Chereads / BACCARA: It's all an Illusion / Chapter 98 - Chapter 97 - Warmth Of Emotions.

Chapter 98 - Chapter 97 - Warmth Of Emotions.

Flashback

Herbert Hospital

Savannah sat quietly in her hospital cabin, sipping her hot coffee, with Bella, the nurse, sitting beside her.

The comfort of the warm drink was a small solace after a long shift, and the conversation with Bella had been lighthearted, full of shared laughter.

But as they chatted, the sudden sound of a knock on the door made both of them freeze.

Savannah felt a familiar stir in her chest as the door opened, revealing a woman dressed in a sleek black trench coat, black pants, and silhouette heels.

Savannah immediately recognized her. Anastasia.

Bella looked confused, sensing the tension in the air, but Savannah's face softened, a mix of surprise and uncertainty crossing her expression.

"Let's talk," the woman at the door said, her voice steady but filled with a quiet emotion. Savannah nodded, as if it was the most natural thing to do, and soon the two of them found themselves in the hospital garden, sitting on a bench.

They sat on opposite sides, not saying a word at first.

It felt like all those unspoken words over the years made the air heavy. The leaves rustled and you could hear the sounds of the hospital nearby, but it was like they were in their own worlds, sitting there in silence.

Finally, Anastasia spoke up, her voice soft but with a touch of sadness. "I didn't expect it would feel this awkward between us someday."

Savannah let out a little sigh and nodded. "Yeah, we used to be such close friends."

Anastasia nodded back, looking straight ahead.

For a moment, Savannah thought they were back to being the same two women they once were—before life's ups and downs pushed them apart.

"You know," Anastasia whispered, "I used to think of you like a little sister. I still do."

Savannah smiled, remembering the good times. "Oh yeah, we had some great moments."

The conversation floated there like a thin thread, both of them unsure how to close the gap that years apart had made. Then, Anastasia spoke up again, her voice softer this time. "I hope you're doing well, Sav."

Savannah looked at her, her heart swelling as she answered, "I'm living my best life, Tasy." She smiled warmly, thinking about Blaze, which filled her with warmth.

Anastasia turned toward her, studying Savannah's face, trying to catch all the emotions flickering there.

She saw the same sincere smile she remembered from before—this one told her Savannah was finally healing.

That gave her a funny sort of comfort.

But the doubts were still lingering inside her.

"I hope you're doing the same," Savannah said gently, as if trying to bring her old friend back to a familiar place.

Anastasia nodded and gave a soft smile. "Yeah, I'm doing fine." She paused and then "Actually, I'm here to invite you to something."

Savannah frowned, confused, and started fiddling with the edge of her coffee cup. "Invite me to what?"

Anastasia took a deep breath, put her cup down, and chuckled. "I'm getting married, Sav."

Savannah's eyes went wide, stunned by the news. "Are you serious?"

Anastasia laughed, looking relieved. "Of course I am. Why would I come all the way here just to play a trick on you?"

Savannah blinked, feeling a mix of emotions.

She was happy for her friend but also suddenly felt guilty. "When is it?" she asked, her voice filled with hesitation.

"It's on the 12th of this month," Anastasia replied.

"That's, only nine days away." Savannah said.

Anastasia's face softened, her voice turning more serious. "It would mean a lot if you could come. I only have one bridesmaid... and that's you, Sav."

Savannah paused for a moment, feeling the weight of all the months they'd been apart.

"I don't know... the hospital is super busy these days. Non-stop patients..." She trailed off, not sure how to juggle her duties with the sudden tug of nostalgia.

Anastasia watched her closely, picking up on her hesitation.

"I get it, Sav. But it would be great to have you there. You're still my best friend, my little sister."

She reached out and gave Savannah's hand a gentle squeeze. "I understand if you can't make it, but I hope you can."

Anastasia knew Savannah was feeling hesitate about this and she was making things to play safe. But she knew Savannah better, nothing can be hidden.

Savannah's mind was spinning, the years of silence echoing in her head. Anastasia's understanding helped ease her tension a bit.

