Hello, everyone. Unfortunately, I had a little health setback and so this will be the only chapter we have today, but I promise I'll be back as normal with two chapters tomorrow!
“Okay, Alice, just let me tidy up that tail a little and... That's it!” Thea cheered, more cheerful than Alice had ever seen her “You look absolutely perfect! You're the most beautiful bride I've ever seen, and I attended all my sisters' weddings.”“Thanks, Thea.” Alice murmured, running her hands down the lacy bodice of the white dress around her "I..." for perhaps the hundredth time in the last ten minutes, she raised her eyes toward the reflection in the mirror, where that bride, who seemed to have left from a magazine, was looking at her. It was strange to say that about herself, but Thea was right that it was very close to perfection. Everything, from the dress with lace sleeves reaching to the elbows, the delicate fabric that hugged her skin like flower petals, the skirt that opened like a big A and the long veil that
“Will he ever stop talking?” a soft growl reached Alice, even where she was kneeling before the altar, next to Massimo.“Massimo!” she hissed, only getting Millicent to cover her mouth with her hands to hide a giggle “He's a priest. His job is to give a speech.”“For twenty minutes? Millicent will end up sleeping and so will I.” He rolled his eyes, impatiently.“Behave yourselves, you two...”“And, with that, I conclude my words.” The priest's loud voice cut through her whisper, causing Alice to quickly straighten up so she could look at him “You may rise, my dear. Or, of course, stay as you are, if you want...” the old man cleared his throat, avoiding Massimo's gaze “It's time for
“You look so, so beautiful…” Lucy murmured, for probably the hundredth time in the last ten minutes, which forced Alice to turn her attention away from where Massimo was chatting with the shareholders he had been forced to invite.“I'm sure you'll become even more beautiful.” Alice smiled at her best friend “When the time finally comes for you to marry a man who deserves you.”“I wish I could have that hope, but I know my parents will push me towards one of their dying friends to make sure they get something this time.” She sniffed.“What’s going on now?”“Christopher has been arriving later and later lately. He even canceled meetings and avoided leaving town for more than two weeks, something
“No one can question my respect for you and Dad. I even respected your wishes not to walk down the aisle with me.” She pointed out, making Kendra's frown deepen, probably because Judge Mitchell, one of the most influential political figures in High Society, was there to listen.“Uh... That...” Roger cleared his throat, finally looking up from his smartphone, the only one there with the decency to look embarrassed “Your mother ended up leaving home late and I just remembered this thing about accompanying the bride when we arrived at the moment the celebrant’s sermon had already begun...”“Maybe if she had been thoughtful enough to remind us of the correct time or what she would have liked us to do at this wedding, then maybe we would have been on time.” Kendra grumbled “But Alice made a point of excludi
“You were very wrong not to ask me to help you choose your dress, you know?” Amber didn't allow the silence between them to last even two seconds, a mocking smile lifting her lips “That way you wouldn't be looking like a girl dressing up to play get married. But I'm sure the brat must have been a lot of help, right?”“Millicent helped me a lot, it’s true. That's why I loved this dress so much. It's exactly how I wanted it. I thank Massimo for giving me the opportunity to make this whole party exactly how I wanted.” she smiled, looking over Amber's shoulder at all the party's impeccable decorations, the almost endless food and all the most important people in High Society looking around, everyone clearly impressed.“You are content with so little. I would be crying if I were you, if the man who bought me threw a party this big, just to try to get at the woman who was supposed to be his real bride.” Her sister tossed her hair back, but Alice didn't even bother to feel uncomfortable.“Yo
“Our records show that Mr. Bianchi was discharged a few days ago.”“Oh...” Alice blinked, a pang of disappointment piercing her heart as she looked at the receptionist of that hospital wing “I... I didn't know...”“Even if he was here, this hospital does not allow patients to be visited by unknown people.” The woman replied, narrowing her gaze with pure contempt, measuring Alice from top to bottom “If you are the girlfriend that Mr. Bianchi's relatives talked about, then perhaps you should have come earlier, young lady.”“I didn't plan to visit him. I just wanted to leave these gifts here.” She tried to swallow the lump of discomfort in her throat and maintain her posture, even though her hands were nervously clutching the tiny bouquet and the candy wrapper “Also, my last name might be Dawsey, but the girlfriend you're talking about It's my sister, Amber...”“Of course, of course...” the woman snorted, refocusing solely on her computer “Since there is no one here to receive your gifts,
“Casey, could you excuse us for a moment?” Kendra smiled, her tone suddenly warmer and gentler, only because it wasn't Alice the one who she was talking to.“Uh... Of course...” Casey hesitated, and Alice knew him well enough to know he was eager to walk away from a possible argument. “Just... Please, Kendra, don't be so hard on Alice. It's okay for her to be sad. As much in love as Amber and I are, it was still a betrayal..."“Don’t be so hard on yourself, darling.” Kendra cut him off, with a friendly smile “What happened was just inevitable. I saw the way Alice treated you. Any man would realize sooner or later that they deserve more than a cold woman. As a mother, all I can say is that I am more than happy to continue having you as my son-in-law.”“Oh, uh... Thank you. I... I'll try to talk to Alice when things are calmer.” He promised, but didn't turn his eyes toward his ex-girlfriend before leaving the living room, leaving Alice with that sour feeling inside her, watched by the p
“Did you take my money?!” she gasped, horrified, but that only seemed to make her mother and sister even more arrogant.“You have to agree that you were the only one stupid enough to hide cash, little sister.” Amber laughed.“I only did it so you guys wouldn’t convince Dad to clean out my accounts again, like you did before!” Alice started to raise her voice, but Kendra quickly cut her off.“You forget how merciful I have been to you since you were born, especially in the last four years. I could have thrown you out of this house for being a slut who doesn't even know who got her pregnant, but did I? No! Did I let you continue here, creating a bastard and dirtying our family name, charging only a symbolic amount of rent so that you could learn your lesson? Yes! The money you had in that can? It were nothing more than compensation for the 23 long years I raised you, receiving nothing in return but disappointment and ingratitude. But once again, Alice, I will be kind and give you a choi