25. The wedding dress

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"Oh, I forgot to mention, Nathaniel is coming tomorrow.", Jessica told Xavier who let out a small, irritated groan.

"Who is Nathaniel?", I asked out of curiosity.

"My cousin and Xavier's colleague.", she replied.

"I don't want him around. Why can't he come on the exact date?", Xavier complained.

"Xavier. He is my family. I want him here.", she explained it to him.

"I don't like him.", Xavier grunted and turned his attention back to his laptop.

"Actually Xavier is just jealous because he is a better lawyer than him.", Jessica teased and nudged his shoulder.

"Better lawyer? Not a chance in hell.", he snorted in return.

They were busy talking to each other and I didn't want to be a third wheel so I got up and made my way to Stefan's room. He called me in after two knocks.

"You are here so let's narrow down these table cloth designs to top 10 so that they could choose one.", he said and created some space for me.

Slouching down beside him, I began to flip pages of the magazine.

"This one?", I suggested a white silk one with blue embroidery and he jotted it down.

"I was thinking about this one.", he pointed to a royal blue checkered print and I nodded in approval.

At the end of that hour, we had narrowed down the designs to top 10. I heaved a sigh of relaxation and leaned back on the couch.

My eyes darted to Stefan and I found him staring at me.

"What?", I asked.

"You love him, don't you?", he mumbled in a low voice.

I lowered my eyes to the mahogany marbled floor and ran my fingers through my hair.

"No.", I whispered.

"You are lying. I can see it in your eyes.", He spoke softly.

"Yeah right. Sorry to say boss but I don't think a man like you can understand the meaning of love.", I blurted out and his face grimaced at my retort.

"You mean a manwhore like me.", he asked with a sullen expression.

"Well I didn't say that."

"You know Hazel, no man loves to sleep around with random women. But life sucks and it changes you into a jerk.", he exasperated.

"What do you mean?", I asked, my voice dripping with confusion.

"I was in love with a woman in college. She was beautiful and kind.", he spoke, looking lost in some memory.

"And she cheated on you and this turned you into a playboy. What a cliche!", I muttered under my breathe.

"I married her.", he corrected me.

"Married? Stefan Grey was married?", my eyes widened in surprise.

"The time I spent with her was the best time of my life. Until.."

"Until?"

"She left me. It was a summer morning. She... She.. ", I saw a lone tear left his eye and he couldn't speak further.

My heart dipped down inside my chest and I had no idea how to comfort him.

He hid his face inside his hands and I felt his body shake. Panicked, I patted his back but no use.

But soon realized that this shaking was due to laughing. That bastard was laughing like an idiot, clutching his stomach.

"You... You....You bloody jerk.", I yelled, throwing the pillow at him.

"You really believed me.", he said between his laughs and my face flushed because of anger.

"You think my life is some sort of tragedy. Sorry to say but I love sleeping with random chicks.", he admitted, earning another pillow from me which fortunately, hit him right on the jaw and his smile stopped.

"Oh, you didn't.", he ran after me and I dashed out of the room, with him following me. I angled my neck to see that he had almost reached me when my front collided with a hard chest and someone wrapped his arms around me to stop me from falling.

I lifted up my face and my eyes met with Xavier whose eyes were focused on Stefan running behind me. For a minute, they flicked back to me and I felt tingles appear on my skin under his gaze.

"Sorry.", I said and created some distance between us.

"Careful, this is not a playground." he warned through gritted teeth but his words were pointed more towards Stefan than me.

After he left, Stefan muttered something under his breath and left, but not before giving me a playful, threatening smirk.

...

I was sitting inside Jessica's room, helping her choose the dress. She was inside the bathroom, trying on the first dress.

She came out of the bathroom and I gasped. The dress was breathtaking, to say the least. It had a sweetheart neckline which was embedded with small diamonds. The dress hugged her upper body like a glove and flowed down till her knee. The bodice was covered with small sequins and the ivory color contrasted perfectly with her flawless skin.

"That's the dress.", she whispered emotionally, looking at herself in the mirror.

"Indeed.", I commented, still in awe.

"Ok, let's check the second dress.", she said and I zipped the cover down.

If the first dress was beautiful, the second dress was perfect. It was plain yet elegant, a pearly white off-shoulder mermaid gown with frilly bottoms. The lace design on bodice was intricate and mesmerizing.

"Wow

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"Wow.", I sighed in admiration.

"It's beautiful I guess. But I don't see myself getting married in this.", she said, turning towards mirror.

I tried my best to avert my eyes from it but couldn't. The dress was too beautiful to be ignored.

"You want to try this on?", she asked, noticing my expressions.

"No. How could I-"

"I insist, Hazel. I am going inside bathroom to change. You can try this out inside the room.", she said and dashed inside the bathroom.

After much pondering, I sighed and stripped out of my dress. Carefully slipping inside the dress, I pulled the zipper up after much effort.

Holding the flowy bottom with my hands, I trudged towards the mirror and saw my reflection in the it.

Before I could admire myself in the gorgeous dress, someone opened the door and I turned around astounded, only to meet with the stunned expression on Xavier's face.

***************************

This chapter was a filler but the next chapter will be very important.

Don't forget to write your views.

P. S: I was thinking maybe I should change the name of this story. What do you guys think? Is Hazel Ok? Or I should change it? If yes, then suggest a good name.

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