"Much better," said Aurora, as she made her way back into the bedroom.
I let out a sigh, as I stared at myself in the mirror. Hardly able to recognize myself anymore. I was wearing a floral red maxi dress, and I'd straightened my hair, as well as swabbed concealer on my dark circles, to make myself look more awake and lively.
Like I was being forced to put on a façade. Playing the role of the happy, beautiful fiancé, when inside…
I was dying.
"It's time to go shopping for a wedding dress now," said Aurora. "One of the bodyguards will be giving us a lift."
I let out a sigh, before nodding, and following her out of the room. Before I knew it, a bodyguard was escorting us outside, and into a car, and we began driving.
As I stared out of the window, I could feel my heart twist into knots.
My heart shattering into millions of tiny pieces.
Like somebody was shooting thousands of daggers straight through my chest.
The last time I was staring out of the car window, I was filled with warmness and excitement, believing that I was going to have the holiday of my dreams, go exploring, go on adventures. Clear my head after I'd spent the last few years studying.
It was crazy how badly the tables had turned.
***
After an hour of driving, we arrived at the wedding dress store.
"Marcello already ordered a dress of his preference and choosing to the store," Aurora explained. "Try it on, so that we can check the measurements, to see if it will fit you properly."
"Okay," I mumbled.
We made our way into the shop.
"Hi, Aurora," the store manager waved. "Hello Zara." She nodded towards me. "Follow me."
I made my way to the dressing room, and the woman allowed me some time to get undressed, before passing me a white wedding dress to put on. I slid into it, my eyes welling with tears, as I stared at myself in the mirror.
It was a beautiful dress, I couldn't lie about that. It was lacy, with beautiful embroidered patterns on the bodice. It wrapped around my body like a glove, emphasizing my big breasts, my slim waist, and my big ass. But that didn't give me any comfort at all. Because knowing how beautiful I looked in it, made me feel even more sick about how Marcello would react when he saw me in this on the wedding. The thought of having to consummate my marriage with that bastard just screwed with my mind to the point of no return.
"You've had enough time to get ready," came Aurora's voice. She pulled back the curtains, and stared at me, making her way behind me to tighten the drawstrings on the back of the dress. "It looks perfect. Fits you perfectly, too…" She trailed off her sentence. "No need to make any amendments to the measurements. It's like it was made for you." She let out a low giggle. "You and Marcello are made for each other."
I could feel bile churn in my stomach. "Are we done now? Because I want to go home."
"Somebody's eager," she smirked. "Yes, we can go home now. We can stop for food on the way back. You've been well-behaved… You've earnt it."
She shut the curtain again, allowing me to change back into my normal clothes. I wiped my tears, wishing that I would get myself together, not wanting the tears to spill. I put back on the original maxi dress, not able to get out of the wedding dress fast enough. Haunting images of my future torturing my mind, the longer I stared at the piece of fabric.
I made my way out of the changing room, and straight back to the car.
"Thanks a lot, Lily," Aurora called out to the store manager, as we entered the car.
The manager nodded at her, waving, as the bodyguard began to drive, picking up speed with every second.
Thirty miles per hour…
Forty miles per hour…
Fifty miles per hour…
Sixty miles per hour…
"Marcello will be pleased to know the outcome of today's visit," Aurora grinned. "I'm glad you've finally started cooperating." She folded her arms, staring at me. "I know that my brother can come on strong, but as long as you don't piss him off… I promise, this won't be as bad as you think it will be."
Her words didn't give me any comfort at all. I could feel my eyes fog with tears as we drove, and memories of my father bleeding out to his death in my arms began flooding back to me. Replaying themselves over and over to me, like a form of motherfucking torture.
Feeling like I'd failed him.
Knowing that there was nothing I could do to save him.
Seventy miles per hour…
Eighty miles per hour…
Ninety miles per hour…
Hating myself that it had to come to this.
His terrified eyes burning into mine, as he begged me for forgiveness, and told me how sorry he was.
One-hundred miles per hour…
One-hundred-and-ten miles per hour…
One-hundred-and-twenty miles per hour…
"I feel sick!" I cried out, my whole body quivering into a frenzy, hardly able to keep myself upright. "Please can we make a toilet stop? Please?!" I begged.
Aurora let out an exasperated sigh.
"You better not puke on me, you horrid bitch," she snapped. "Henry, stop the car at a gas station. Let her go to the toilet. No funny business, you whore."
I nodded, sweating profusely. The car slowed down and suddenly screeched to a halt.
I bolted inside of the building, and ran straight to the lavatories, my heart thumping against my chest frantically. Wishing that images of my father would stop torturing my mind.
Wishing that I could forget about them.
Wishing that I could get out of my depressed, psychotic state.
I puked into the sink, my body convulsing, wishing that my nightmares would come to an end. Wishing that God would stop punishing me like this.
I'd lived my life as a good woman…
This was the last thing I deserved.
I allowed all of the bile to empty itself from my throat, before I stared at myself in the mirror…
And realized that I was alone.
I had seen so many people crowding the service station on my way in here. Maybe they could help me escape.
This could be my only chance.
I didn't care about the repercussions. Somebody here was bound to be able to help me.
I trembled, wishing that I would get myself together, before I bolted out of the toilets, and ran straight to the main room, where the cashier stood, and there were lots of people sitting down on tables.
It was now or never.