BRIANNA

After trying on what felt like a thousand dresses (okay, it was only about fifteen), I finally emerged from the dressing room with a scowl plastered on my face. Mr. Adrian had rejected them all—too revealing, too concealing, too short, too long—nothing was right. My body was starting to feel like it had been through some bizarre workout, with me constantly slipping in and out of dresses to no avail.

The dress I had on now was a red velvet fishtail gown with thin straps. The bodice was black, featuring a sweetheart neckline adorned with pearls. It was a little more revealing than I’d usually go for, but I didn’t mind. Paired with black satin gloves that reached just past my elbows and a snow-white fur shawl, I felt like a glamorous snow queen.

Isabella looked me over, her smile wide and approving. “This dress suits you perfectly,” she said, her tone light and full of admiration. “It’s not too revealing, not too concealing, and it brings out your curves in all the right places.”

I glanced at her. “I love it, too, but we need to show it to your cousin before we decide.”

She nodded, and we walked out of the room together. Mr. Adrian, who had been absorbed in a magazine earlier, was now glued to his phone.

“Check this one out, Mr. Adrian,” I called out, my voice a little louder than necessary to pull him away from whatever was so captivating on his screen.

He finally looked up, and for a fleeting moment, I saw approval—and maybe even a hint of awe—flash across his face. But it was gone just as quickly, replaced by a blank, unreadable expression.

“There was a dress like this, and you’ve been dressing up in… those?” he asked, his voice edged with irritation. “You’ve had me here for over two hours.”

I bristled. “Really? You’re blaming me now? I didn’t make you turn down every single dress I tried on!”

He glared at me, his lips forming a tight line. “There’s no time for this. You should know how precious my time is.”

Isabella intervened, her voice sharp. “Both of you need to stop. There’s no need for a fight right now.”

Mr. Adrian’s glare softened, and he exhaled sharply. “This is the one you’re going for. Now, get a purse and shoes to match. And don’t waste any more time.”

I didn’t bother replying as I turned to head back into the fitting room.

Once I was alone, I quickly stripped out of the dress and slipped back into my own clothes, folding the velvet gown neatly. Just as I was finishing up, Isabella came in, a red purse and matching heels in hand.

“I found these. They’ll look perfect with the dress!” she said, almost bouncing with excitement.

I couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm. She looked so energized, it almost felt like she was the one going to the gala. “You’re the fashion expert, but let me see.”

She handed me the purse, which was stunning. It was cranberry red, encrusted with ruby gemstones, and gleamed in the light. The gold chain strap added a touch of luxury. The heels were eight inches high, a bold red to match the purse. I stared at them, feeling my stomach twist nervously.

“These are beautiful... but are you sure I’m the one who’s going to wear these?” I asked, my voice a little shaky. I’d never worn heels that high before.

She raised an eyebrow, clearly fighting a laugh. “Who else would wear them? You’re the one going to the gala, aren’t you?”

I groaned, my face heating up. “I’ve never even worn heels this tall before. They look... monstrous.”

“Are you scared?” she teased, finally bursting into laughter.

I glared at her, embarrassed. “This is my first time trying on eight-inch heels!”

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you.” She placed the heels in front of me. “I’ll teach you how to walk in them. Just put them on.”

I sat down and slipped my feet into the heels, trying to stand but immediately feeling unsteady. “Isabella, can you hold my hand? I’m afraid I’ll fall.”

“No problem,” she said, chuckling, and gently guided me up.

For the next few minutes, she helped me balance and walk. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as hard as I’d feared. By the time I felt confident enough to take the heels off, I was thanking her sincerely.

“Thanks, Isabella. I owe you one,” I said, sitting back down to remove the shoes.

“Don’t sweat it. Now, let’s get the other clothes Mr. Adrian wanted,” she said, handing me the bags with my gala attire while she packed up everything else.

We spent the next hour shopping at the main mall, Isabella selecting clothes, shoes, jewelry, perfume, and even makeup for me. Mr. Adrian had only said to shop for clothes, but he hadn’t mentioned anything about the other items. By the time we finished, Isabella had packed six bags to the brim.

When we were done, Mr. Adrian showed up just as we were finishing.

“It’s about time,” he muttered, his annoyance apparent.

“Sorry,” I said, though I wasn’t really sorry.

He handed Isabella his credit card. “Take care of the total.”

After paying, we headed back to the car, where a few workers helped me load all the bags into the trunk. I climbed into the backseat, exhausted from the whirlwind of shopping.

“Drive to Brianna’s house, Brandon,” Mr. Adrian said, his tone flat.

The drive was silent, and when we arrived at my house, I was left with the seven bags to handle on my own.

“Thanks for today, Sir,” I said, though he only responded with a quiet hum as he got back into the car.

“I’ll send a makeup artist over by 4 p.m.,” he added, almost as an afterthought. “I’ll pick you up at 5:30. And you don’t need to come to work tomorrow.”

I barely had time to process his words before he gave Brandon the go-ahead to drive off.

I sighed under my breath, struggling to juggle all the bags. “Thanks, Sir,” I muttered again, but he was already gone.

I staggered to the door, using my foot to open it and dumping the bags on the floor.

“I’m home!” I called out, and both my mom and Mariana turned to look at me in shock.

“Where did all these bags come from?” they asked, their voices filled with disbelief.

I grinned. “I went shopping.”

Their eyes went wide in surprise.