Still, she couldn't shake the awkwardness of the whole thing—how much had changed in such a short time.

Anastasia gave a soft smile. "I won't take up too much of your time. I need to get back to some work."

Savannah looked up, surprised. "Leaving already?"

"Yeah," Anastasia said, standing up. "See you at the wedding, I hope."

As Anastasia walked away, Savannah just sat there, feeling a mix of happiness and doubt.

She never thought Anastasia would be here, inviting her to this big event that she had been looking forward to for so long.

For a while, she thought their friendship was over for good. But now, with this unexpected invite, it felt like they could reconnect again.

Her mind was all over the place, torn between her hesitation and wanting to be there for the person who was once like family.

She wondered if she should go. Could she really make it to her best friend's wedding after all these years?

It was unclear, but deep down, Savannah knew one thing: she couldn't let this opportunity pass her by.

Baldwin's Mansion

Savannah lay in bed, wrapped up in the warmth of the blankets as she cuddled close to Blaze, the love of her life.

The soft light from the bedside lamp made the room feel cozy. They had just celebrated their birthdays by surprising each other with homemade cakes and little thoughtful gifts.

Now, in the calm after all the excitement, they were nestled in each other's arms, feeling content and peaceful.

Blaze had his chin resting on her head, and she could hear his steady heartbeat as she snuggled deep into him.

She took a deep breath, enjoying the comfort of being with him, but something was bothering her. She needed to say it.

"Blaze," she whispered, her voice almost lost in the sound of his heartbeat. "I want to talk to you about something."

Blaze moved a bit, his eyes still closed, but he was listening closely. "Go ahead," he said softly, his voice warm.

Savannah moved a bit away from him, looking up to meet his eyes.

He opened his eyes, giving her a calm and attentive look. She paused for a moment before talking. "Anastasia showed up today at the hospital this afternoon."

Blaze raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Really? She did?"

Savannah nodded. "Yeah, I was shocked too. Never thought I'd see her around here again."

Blaze started rubbing small circles on her back, a comforting move. "She's a good person, Ana. Good things happen to good people like you."

Savannah sighed softly, thinking back. "I really missed her. She is like a sister to me."

Blaze's gaze softened, and he propped himself up on his elbow to look at her more closely. "Was it just a casual meet-up, or...?"

Savannah took a deep breath, trying to steady herself as she spoke.

"It's about her wedding. She invited me. The wedding's on the 12th of this month." She paused, looking down at the blankets.

Blaze watched her closely, his hand gently on her back. "So, you're going then?" he asked, his voice calm but curious.

Savannah shook her head a bit, the uncertainty clear in her eyes.

"I don't know. We haven't talked in ages, and now it feels like we hardly know each other anymore. We used to be so close, you know? I don't know what's been happening in her life, and she doesn't know what's been happening in mine. It just feels really awkward now."

Blaze's expression softened, and he moved a little closer to her, gently stroking her hair while he thought for a moment.

"You should go," he said, his voice reassuring. "You're making a bigger deal out of this than it needs to be."

Savannah frowned, confused. "What do you mean I'm overthinking?"

Blaze gave her a gentle smile, running his fingers through her hair. "Did she blame you for not keeping in touch?" he asked softly.

Savannah looked away, lost in thought. "No, she said she gets it. She knows what I've been through."

Blaze smiled, understanding in his eyes. "Exactly. She doesn't blame you, so don't beat yourself up about it either."

Savannah stayed quiet, her mind racing. "I wasn't ready to face anyone from my past. I wasn't ready to deal with how things had changed. I thought people were to blam."

Blaze's eyes softened with compassion, and he gently cupped her face.

"See? This is what you were really scared of. You weren't ready because you didn't want anyone to feel sorry for you or pity you. You were worried she might see you differently, like you were broken or damaged. But that's not how she sees you, Savannah. She knows you. She's your closest friend. And she won't judge you for what you've been through."

Savannah blinked, surprised by his understanding. "How do you know all of this?" she whispered, her voice filled with wonder.

Blaze gave a soft smile and brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"I know you better than you know yourself, Savannah. I've told you that before. I see right through you. You think you're keeping all these thoughts hidden, but I can tell when something's bothering you. I always can."

