The stiffness in her neck and back was all too noticeable. She couldn't help but quietly mutter, "Damn, my ass hurts." The hairstylist overheard and kindly suggested, "Ma'am, we can take a break if you want."
Alise briefly contemplated the offer, acknowledging the appeal of a break but ultimately thinking, "Hell no, I just want to finish already."
With a firm nod, she reassured the stylist, saying, "I'm fine; we can continue."
As they pressed on, those ten minutes felt like an eternity. Just when she believed her ordeal was finally over, the stylist touched yet another part, and she couldn't help but let out an exasperated, "Mann."
The stylist took a step back and said, "I was just fixing this one hair that was bothering me. You're actually done," she said with a chuckle.
Alise felt a little embarrassed, and the stylist said, "It's okay, girl, I understand. I used to do that all the time when getting my hair done."
They shared a moment while she handed her a mirror to look at herself. Just then, Alise's mother walked in.
Her mother exclaimed, "Finally, you're done! We need to get you in that dress. We have about an hour left."
Alise hesitated, "Wait, I'm not done looking at myself. You look beautiful, sweetie. Now, let's get started."
People started coming in, and she noticed the lady from the bridal shop. Iris introduced herself, saying, "I'm Iris. Nice to meet you again."
Alise smiled and responded, "Likewise."
"Well, let's get you ready," Iris said with a big smile, her eyes full of excitement. She signaled the others to bring the dress.
As they returned with the wedding dress and accessories, Alise began to get dressed. Iris went behind her and carefully zipped up the dress.
She could feel the dress on her, and couldn't help but think, "It's finally happening, the contract is finally finalizing today." She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.
While Iris asked her some questions, Alise was still zoned out, lost in her thoughts, focusing on calming her nerves and not paying much attention to her surroundings.
A gentle tap on her shoulder brought her back to the present. She slightly jumped as she snapped back to reality and asked, "Uh, sorry, what did you say?"
"How does it feel? Is it too tight, restrictive, or uncomfortable?" Iris asked, checking the dress's comfort for Alise.
"Alise did a little twirl in the dress, swaying her hips, and smiled.
"It fits perfectly."
Alise's mother urged everyone to add the accessories quickly and mentioned, "I'll be right back to check if the cars are here," before leaving them to hurry and prepare.
They adorned Alise with stunning diamond jewelry - a necklace, earrings, a nose ring, and a beautiful veil. Customized perfume was the finishing touch.
However, some of the perfume accidentally got in her mouth, and she started choking a bit. "Damn, that's strong," she remarked as she sipped water through a straw to stop the coughing.
A maid entered the room and relayed the message, "Madam said, 'the cars are here.'" Alise stopped sipping, exclaiming, "Damn, that was quick," as she grabbed her phone and belongings, Iris lifted her dress, and they rushed out of the room.
They sprinted through the halls, a sense of urgency pushing them forward. As they approached the door, the echoing sound of hurried footsteps behind them drew their attention. A voice called out, "You left your heels!"
Alise, her bare feet abruptly halting on the floor, turned to find Marien, the source of the commotion, sprinting toward them with the heels in hand.
In a quick, unspoken exchange, Iris, still clutching the dress with one hand, smoothly incorporated Marien into their escape plan. Alise, looking back and keeping an eye on the dress, asked, "Please lift the back of the dress."
The confusion on Marien's face was evident, but she and Iris hurried to ensure the dress remained safe off the ground as they continued toward the waiting car.
The tension in the air gradually dissipated once they entered the vehicle, collectively exhaling sighs of relief as it pulled away.
Amid this relief, Marien, catching her breath, finally questioned, "Why did you drag me along? You just needed to grab the heels."
Iris, still catching her breath, replied apologetically, "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking clearly at the time. I just felt we needed to get out in a hurry."
Marien, her frustration apparent, mumbled, "Now we're crashing her wedding."
Iris, guilt in her voice, admitted, "I know, I know. I was only supposed to get her in the car, but I've inadvertently brought both you and me along."
Alise, still catching her breath after the run, turned to them and said, "No use worrying about it now. You two can come along and pretend to be my assistants, or I can have the driver stop and let you out."
After a moment of silence, Marien spoke with a clear and resolute tone. "I'll be leaving the same way I got here. No, thank you. I'm more than willing to play the role of your assistant," she said. Iris agreed, settling back into her seat.
Alise smiled and chuckled softly, saying, "I must admit, I find you both quite amusing," as she asked for the heels. They handed them to her, and she bent down to put them on.
The car came to a stop in front of a building. Alise looked up, her eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings. Her mother's call interrupted her thoughts, bringing her back to the present.
Alise, puzzled, echoed with a bemused "Huh?" She asked, "What do you mean?" Her mother hung up, leaving her bewildered.
A quick glance at her companions, Marien and Iris, conveyed her recognition of the odd situation. "I guess we've got a five-minute wait ahead."
Time seemed to drag on, each second stretching into an eternity. Suddenly, four shadowy figures appeared by the car, their silent presence sending chills down their spines.
One of them tapped on the window. Following her mother's instructions, Alise stepped out, only to have a blindfold tightly fastened over her eyes, engulfing her vision.
Alise, overwhelmed with confusion, couldn't help but exclaim, "What's the fuck?" under her breath before saying, "What's going on?"
Marien and Iris also emerged from the car. Unbeknownst to the strangers, the unexpected presence of Marien and Iris added an unforeseen twist to their plans.
The men swiftly secured Marien and Iris Covering their mouths and guided them away while the other two were leading Alise alone ..