Chapter 6 - The perfect dress.

Amelia looked at the rack of beautiful wedding dresses all of different styles. Looking at the wedding dresses made everything even more real.

And the shocking realisation that she was getting married hit her hard.

If she had been told years ago that she was getting married, she would have said no. She would have laughed it off as a big joke because even while she was with her ex boyfriend Allen, the thought of being married to him never once crossed her mind.

Amelia's mind was preoccupied with many other things. Like how she was going to wiggle out of going for her MBA and a nice lovely vacation on a private island and partying in Ibiza.

No, for her, marriage was not in sight.

"Start with this. I know it's going to look wonderful on you."

Her mother said and Amelia gently shook her head.

"I don't want to do this Mum." She quietly whispered.

Her mother looked taken aback and she pushed Amelia gently into the dressing room.

"What are you saying Amelia? Why would you say something like that?"

"Mum! I just don't want to do this! I'm doing this for all the wrong reasons. And I don't like it! I don't want to do this."

Amelia cried out in rage. Her mother looked suspiciously calm.

Too calm for Amelia to even raise her voice again.

"Do you want to call off the wedding?"

Her mother gently asked.

It was a simple question, but the volume and the emotions behind the statement made it hard for Amelia to even answer.

"We can do it right now. With just one phone call. We will call Xavier and tell him the wedding is off. And your father and I will have to find another way to pay off our debts."

"Sure, it will be humiliating. We will lose all our properties and money and our friends will laugh at us..."

Her mother sighed as she looked far away and Amelia felt bad.

Her mother was using reverse psychology on her, it was very obvious but her mother was also right.

So much was at stake.

She knew what was at stake, but she wished there was another way.

"Mum..."

She started but her mother raised her hand.

"I suppose will have to leave now. No use trying to find a wedding dress. No use doing anything. The tabloids will soon carry the news of our bankruptcy."

"Okay Mum. Stop it! I will get married to him. It's alright."

Her mum's eyes bulged.

"Really? You will?"

She asked with a large smile and Amelia nodded. Her mother has just used the oldest trick in the book on her. Guilt tripping her daughter till she did what she wanted. And it wouldn't have worked if the stakes weren't so high.

"Yes. Now leave me to try on this dress."

She shooed her mother away after her mother pulled her into a big warm hug.

Her mum turned back after reaching the end of the dressing room.

"By the way, this one is my favourite so I hope you like it."

The dress was a strapless ballgown and Amelia felt childish in it.

Too childish.

But her mother absolutely loved it. Even Ruby and Molly kind of liked it.

Amelia disliked the poofiness of the gown and the long train.

She tried three more others.

A lace fit and flare wedding dress with an illusion neckline and quarter length sleeves, a tulle and lace mermaid wedding dress and the last one which was her personal favourite, a sleeveless column wedding dress.

"I like this." Amelia said as she marvelled at the simplicity and elegance of the dress.

"No, no sweetie. That doesn't look good on you. It's so plain and simple. What would people think of us? You're getting married to a billionaire. Not some simpleton!" Her mother exclaimed and Amelia rolled her eyes.

"First of all, it's what I want. Secondly, there wouldn't even be anyone in the wedding except for a few people. Thirdly, I don't care."

"Well, you should. I liked the first one better. It made a much better statement than this." Molly said.

Amelia glared at her.

They should be on her side. If she wanted to wear the dress for her sham wedding, they should accept whatever dress she chose to wear.

"You know, I get the appeal. It's a beautiful dress. Not what I expected you to go with but it's very elegant."

Ruby said and Amelia smiled in triumph.

Finally, there was someone on her side.

"Thank you."

"It also comes with a custom made veil. Do you want to see it?" The attendant asked and Amelia nodded.

"Ugh! I don't like it. How much does it cost?" Her mother asked the stylist.

"Ten thousand dollars and two thousand dollar extra for the custom made veil."

Her mother rolled her eyes.

"Oh dear, no wonder it looks like that. It doesn't even cost as much as a proper wedding dress."

"Mum, we're poor now so ten thousand dollars is a lot to spend on a dress right now."

"Not when you're marrying a billionaire."

"Please let's not go there. I already feel bad for spending his money." Amelia said as she cringed.

Her mother shook her head as she took a sip out of her champagne.

"Well, believe me we have a long way to go. You'll be spending a lot more than twelve thousand dollars."

Her mother murmured and Amelia rolled her eyes.

When the veil arrived Amelia fell in love with it.

It was simply breathtaking. It was a simple veil with a simple crystal and pearl drop design.

"Awwwn. It's so much prettier now. All we need is a tiara to hold the veil in place."

Molly commented as the attendant helped fix it on her hair and secured it with a plain tiara to give it a near perfect look.

"It's perfect."

Amelia commented as she twirled slightly in the mirror admiring the pretty dress. The gown was everything she wanted in a wedding dress, but the wedding was not what she wanted.

She never wanted a wedding nor did she want a marriage either. But since they didn't have a lot of options, Amelia would just have to deal with it.

She tried to picture herself walking down the aisle with Xavier but the only memory of him she could remember was the one where he was pounding into her with brutal efficiency in the club's ladies bathroom.

Now that she thought about it, It was not only pretty embarrassing, but also comical that she was getting married to the stranger she had thought she would never see again.