The Tangled Threads

Chapter 1: Fitting

The night stretched on, and every passing second seemed to heighten my nerves. Tomorrow is the big day – the day we meet the family for our fitting. While I am undeniably excited, there's also this constant worry in the back of my mind that I might mess everything up.

In the stillness of the night, my phone interrupted my thoughts with a call from Ava.

"Having trouble sleeping?" she asked.

"Yeah, Ava. I don't know…I'm starting to doubt if we can really pull this off," I confessed, my voice laced with uncertainty.

"Of course, Kei! We may not know what the future holds for us, but sometimes, taking a risk and hoping for the best is the only way to find out."

I took a moment to breathe, letting her words sink in. "You're right, Ava. With the two of us working together, I'm sure we can pull this off," I affirmed, feeling a renewed sense of determination.

"Absolutely!" she exclaimed, sounding determined.

As the night grew deeper, I found myself mindlessly scrolling through social media, seeking distraction. Amidst the sea of posts, I stumbled upon one discussing rumors about the West and Wattsons families. According to this post, the grand wedding we were preparing for was nothing more than a business arrangement, devoid of genuine love. Initially, it bothered me, but soon I decided to dismiss them as mere speculations—possibly fake news. I needed to focus on the task at hand and prepare myself for the day ahead.

The next morning, I awoke before my alarm clock even had a chance to ring. Excitement coursed through my veins as I got dressed and glamorously prepared myself for the day. However, I knew Ava would most likely still be asleep, so I called her to check in.

Half-asleep, Ava answered the call, her voice betraying traces of sleepiness. "Ava, are you awake?" I asked.

"You woke me up," she grumbled playfully.

Apologizing, I quickly informed her that I was already dressed and heading to her house. She acknowledged my plans and promised to wake herself up promptly.

When I arrived at her doorstep, Ava greeted me, fully dressed and ready to conquer the day. "Ready?" I asked with a smile.

"Let's do this!" she replied, her enthusiasm contagious.

We hopped into my car and embarked on a journey through tall trees and landscapes. The West family resided in the countryside—a dream come true for me. Living amidst nature had always been my aspiration, and today, I felt like I was one step closer to that dream. The fitting was supposed to take place at the Wattsons' house, but due to its distance from our shop, they had kindly offered their residence as the venue. Not only was it a convenience for us, but it also allowed me to bask in the beauty of a house nestled among trees.

As we approached the imposing gate, it opened automatically, welcoming us onto a long driveway that led to a magnificent French-style mansion. "This is one marvelous house," Ava commented in awe.

"It's a dream," I agreed, my heart swelling with gratitude for being able to witness such grandeur.

As we approach the main door, we are greeted by a woman who is waiting for us.

"Are you from The Vougtique?" she asks, her voice warm and inviting.

"Yes, we're here for the gown fitting," I answer with a smile.

I can't help but notice how stunningly beautiful the woman is. For a moment, I mistake her for the daughter of the Wattsons, the one we are supposed to fit the gown for. It turns out she was her assistant.  She leads us to a luxurious room, which is even more extravagant than our bridal shop.

As we start preparing, the door suddenly opens, revealing a breathtaking woman. She has a decent height, a perfectly proportioned face, and I can smell her exquisite perfume even from across the room. It's Ezra Alliah Wattsons, the only daughter of the Wattsons Family. I remember seeing her in some posts before, but I had no idea it was her. There's a sense of starstruck amazement coursing through me, making it difficult to find the right words.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you!" she says warmly.

I manage to reply with a nervous "Hi," unable to fully express myself in that moment.

Thankfully, Ava steps in and saves me from my flustered state.

"Hello, we're from The Vougtique. I am Ava, and this is Keira. We've been hired to design your wedding gown," she says confidently.

Ezra's face lights up, and she replies,

"Yes! I absolutely love your designs. They are everything I've imagined. I just hope it's for my real wedding."

Without thinking, I blurt out, "Isn't this your wedding?"

Immediately realizing my mistake, I apologize profusely.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to assume anything." Ezra gives me a knowing smile and says,

"The rumors are true this was all an arrangement, and since you'll be involved in the entire wedding process with me, I think you should know. But let's just focus on the fitting for now."

......

"That design is so pretty!" she exclaimed.

"Keira did all the designing, and I helped with the stitching," Ava added.

"I think it was definitely a team effort," I chimed in.

Ezra is such a friendly person. Her comforting presence and melodic voice have a way of captivating everyone around her. It's really unfair that she's going through all of this. Weddings should be about love, not turned into a cold business by rich people.

Weddings ought to be an expression of genuine affection, free from the vile commercialism that surrounds them. It's depressing to see how some well-off people reduce such holy occasions to nothing more than a business deal.

Suddenly, Ezra's friend entered the room, making quite an impression with her stunning appearance: straight black hair, tall stature, and dressed in a fancy black dress and heels. As she hugged Ezra, her eyes turned towards my designs, showing a mix of amazement and sadness. It was difficult to tell whether she was happy for her friend or if she had reservations about the situation. Her feelings were hard to decipher, leaving me unsure of what she wanted.

"Let me introduce Lana to you. Lana, meet Keira and Ava, my talented designers," Ezra said with a smile.

Lana took a moment to admire the designs before expressing her awe, "This is... beautiful, Ezra."

"I'm glad you think so. It's all thanks to the incredible work of Keira and Ava," Ezra acknowledged.

Feeling gratified, I chimed in, "These are just sample designs for now, but we're delighted that you like them."

After a brief pause, Lana requested some privacy, asking, "Can we talk alone, please?"

Understanding her need, I suggested, "We can step away for a little while."

Ezra expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thank you."

As we strolled through the backyard, taking in the beauty of the French-style mansion, something caught our attention—a man in a suit sitting on one of the benches. Although he seemed a bit distant from where we were standing, his presence intrigued us. However, our reverie was interrupted when someone called out to him, using the name "Alexander." This seemed to prompt him to get up and leave, as if answering the call.

Lost in my thoughts, I continued to gaze at the stunning estate, captivated by its grandeur. Ava noticed my distraction and gently snapped me back to the present moment. With a smile, I shifted my focus back to the breathtaking view surrounding us, letting go of my curiosity about the man called Alexander.