Chapter 4: The Delivery

Aria's POV 

***

By the time I got home, my arms were aching so bad. I pushed the gate open and stepped into the compound. The grocery bags felt twice as heavy as they had at the supermarket. I think it was because my mind wouldn't stop running, maybe because I was tired or maybe because my life had become one giant question mark.

I walked into the house and headed straight for the kitchen. The first thing that I did was to drop the bags on the counter.

"Finally." I said with a very long sigh. I stretched my shoulders and began unpacking everything. Tomatoes. Bread. Milk. Eggs. Jam. Vegetables. One by one, I arranged them carefully to where they belonged.

For a few minutes, everything felt normal. Peaceful. No mysterious notes. No strange women and no marriage contracts. Just groceries.

Exactly what I needed. Then the doorbell rang. I became furious because I knew that my dad was at home and we weren't expecting anyone. The bell rang again. It rang more impatient this time. 

“Urghh”. I wiped my hands on a towel and started heading towards the door. When I opened it, a delivery man stood outside. Beside him was a large white box. It was huge and neatly packaged. But the box immediately made me suspicious.

"Miss Aria Cole?"

I blinked. "Yes."

His face relaxed. "Perfect." He checked something on his clipboard. Then looked back at me.

"I have a delivery for you."

My eyebrows pulled together. "A delivery?"

"Yes."

I stared at the box, then at him, then back at the box. "There must be some mistake."

The delivery man frowned. "Aria Cole?"

"Yes".

He checked the address. Then he nodded.

" There's No mistake."

I crossed my arms. "But I didn't order anything".

The man shrugged. Honestly, he looked like someone who couldn't care less.

"You know, this happens all the time."

"What?"

"People forgetting about their deliveries".

"I didn't forget”.

A small smile seemed to appear on his face. "Well, whoever sent it definitely meant for you to receive it." 

That wasn't comforting at all. Not even a little. He held out a clipboard. "Please sign."

I hesitated. Really? Sign? What could I possibly be signing when I didn't order the delivery. It was really suspicious and frightening at the same time. The thing I could do now is to take courage and sign. So that was exactly what I did. I signed.

The delivery man immediately motioned toward his assistant. The two men carefully carried the box inside and placed it on the dining table.

That very second they left, the house became quiet again. So quiet that the little peace I felt earlier came back again. But it didn't last.

There it was. The box. My mystery delivery, sitting comfortably in the middle of the dining table. Waiting patiently for me to unravel the thing inside of it.

I stared at it and the box stared back. Okay, maybe not, but it felt like it. I walked around the box once and then twice. What if it was from the mystery groom? And what if it wasn't? Or what if opening it somehow made everything worse? Like killing me or something?

I groaned. I was officially losing my mind for real. Finally, curiosity won.Well, it always did. I pulled a chair closer and carefully lifted up the lid. The moment I saw what was inside, my breath caught. I couldn't believe my eyes.

It was a white, soft, elegant, and beautiful wedding dress. A very expensive one at that. For a second, I simply stared. The fabric looked like something that came out of a movie. It has delicate lace, tiny hand sewn detail. The kind of dress most girls dream about and would die to be in.

Slowly, I reached inside and lifted it. The material slipped through my fingers like water.

Oh my God, It was so gorgeous. Painfully gorgeous. I knew I was excited but at the same time it made me angry. Because whoever bought the dress clearly knew my size, my style, my everything. And yet, I still don't know his name. 

I let out a humorless laugh. "That's insane.” The dress sparkled under the dining room light. It almost looked like it was mocking me. I carried it upstairs and laid it across my bed.

For a long moment, I just stood there. Looking at it. Trying to imagine myself wearing it, trying to imagine standing beside a stranger at the altar promising him forever. 

The thought made my stomach twist. My eyes moved over the dress again.The lace, the sleeves, the long train. And honestly it was a beautiful dress I won't lie. 

Then something caught my attention. I saw a small bump beneath the fabric. I frowned. “What else now?”

Maybe it was part of the design or maybe not. So immediately, curiosity stirred. I had to know what might be causing the bump in the dress. 

Slowly and carefully, I ran my finger over the area. There it was again. It's definitely not fabric or any additional design. 

My heartbeat quickened. I looked at the wedding dress, then at the spot beneath the lining, then back again at the dress.

That very moment I considered leaving it alone and pretending like I hadn't noticed anything and none of all this was happening. But all of this lasted for three seconds. Curiosity. 

Carefully, I slipped my hand beneath the inner lining. Up and down. My fingers then brushed against something. It felt light and smooth. 

Paper. My breath caught. Slowly and carefully I put it free. It was a folded envelope that had been hiding inside the wedding dress. 

Why would someone put an envelope inside a wedding dress? Can you imagine? This was creepy for real. 

What was written across the front in neat black ink were there words that made me shiver, it made my blood run cold.

FOR ARIA ONLY.