Page 31

Then they looked at me.
Their smiles faded and they shot me judgmental sneers before leaning towards each other and whispering.Straightening my shoulders, I tried not to let it bother me. After all, judgmental looks and whispers were what I’d been used to since I was a child. And now, with a man like Sebastien by my side, I guessed it came with the territory.
We stopped by a section filled with breathtaking gowns. Naturally, I did what I always do, scanned the price tags. My stomach twisted in knots. Each one cost more than a year’s worth of my salary.
I leaned toward Sebastien and whispered, “Do I really need to buy a dress from here? These prices are insane. I know a cute boutique along—”
Sebastien cut me off. “You will get a gown from here. My fiancé must wear the best.”
“But I…”
My voice trailed off when one of the sales girls approached us.
“Good day, my name is Renee. How can I assist you today?”
With an air of authority, Sebastien spoke. “Get me your most exquisite gowns. Sexy and show-stopping. Money is no problem.”
Renee quickly scanned me from head to toe before hurrying off.
“Sexy? Really? Me? How do you make a whale look sexy?” I tried to laugh it off, but Sebastien’s gaze darkened. I bit my lower lip and turned away from him, pretending to look at the dresses on the rack.
“Is that how you really see yourself?” he whispered behind me, his hot breath grazing my ear and sending a shiver down my spine.
“That’s how everyone sees me,” I croaked. “I don’t mind, though,” I lied. “I’ve gotten used to it by now.”
He didn’t say anything.
“Ma’am, if you’d follow me this way.” Renee’s voice cut through the tension between Sebastien and me. I turned to face Renee, whose arms were full of gowns.
Sebastien stepped back, allowing me to follow her into one of the changing rooms. It was stunning, like a small private suite. It held a small sofa and a mini fridge. There was a stall separated by a curtain, which was currently pulled back, revealing walls lined with mirrors, offering a view from every angle.
Renee hung up the dresses and smiled. “You can try these on, and I’ll get you a few more.”
“Thank you,” I said, and she stepped out.
For the next thirty minutes, I stepped in and out of the stall, modelling the dresses for Sebastien. But none of the dresses seemed to fit right. It was either that the arms were too tight, or it squeezed my waist so much I could barely breathe. Or some just couldn’t zip up. By the time I had tried on the tenth dress, I was exhausted, frustrated and ready to throw in the towel and go home.
Sebastien pulled back the curtain, holding a red gown in his hand. “Try this.” He handed it to me and closed the curtain again. Groveling, I tried on the damn thing.
The gown was simple, made of shimmering fabric, with a string that tied at the back of the neck. The front had a cowl design, and the back dipped so low I was sure if I sat down, you’d see the crack of my ass. I wore it without a bra felt as though my boobs were about to pop out on either side. And of course, therewas my gut, glaring at me disapprovingly. There was no way Sebastien thought I could pull this off.
“What’s taking you so long?” Sebastien asked impatiently as he pushed the curtain away and stepped into the stall, shifting the curtain back in place.
His eyes roamed my body, his expression unreadable. I spoke before he could insult me about the way I looked.
“This dress doesn’t suit my body type. The top doesn’t provide proper support, and it’s way too tight…”
Sebastien took a step towards me, and my words faltered. His eyes were intense and predatorial.
“You look gorgeous in this dress, Delilah.” He took another step towards me. My pulse quickened and I took a step back.
I laughed nervously. Did Sebastien just call me gorgeous?
“Gorgeous?” I shook my head. “I don’t know what you’re seeing, but all I’m seeing is fat and a big-ass gut.”
“Look in the mirror.”
I rolled my eyes. “Really?”