Page 107 of Bastian

Gold.

“Oh, wow,” Vanni says while everyone else in the room stares at the dress.

“Mom.”

“Yes?” I turn with the dress in my hands and look at her.

“Thinking about it now. I’m not feeling the other dress.”

“Oh, aren’t you now?”

Ella smiles sheepishly. “Nope. The gold one is more you.”

“How so?”

“Oh, silly!” She rolls her eyes at me like she’s grown. “Because gold is the color of queens.”

Oh, my…

Yup.

This girl.

This girl owns me, and so does her tyrant father.

I’ve come to accept my fate.

“Oh, there was something else.” Oliver interrupts, making me turn his way. I look at him expectantly, then he grabs a golden rose out of his suit jacket and hands it to me with a small blue box with a note.

Tonight is yours, and so is my heart. Here’s a token to remind you what you mean to me, and here’s to many more memories to add. - S

Opening the smaller blue box, I know just by the color that the item is Tiffany Co. I’m left speechless again. Sebastian has given me countless material things throughout the time we’ve known each other, and although I am grateful for them, I don’t care for expensive things. Not like most women do, but when it comes to him… Sebastian’s gifts always have a meaning. A sentimental value, and that is what I treasured most.

The beautiful gold charm bracelet to someone else might be just that. Jewelry. To me, though, it is everything.

Our story is being told in the bracelet in tiny gold charms.

Running my thumb over the bracelet and each charm, I find myself speechless. The only one who gets that reaction from me is Sebastian.

My heart skips a beat when I take in the Eiffel Tower charm for our trip to France. Our first trip together. Then there’s a charm of a little girl for Ellaiza. A snowflake for what I assume is how we met in winter, or perhaps it’s because he came to love my cold exterior. A queen chess piece and a rose. I laugh when I see the pizza charm and then so many more charms that remind me of us. A story about us.

And just like that…the last of the ice that protected my damaged heart from this man break for the second time allowing love to pour out.

Putting the bracelet on, I turn and face the group of stylists. They all watch in curiosity and some even in envy. “Uh, I assume you won’t be wearing the original gown…” Karol, the stylist who helped me choose the accessories to match the dress, speaks up. Smiling, I nod. “Change of plans.”

“Yay, mommy. You will look so beautiful! I can’t wait to show all my friends at school the pictures! Make sure to take lots okay? Take lots of pictures and send them to me!” She points her little finger at me through the camera, making me chuckle.

“Will do, my baby.” Walking back to my seat, I take my phone and give Ella all my attention.

“Oh, mom! I forgot to ask you for something!” Ella presses her face to the phone with an evil glint in her eyes. Oh, no. Here we go. What will she ask now?

“What do you need?” I ask as I take a bottle of water from the counter where all the makeup was placed and take a big sip.

“I want a baby sister!” The moment her request slips from her mouth, I choke on the water. Breathing through my nose, I let Oliver know I am alright and turned back to Ellaiza, who is looking at me with all the seriousness in the world. What to do? What to say? How to put into words that I don’t care for more children and that she’s more than enough for me? I should tell her that. I should be the grown-up here and be honest with her, but instead, I choose the easy route. Her father’s route.

I negotiate. “How about instead of a sister, I get you another dog?”

She immediately shakes her head no.

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