Savannah smiled, a bit breathless at how well he understood her. "But... how can you know everything about me?"

Blaze gave a soft chuckle and gently touched her delicate features, like she was the most precious thing in the world. As she was.

"Not everything, just you, Ana." He leaned in close and kissed the top of her forehead. "Go to the wedding. Don't hold back. She wants you there, and you deserve to be there too."

Savannah felt a warm glow in her chest as she reached up to touch his face. "How come you always know exactly what to say?"

Blaze smiled, his eyes full of love.

"Because I love you, Ana. I always will." He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her. They fit together like they always did.

Savannah felt completely relaxed. She knew Blaze was right.

She had nothing to worry about. Anastasia had always understood her, and it was time to face that part of her life again. With Blaze by her side, she could handle anything.

He pressed his lips gently to her lips, Savannah smiled and pulled him into a deep kiss. At that moment, everything felt just right.

Present Time

Wedding Resort

Walking down the long corridors of the wedding resort, Savannah heard her footsteps echoing softly on the marble floors.

The place had a quiet elegance, which was quite different from the nervous energy she was feeling inside. The walls were lit with soft, romantic lights, building up the excitement.

She passed a few guests laughing and chatting in the distance, but her main focus was on getting to the lounge area.

When she finally got to the staircase, she paused for a bit, fixing her dress and taking a deep breath. The big, fancy staircase curved down nicely, with shiny railings glowing under the lights.

As Savannah started walking down, she felt still nervous, as if she should go or not, the doubts still lingering, her eyes locked on the person waiting at the bottom. As she got closer to the door, she saw Anastasia standing there, looking at her phone with a slight frown.

When Savannah reached her, she gave a soft smile "I'm here."

Anastasia looked up from her phone, giving Savannah a quick look-over.

"You're 15 minutes late," she said, checking the time on her phone and showing it to Savannah.

Savannah winced, feeling bad about keeping her friend waiting. "Sorry, I was having a talk with Blaze" she said, her voice trailing off a bit, sounding a little guilty.

When Blaze's name came up, Anastasia's face changed. Her eyebrows scrunched up like she was trying to figure out what was going on. "He didn't want you to come with me?" she asked, her voice full of doubt.

Savannah jumped in fast, hearing the worry in her friend's voice. "No, no, he didn't say anything like that," she said. "Actually, he was the one who pushed me to come here, when I wasn't sure about going to your wedding."

For a second, Anastasia's face relaxed as she heard Savannah's words. A small, knowing smile appeared, but it didn't light up her eyes.

She gave a nod, appreciating Savannah's effort to make her feel better. Still, the smile looked forced and a bit stiff.

"Shall we go?" Anastasia asked, her voice sounding a bit far away now.

Savannah noticed the change right away and nodded quickly. "Yeah, let's go." Letting it be.

Boutique

Savannah walked beside Simon, they looked around at all the wedding dresses hanging on the racks.

The store was full of soft talking, the sound of fabric moving, and the distant whoosh of a curtain opening in the fitting room. She was happy to support Anastasia, but the big decision ahead still weighed on her mind.

Anastasia held up a white lace dress and checked herself out in the mirror. Simon, always excited, turned to Savannah for her opinion.

"So, what do you think?" Simon asked, pointing at the dress.

Savannah squinted as she looked at the dress. It had delicate lace and a simple design.

It was okay, but it just didn't capture the magic of Anastasia's wedding day. "It's... just alright," Savannah said with a shrug, waving her hand a little.

"We need to make her feel special, you know? The kind of dress that makes her stand out."

She winked at Simon, who grinned and nodded.

"Aww, you guys are so sweet," Anastasia said with a chuckle.

"I'm sure I'll look great in any dress." But she kept flipping through the options, even though Savannah could see she was still unsure.

Savannah and Simon spent another half hour trying finding more dresses.

They both gave their opinions. By the time they had a few choices, Savannah went over to Anastasia, who was still looking around at the back of the store.

