As the elevator doors slid shut, I caught the fleeting smugness in Nadia's eyes—the subtle arch of her brow, the slight tilt of her lips. A silent taunt.
And then, Jonah's voice drifted through just before the doors fully closed.
"Nadia, did you bring your ID?"
It was never about her mother. This whole show was just for me.
Before the bodyguards Jonah arranged could arrive, I grabbed my keys and left. I had something more important to do.
The bridal shop was quiet when I arrived. The familiar scent of fresh flowers and delicate fabrics filled the air, but something felt off. The shop owner, usually warm and welcoming, looked startled to see me.
"Miss Arabelle... you're here?"
I nodded. "I came to pick up my wedding dress."
At that, the owner's face twisted in hesitation. "Oh... Mr. Jonah already picked it up a few days ago."
A cold prickle ran down my spine. "What?"
"He even brought a woman to try it on," the owner added, voice dropping. "I wasn't in the shop at the time, but..."
My expression must have darkened because he immediately turned to the computer.
"Let me pull up the surveillance footage."