Finding his soul

4

I made my way to room fourteen and gently knocked on the door. Kaden opened it, still clad in his shirt, with the buttons undone and his tie hanging loosely.

"You can sit," he said, and I nervously settled on the edge of his bed. He seemed to sense my unease as he observed, "You're tense, why?"

"I'm not tense," I tried to brush it off, avoiding direct eye contact. "I'm just wondering why you asked me to come in here," I admitted, fidgeting with my heels.

"Ahh, right. You need to come with me to this gala, my father will be there," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Okay," I replied, trying to keep my composure despite the unexpected turn of events.

"Wear something fancy," he instructed, taking a moment to button up his shirt.

"Okay, um, should I ask Mary to dress me?" I inquired, realizing that my current attire wouldn't suffice for such an occasion.

"Do you have a dress?" he asked with a hint of curiosity.

"No," I admitted.

"Okay then, ask Mary," he said matter-of-factly. I left his room, mulling over the impending task of finding the right attire for the gala.

At the end of the corridor, I encountered Sam waiting for me. "Sam, I know where my room is," I stated, amused by his presence.

"I know, but as Mr. Richardson said, paparazzi and reporters can be a handful in New York," he responded with a knowing smile.

"Hmm, okay," I chuckled, realizing that navigating Kaden's world would be full of surprises and challenges.

After returning to my room, I found Alex conversing with Mary, who was already immersed in the task of finding the perfect dress for me. "There you are, Naomi. Mr. Richardson has been bugging me about getting the perfect dress for you," Alex quipped, teasingly hinting at Kaden's impatience.

"But I was just talking to him a few minutes ago," I replied, slightly amused by Kaden's swift approach to everything.

"Yes, he's like his father—likes to work fast," Alex explained, highlighting the striking similarities between father and son.

Mary held up a stunning gold dress, crafted from silk with delicate diamonds adorning its surface. My eyes widened at its beauty, and I couldn't help but murmur, "Wow, it's beautiful."

Alex couldn't resist a playful remark, expressing her wish to have dated a wealthy guy in high school. However, she remained oblivious to the intricate history between Kaden and me, unaware of the past that molded our current dynamics. I couldn't help but recall a painful memory from high school, where I had hurt Kaden deeply by making a regrettable mistake—a decision I would always carry with me.

Feeling a mix of excitement and vulnerability, I headed into the bathroom to try on the dress. Once I adorned it, I felt an undeniable boost of confidence, as if the dress had a magical aura that transformed me. Stepping out to show the dress to Mary and Alex, I sought their opinion.

"You look hot," Alex complimented with a playful grin, while Mary simply smiled warmly, affirming my appearance.

"Really?" I asked, still unsure of my own judgment.

"Yes," Alex reassured, and the combination of their encouraging words and the dress's allure had me feeling ready to take on whatever awaited me at the gala.

After meticulously applying my makeup in the bathroom, I made sure not to get any on the gorgeous gold dress that Mary had selected for me. I wanted to look flawless for the gala, where Kaden and I would be attending together.