"Here" Savannah said, handing Anastasia the pile of dresses. Anastasia blinked at all the dresses, when she tried to take them, she lost her balance. The dresses were too heavy and pulled her off balance.

Simon quickly stepped in, handing the dresses to a worker nearby. She raised an eyebrow, looking surprised at how many gowns there were. "All of these?"

Savannah grinned. "Yeah, hurry up, girly," she teased.

"Okay, alright," Anastasia gave in, and with the worker's help, she disappeared behind the changing room curtain.

Savannah and Simon sat down on the comfy sofa, giving each other excited looks. Savannah couldn't help but feel a bit worried, especially after she heard that the earlier dress had a fault.

Simon whispered, "I hope this goes well," as he looked towards the changing room.

Savannah responded firmly but hopefully, "No more mistakes now."

Twenty minutes later, the curtain opened, and Anastasia emerged in a stunning long white dress covered in lace. The dress fit her like a glove, hugging her curves beautifully, with a sweeping train that trailed behind her.

"Wow," Simon breathed, his eyes wide as he admired how the dress looked on her.

"Turn around," Savannah urged, her excitement building up. Anastasia turned, and Savannah's eyes widened at the intricate lace design on the back of the dress, which ran from the top to her waist. It was both sexy and elegant.

But Savannah felt something wasn't quite right. She tilted her head, her finger on her chin, and said, "We could make it even better."

Anastasia nodded, understanding. "Yeah, I know right!"

Anastasia ducked behind the curtain again without missing a beat.

Ater another 15 minutes, she came back out.

This time, she had on a different dress—a pretty off-shoulder white gown that really showed off her figure.

The long train gave it a magical look, and the 3D flower decorations and sparkly bits added just a hint of shine. The deep V-neck was just revealing enough to be sexy but still classy.

Savannah and Simon got up, their eyes glued to Anastasia.

"Wow, Anas!" Simon whispered, sounding amazed.

Savannah walked around her friend, checking out the dress up close. She couldn't help smiling.

"Perfect!" she said, clapping happily. "This dress is totally for you, Tasy."

As she looked at Anastasia in the wedding dress, Savannah felt a rush of emotions. This was the big moment she had been waiting for. Her friend was about to walk down the aisle, and everything just felt right.

Anastasia beamed and said to the worker nearby, "We'll get this." showing she was ready to go ahead.

Simon and Savannah looked at each other with big smiles. "She looks amazing in that dress," Simon said, still staring at their friend in disbelief.

Savannah added, "I can't wait to see her wear this on her wedding day."

She was amazed by how gorgeous Anastasia looked in her wedding dress even though she had seen her in one but things went wrong.

Half an hour later, they were about to leave the store when Anastasia clapped her hands, catching their attention.

"I've got a surprise for you guys too!" she said, making Savannah and Simon look at each other in confusion.

Before they could ask anything, two workers showed up with light lilac-colored dresses. Both dresses had a similar style and were stunning.

"Ta-da! Check out your bridesmaid dresses!" Anastasia announced, her face glowing with excitement.

Simon's eyes went wide. "When did you do that?"

"When I was here the other day for my wedding dress fitting," Anastasia said. "I just had to get these for you both. What do you think?"

"Oh my gosh, they're so pretty," Simon said, looking at the dresses.

Savannah was quiet for a bit, staring at the dresses. She didn't see this coming, but they were beautiful. Anastasia's thoughtfulness touched her deeply.

Anastasia looked at her hopefully. "Savannah?"

Savannah blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. She nodded slowly.

"I love this, Tasy. I really do."

She felt her emotions well up—this moment, this gesture, meant a lot to her.

"Hey, no crying!" Simon joked, putting an arm around Savannah. "We'll save the tears for the wedding."

They all laughed, sharing a warm and exciting moment together.

"Hey, do you want to try the dress on, Sav?" Anastasia asked, smiling at her friends.

But before Savannah could say anything, a voice cut in from behind them.

"No, she can't!"

Author's Note :

Happy reading<3

Hope you guys having good and happy days:)

Stay safe <3

See you tomorrow:)

Have a good day/night <3<3