Finally, the veil was draped in her lavish hairstyle, and she was almost at the end of her tether. Her heart was beating up to her neck while highly concentrated adrenaline was rushing through her veins. Two of the girls from Madame Ploutiettes tailor shop brought her the first of five wedding dresses. The most pompous and magnificent dress. A dress like one out of those Disney princess movies. As they buttoned the long row of pearl buttons on her back, Lily's heartbeat quickened. Just take a deep breath - she told herself. Her dress rushed down her slender body like an ivory-white waterfall of silk and tulle. She hardly dared to believe her reflection - from the inconspicuous girl, the artists had created this graceful and elegant lady. It was as if a magic spell was in the air, as if she had escaped from the pages of a fairy tale book, directly up for this wedding. Her heart was beating madly. She would become the Duchess de Valois. Alexandre's wife.
✿
"Oh, hello, Mademoiselle de Carvoisin!"
Claudio stood casually leaning against the wall. His voice purred leisurely like that of a tired cat enjoying its sunbath. Nelli winced and started directly into the eyes of this lazy hunter. She was unlucky again to run into him of all people.
"I wish you a wonderful day, as well." Nelli tried to worm her way past him.
"Really? Is that what you want me to believe? I don't really feel like you... Rather, I'm getting the impression that you wish that I would get the plague?"
"Oh, is that so? Where do these assumptions come from?"
He smiled. His deep green eyes sparkled, he clearly enjoyed playing with her.
Quickly she pushed herself past him. She tried to pretend that he didn't exist although he was watching her every move.
" Your eyes, your expression, every single movement you make, express the disgust you have for me."
She stayed, throwing him a glance over her shoulder. "I would recommend you to go and see an optician." She blinked, trying not to notice how the well-cut suit tightened over his muscular shoulders. She could only imagine what was hidden under the fabric. He had a face that would kill any male model, and incredibly thick black hair that she had wanted to comb through with her fingers ever since she first met him. She had to admit she was not indifferent to his advances. Even if she didn't want to, her heart jumped when she only heard his deep voice. He was incredibly hot and charming. A deadly combination for any woman's heart. However, she was all too aware of how the noble maidens secretly called him. A Casanova freshly imported from Italy, just for the eyes not to be tasted. She was so annoyed that she was still attracted by him. She could no longer look him in the eye. It felt as if his intense gaze was licking all over her body.
"Yeah... I probably really should see an optician, because I can't find words to describe your beauty."
His words were teasing and provocative, but at the same time it felt like he was begging for her attention. She had lost track. How long had they been playing this game? Nelli averted her gaze again and wanted to run on without giving him her attention for another second. She should not let herself be distracted by him like that anymore. Her priority was to protect Lily. She couldn't afford another mistake. Besides, her father had already begun to select a suitable marriage candidate for her. She had already caused her family enough trouble in the past few years. She loved her family, despite her differences of opinion with her father and her older brothers. Basically they were right. A marriage of convenience would be the best thing for her. A love match was not the norm. She had to stop dreaming about it. Men loved her because of her appearance, her handsome dowry or her social standing, but not because of her character. She was too hot-tempered. But she had trouble discarding old habits. Then, slowly, she began to move further away. Claudio frowned, when he met this woman, nothing went according to plan. She seemed to slip through his fingers again and again. Over and over she managed to create this yawning emptiness in his head whenever he looked at her bewitching face. He lacked the right words to express what he felt when he was near her. Claudio always felt small and helpless when he blurted out those shallow pick-up lines. He could no longer bear this uncertainty. Claudio knew she had wrapped him around her little finger for a long time. This would not change in the future. He was struck by lightning. She was both hellfire and holy water at once. The way he could taste her depended on the way he would treat her.
And he was willing to beg for it. Claudio he grabbed her wrist. "I wasn't planning on asking you here, just like that. But I can't wait any longer. I wanted to make it super romantic. But I can't stop thinking about you and it appears to me that life is short. Will you marry me?"