Tianna smiled slightly.

“It suits you.”

I shook my head quickly.

“You don’t understand.”

My voice dropped.

Quiet.

Uncertain.

“I’ve never worn anything like this before.”

Never.

Not even once.

Growing up, dresses like this only existed in movies.

In magazines.

On women who lived completely different lives.

Lives that had nothing to do with survival.

Nothing to do with counting coins.

Nothing to do with skipping meals.

“This dress probably costs more than everything I’ve ever owned,” I whispered.

Tianna didn’t respond immediately.

Instead

She stepped closer.

Gentler now.

“You deserve beautiful things too,” she said softly.

Her words landed deeper than I expected.

Too deep.

Because I didn’t believe that.

Not fully.

Not yet.

“I don’t belong in their world,” I murmured.

She tilted her head slightly.

“Perhaps not before.”

A small pause.

“But now… you do.”

Something about those words made my throat tighten.

“Let’s try it on,” she added gently.

I hesitated.

But slowly

I nodded.

Turning away slightly, I allowed her to help me remove my clothes.

The air felt cooler against my skin.

Making goosebumps rise along my arms.

Then

She lifted the dress carefully.

Sliding it over my shoulders.

Guiding the fabric down my body.

The silk brushed against my skin like water.

Cool.

Soft.

Unfamiliar.

“Lift your arms,” she instructed.

I obeyed quietly.

Still stunned.

Still nervous.

Still unsure.

She adjusted the straps.

Tightened the back.

Smoothed the fabric along my waist.

Then

Silence.

I didn’t move.

Didn’t speak.

Didn’t breathe properly.

“Turn,” she said softly.

I shook my head immediately.

“I don’t want to look.”

Fear settled deep inside my chest.

Heavy.

Unavoidable.

“What if it looks ridiculous?” I whispered.

“What if I look stupid?”

Tianna’s voice softened even more.

“You won’t.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do.”

Silence stretched between us.

Thick.

Heavy.

Uncomfortable.

Then

Slowly

She guided me toward the mirror.

My heart pounded louder with every step.

Faster.

Stronger.

Harder.

I kept my eyes closed.

Too afraid to look.

Too afraid to see someone I didn’t recognize.

“You can open them now,” she murmured gently.

For a moment

I couldn’t.

Then slowly…

I opened my eyes.

And froze.

The girl staring back at me…

Didn’t look like me.

She looked… elegant.

Tall.

Beautiful.

The dress hugged my waist perfectly.

Flowed down my hips.

Rested softly around my legs.

My curves looked different.

More defined.

More noticeable.

More… confident.

My breath caught.

“Is that… me?” I whispered.

Tianna smiled softly behind me.

“Yes.”

I stepped closer to the mirror.

Slowly.

Carefully.

Like the reflection might disappear if I moved too fast.

My fingers brushed lightly against the fabric.

Still unable to believe it.

For the first time in a long time

I didn’t see the tired girl who worked three jobs.

I didn’t see the girl who counted coins.

I didn’t see fear.

Or exhaustion.

Or struggle.

I saw…

Someone strong.

Someone different.

Someone capable of standing beside powerful men without looking small.

And somehow

That terrified me.

Almost as much as it amazed me.

“What if they laugh?” I whispered suddenly.

Tianna frowned slightly.

“They won’t.”

“You don’t know that,” I replied quietly.

She stepped closer.

Her voice firm now.

“They chose this dress for you.”

That made my heart skip.

“They… chose it?” I asked.

She nodded.

“Yes.”

My chest tightened again.

Strangely.

Unexpectedly.

Which meant

They had imagined me wearing this.

They had pictured me at the ball.

Standing beside them.

Not hiding.

Not shrinking.

Not running.

Standing.

Visible.

Seen.

And suddenly

The ball felt very real.

Very close.

Very unavoidable.

And deep down…

I knew nothing would be the same after that night.