"How is it? Do I look pretty?"
Natasha stood on the small fitting stage, twirling around as she lifted the skirt of her wedding dress slightly, showing it off to Adam, who was sitting on the sofa directly opposite her.
"Beautiful… Of course you look absolutely beautiful," Adam replied.
"The front is modest enough, and the sleeves come down to your elbows. But why is the back so open, sweetheart?" he asked, his eyes lingering on Natasha's exposed back, which was decorated with delicate lace and sparkling beads.
Natasha's wedding dress was indeed slightly sexy. It was a mermaid-style gown with sheer sleeves reaching down to her elbows and an open back that revealed the smooth, fair skin of her back.
"It's only this once. I want to look a little different on our wedding day," Natasha said sweetly, her voice taking on a slightly playful tone.
"All right, I'll let you have your way this time. Besides, most of your back will be covered by the long veil during the ceremony anyway," Adam finally said.
"Thank you, honey," Natasha replied with a smile.
"How does it feel, Miss Natasha? Is there any part that feels uncomfortable?"
The designer who had created Natasha's wedding gown approached her and gently turned her around to take a closer look.
"Everything fits perfectly, Madam. It's actually very comfortable to wear. It just feels like something is poking me in the back. I don't notice it when I'm standing still, but whenever I move, it feels a little uncomfortable," Natasha explained, pointing to the spot.
"Oh, I see. One of the beadwork connections has come loose. All right, I'll have it fixed immediately. I'll personally do the final inspection myself."
"It will be delivered in two days," the designer assured her.
"All right. Thank you, Madam."
"Come, let me help you change," the designer said, taking Natasha by the arm and leading her behind the curtain.
But when Natasha stepped out again, something immediately caught her off guard.
Melissa was clinging sweetly to Adam's arm.
Natasha had no idea when the girl had arrived at the bridal boutique—or why she was even there.
"Sister Nath, are you done with your fitting?" Melissa greeted her cheerfully, without making the slightest attempt to let go of Adam's arm.
Her gaze was the same as before—full of challenge and mockery, as if she could take anything she wanted right out of Natasha's hands.
"What are you doing here?" Natasha asked quietly.
The happiness that had filled her chest only moments ago vanished without a trace.
Natasha knew she had no reason to be blindly jealous, but seeing the way the two of them interacted made her deeply uncomfortable.
"Big brother Adam promised to buy me a new dress to wear to your wedding."
"Since I came home so suddenly, I didn't have time to prepare anything for your wedding. I can't exactly show up to your wedding wearing a shirt and jeans, can I?"
"So big brother Adam told me to come here and pick out a dress. Since there's only a week left, I don't mind wearing a ready-to-wear gown," Melissa explained.
Natasha looked at the dress Melissa was referring to.
It was an elegant silver gown. Even from a distance, the price tag was clearly visible—three thousand dollars.
Almost as much as Natasha's custom-made wedding gown, which was worth five thousand two hundred dollars.
Even the matching outfits for both families hadn't cost that much. On average, each family member's outfit was worth around one thousand to one thousand five hundred dollars.
"A ready-to-wear dress… that costs more than a custom-made designer gown," Natasha murmured, her voice laced with sarcasm.
"You're not angry that big brother Adam bought me a dress, are you?" Melissa asked innocently.
"Besides, it's not that expensive. It's only three thousand dollars."
She said it so casually, as though money grew on trees.
Natasha knew Adam was wealthy. His income didn't come solely from his career as an elite doctor. He also received dividends from his shares as the youngest son of the Ashford family, one of the major shareholders in Ashford Group and Ashford Memorial Medical Center.
But in Natasha's opinion, buying such an expensive dress for a girl with whom Adam had no personal relationship was simply inappropriate.
"Please have the dress packed now. Add the bill to the Ashford family's account," Adam instructed.
"Of course, Young Master Ashford."
The store attendant took the silver dress and carried it away to be packed
"We're done here. Can we go?" Natasha asked Adam.
"Go where? Didn't Kak Adam promise to take me to campus afterward?" Melissa asked sweetly.
"We have to go to Daia Clothier for the final fitting of my wedding suit. It can't be postponed anymore. Our wedding is only a week away," Natasha said firmly.
"Oh, right. Sorry, Ris. I still have some things to take care of, so you'll have to take a taxi to campus, okay?" Adam said.
"I'm scared to take a taxi to campus. It can take an hour to get there from here," Melissa complained.
"Really? Didn't you take a taxi here too? Why are you suddenly afraid of taking one back?" Natasha asked.
"It was still daytime when I came here, Kak. It's already late afternoon now. And I have to make it to class. If I take a taxi, I'm afraid I'll be late," Melissa said, half whining.
Adam glanced at the watch on his wrist.
It was already four in the afternoon.
"How about we drop Marissa off at campus first, Nath? Then we can go to the Clothier for the final fitting. We still have time, don't we?" Adam suggested.
"No, we don't. Marissa's campus is to the west, while Daia Clothier is in the southern part of the city. We'll have to take a detour, and Daia Clothier closes at six," Natasha replied.
"Then we'll go there tomorrow," Adam decided.
"I'll be busy tomorrow. I have three surgeries scheduled. I also have outpatient consultations in the morning and rounds for my inpatients in the afternoon."
"I need to finish taking care of my patients before I go on my wedding leave. I only have five days left before my leave starts," Natasha explained.
"Big brother Adam…" Marissa whined, gently shaking Adam's arm.
"Come on, let's take Marissa to her campus first. I'll handle the fitting at Daia Clothier myself tomorrow. You don't have to worry about it," Adam said.
"Fine. Do whatever you want. I'm not getting involved anymore."
Natasha turned around and walked out, leaving Adam and Marissa behind, still busy with the paper bags.
***