Planning dinner

The whole house had been extremely busy since yesterday, ever since Emily’s father walked in.

After his encounter with Damien, he announced to his wife, who had begun preparations.

One could mistake the occasion for a quick wedding, as the house had been deep-cleaned.

Emily, on the other hand, had been in her room all day. It had been days now, and the dinner was just a day away.

Her nanny had tried everything to get her to be lively again, like her former self, even getting her painting supplies to distract her from her self-pity, but all her efforts were futile.

“You need to get up right now and get ready to go out shooting with me,” her nanny said.

Emily, seated in a chair, managed to look up at her. “Really?” she asked, with a hint of life in her voice.

Her nanny shook her head in response as they exchanged a long look.

“I wish I could,” Emily said, “but I don’t have the energy to leave my room. I just want to be left alone.”

This frustrated her nanny, who was now forced to get her to freshen up and follow her. Emily’s father had asked the nanny to take her shopping for something decent to wear when she met her potential husband. Afterward, they could begin planning her wedding. With her stepmother taking a special interest, the nanny knew she didn’t have to wait long.

Emily wasn’t the type to keep anyone waiting. They made their way out to the car her father had given her on her twenty-second birthday, although she wasn’t allowed to drive herself. They got in, and the driver pulled away from the premises.

A car that had been parked outside their home for a while followed suit.

The mall was an hour away, but the beautiful city made the drive seem quicker. They passed various stunning buildings, all of which always felt new to Emily whenever she was allowed out of the house. For her, each trip created new memories to keep her company during the long stretches she was confined inside.

But now things were different. She was about to be given away to a man she knew nothing about, in a month or less. She looked at her nanny, who had been gazing out the window since the ride began.

“Who is he? What is his name? What does he look like?” Emily asked.

Her nanny looked at her, confused, trying to make sure she was the one Emily was addressing. “Oh, my child, I’m as in the dark as you are. Your father refuses to tell me anything, but I’m sure the young man will take good care of you,” she said, trying to reassure her.

Emily wasn’t convinced. “How can you be so sure of a man you don’t know? Where exactly are we going?”

“We’re going shopping!” her nanny said excitedly, avoiding any mention of the dinner with Emily’s potential husband.

“Nanny, what exactly are you hiding from me?” Emily asked, sensing something was off. She knew it always took time for her nanny to open up.

“Well, your husband-to-be is coming for dinner tomorrow, so your father asked me to take you shopping to get a nice dress for the occasion,” the nanny finally admitted.

Emily sensed something was up. She never went out shopping unless it was for a special event. It made her feel like a puppet in her family’s hands. She couldn’t refuse her father’s request without risking his anger.

They arrived at the shopping mall, and Emily and her nanny stepped out of the car and walked in.

“What kind of dress are you looking to get for me?” Emily asked.

“Something simple and beautiful, I guess,” her nanny said, shrugging her shoulders as they headed to the dinner dress section. It didn’t take long to find something suitable.

But Emily noticed a figure following them around the mall. “Nanny, I think that person over there has been following us since we got here,” she said, pointing toward the figure, which quickly turned away.

“It seems so. Come, child, let’s go pay for the dress and get out of here,” her nanny said.

They hurried to the front desk, paid for the dress, and rushed back to the car. Once inside, the nanny instructed the driver to head straight home.

“We need to leave right now. We’re not safe here,” she said anxiously.

The tension in the car grew as Emily kept glancing back, trying to see if the man was still following them. She spotted him standing not far away, staring right at her. She quickly sat up, unsure of what to do.

The driver, unaware of what had happened, followed their instructions and sped onto the road.

“Who was that, and what did he want?” Emily asked, though no one in particular, starting to feel like she was going crazy.

“I can’t say, my child, but I will have to inform your father when we get home,” her nanny said.

Emily stopped her. “I don’t think it’s safe to tell Father. We don’t need to cause unnecessary alarm. I might just be imagining things because I’m about to marry a man I don’t know.”

Just then, the driver hit the brakes abruptly, causing Emily to lurch forward, though she wasn’t hurt. Her nanny had braced herself better.

“I’m sorry,” the driver apologized. “I thought I saw an animal.”