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“What do you think?”
I huff. “Mama, stop pretending I have a say in any of this.”
“Well, I am offering you a say in this.”
A white dress catches my eye, and I caress the soft material. It is both elegant and simple, but the embroidered lace offers it a touch of delicacy. A high-neck, long-sleeved, beaded-lace mermaid dress with a detachable tulle skirt that has a bit of a train.
“My daughter wants to try that one.”
“Mama, no.”
“Hush.”
I change into it, and my heart pounds in my chest as I present them withmydress.
“You look beautiful,” my sister says in awe.
My mother dabs at her eyes, and for a moment, we smile as I pat the soft material.
“I’ll take this.”
My sister and mother come to me, and we end up in a three-way hug.
“Let’s get some ice cream and then head to the spa.”
I nod. It feels good and maybe, just maybe, one day of giving in to have this beautiful memory with my sister and mother will be worth it.
“How is your friend?” my mother asks, after we ordered our ice cream and are seated in a corner of the parlor. We’re the only ones in here, which I’m sure means the guards made everyone leave.
“I don’t think Aurora is telling me everything that’s going on with her. She seems lost.”
“It must be awful to know her father tried to sell her.”
I force myself not to roll my eyes at my mother—it’s not like my father gave me an option either. We might have a complicated and strained relationship, but I am sure my parents don’t hate me. They just don’t love me how I want them to love me. But that’s my problem, not theirs.
“Will she come to the wedding?”
I want to shout, no, because there won’t be a wedding, but I decide to go with, “I would like that.”
“You said her husband is friends with Cato. Strange, how small the world is.”
Yes, the coincidence to end all coincidences.
“Can I be a bridesmaid?” Viviana asks excitedly.
No, because I won’t marry him, is on the tip of my tongue, but I force a smile. She eyes me with dancing little stars. “Yes, of course.”
My sister goes to the bathroom, two guards trailing after her. And all I want is to be free from my confinement.
My mother takes my hand. “Freedom at the cost of your happiness is plain stupid.”
“Where did that come from?”
“I carried you for nine months and gave birth to you. My greatest fear is for you to be unhappy, to sacrifice everything to make a point.”
“Mama.”
“Let me have this, Chiara. I miss spending quality time with my daughter, without thinking about when she’s going to cause a scene again.”
