Best of Both Worlds

Chapter Nine

I stood barefoot in front of my full-length mirror and ran my hands through my dress for the umpteenth time. I dropped my head to the side as I scrutinized every side, frill and design on the dress. Whitney lay in my bed, preoccupied with her phone in her hands. I'd called her into my room as another set of eyes and to be a voice of reason but she'd been with her phone since she arrived.

A carrot-orange gown hugged my bump and skin, outlining every curve on my body. The neckline draped down one shoulder to the other like a lopsided smile, leaving one shoulder bare. The sleeves ran down my upper arms seamlessly, then puffed out with pleats from the forearm to the wrist. From the waist till the hem, on one side of the gown, a long piece of the material extended out the gown like a flag.

I turned around and struck a pose. "So, does this dress say, she's responsible, classy and not some gold-digging opportunist after their son's money?"

She dropped down her phone and rolled unto her stomach. She looked up at me and lifted both brows. "You've gone and scared yourself by googling them"

I didn't have much of a choice. I wasn't about to walk blindly into the lion's den just because Nicholas proposed I do so. We barely knew each other and had not discussed family members just yet. All I had were surface-level information; His job, His family name, He was loaded and had VIP status at the hospital.

Without much thought, I ran his name through google and regretted it afterwards. His family were high up in society and were basically, billionaires. There were many sites, filled with news and gossip about one family member or the other. His father founded the construction company he now headed, His mother had a perfume line. His elder sister was a model/fashion designer in France and the younger sister headed the company's branch in Italy.

I'd dug myself into a well of fear and anxiety, by the time I was done reading countless articles. I'd created so many scenarios in my head, about this meeting and not one, that ended well for me. It's not a big deal, Nicholas said. It'd be fine, he said.

I hope so ...

I stamped my feet and whined. "Come on, answer me. Should I change the dress or not?" I turned back to the mirror and stared at the dress. "You know what, I don't think it's appropriate. I'll change it"

"Don't. It's fine, you look amazing" Whitney pulled herself up to a sitting position.

"Are you sure? It's not too much?" I ran a hand over my exposed shoulder.

She sighed. "No. It's perfect, don't change a thing"

"Okay, good" I walked over to my wardrobe and pulled out two black wigs; a short bob and a long wavy one. I waved both wigs in front of her "Now, which one?"

"The brown blunt cut"

"Really?" I raised a brow at her.

She nodded and gave me a thumbs-up. "Affirmative"

"Okay"

I returned to the mirror and pulled the hair over my wig-capped skull. I opted out of straightening the wig and focused on putting on light makeup. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the front door and my heart literally skipped a beat. Whitney and I exchanged paused looks.

I couldn't discern if it was the nervous pit in my stomach or the baby but I felt a light pressure on my lower organs. I placed a hand beneath my bump. "I think I need to pee,"

Whitney chuckled and climbed out of the bed. "I'll get the door"

I blew out a mouthful of air as I headed for the bathroom. I was not looking forward to this dinner, not one bit.