Emma allowed her eyes to linger on his for a short while before giving him a nod. With that, he left her alone in the room, the clothing rack standing before her like a silent testament to the strange reality of her life.
Emma hesitated for a moment before slowly moving toward the rack, her fingers brushing over the fabrics.
She dropped her hands when some of the house maids appeared and helped her take the dresses upstairs to her room.
She followed them back to her room and after they left, she tried on one dress, then another, feeling numb as she went through the motions.
Five dresses fit her perfectly, each one as beautiful as the next, but none of them could lift the weight pressing on her heart.
As evening approached, the atmosphere outside mirrored Emma's mood. Cool and windy, with the promise of rain still lingering in the air.
She and Alex stepped out of the house and into the car, the silence between them heavy as they made their way toward the registry.
On their way there, Alex made a detour and although Emma was aware of this, she didn't bother asking him where he was going or where he was taking her to.
Though she didn't trust him but she also didn't care what he did with her. She sighed inwardly when Alex pulled the car into a stop outside a jewelry shop.
"What are we doing here?" Emma asked, her voice barely above a whisper when she looked around and saw where he brought her.
"We need rings, don't we?" Alex replied with a small smile. "It's a wedding, after all and we do need everyone to believe that."
Emma sighed, knowing he was right. Who would have thought that I would be shopping for a wedding ring again after I had planned till death do us part with Jake? Emma thought to herself, her face gave no expression as she didn't want Alex asking questions.
They entered the shop, and a cheerful salesperson greeted them. "Good evening! What can I help you with today?"
"We're looking for wedding rings," Alex said, his eyes already scanning the glass cases filled with different kind of rings.
"Can I see your collection?" he asked and the salesperson gave him a nod as she went on to show them the collection of rings.
Emma felt a sense of unease settle over her as she looked at the rings. The gleaming jewelry felt too grand, too permanent for something that was meant to be a mere contract. Her gaze followed Alex's as he pointed to a dazzling diamond ring.
"This one," Alex said, his voice filled with certainty and Emma's heart skipped a beat.
The salesperson was about to bring out the ring when Emma asked for a minute with Alex alone.
"Why choose the diamond ring? There are others that are not as expensive. I would prefer something cheaper especially since this is just a charade," Emma protested with a calm tone.
Alex raised an eyebrow, his tone soft but firm. "Emma, we're about to be husband and wife. I know it's just a contract marriage but no one else knows that. If we're to help you, we need to make everyone believe it's real and as a bride to be, you should be excited that your husband wants to buy you something special. If this were a real marriage, wouldn't you want the best?" he asked and Emma's throat tightened, and she looked down at her feet.
"Yes, but… this isn't that kind of marriage," she said with a sigh.
"Maybe not," Alex said, "but it doesn't mean you don't deserve the best." His gaze softened as he added, "Just let me do this, okay?"
Emma hesitated before nodding slowly. "Okay. Let's just… make it believable," she said as they went back to meet the salesperson.
"I'm sorry, we had to talk about something for a while. We'll take that one," he said pointing to the one he had chosen before.
The salesperson brought it out and Emma wore it to be sure it was her perfect size.
Alex smiled when the diamond ring slid onto Emma's finger with ease, showing that it was a perfect fit. He couldn't help feeling glad. He hoped that at the end of the arrangement, Emma could also sell the ring and add the money to what he was going to give to her.
He wanted her to have the best life after their arrangement, just as he had promised her.
He thought as they left the shop and continued to the registry, where their marriage was quickly and efficiently registered.
As they left the building, Emma felt the weight of the ring on her finger, a strange symbol of a life she wasn't sure she wanted. Alex, walking beside her, glanced at her briefly, his expression unreadable.
In his mind, though, his thoughts were clear.
"She's my wife now," he thought, his resolve hardening. "And even if this is just a contract marriage, I vow to protect her with everything I have. I'll make sure no one, especially Jake, can hurt her again. For as long as we're together, I'll keep that promise."