Page 100 of Dangerous Contract: Part 2

Monique shook her head. "I'm going to see this entire plan through for my own peace of mind. Even if Orazio and I don't end up together, I need to do this so that I don't have any regrets. I still want to go through with the plan."

Toya nodded. "Before we go home, I need to stop at a hardware store and buy an axe."

"No, you don't," Monique laughed. "I'm good, Toya. Honestly, I'm surprised by how good I am. I'm a little sad. But it's not a consuming feeling like it had been before."

"That's not a good sign," Meka pointed out. "When women start feeling like that, it means we're letting go."

Monique blinked back tears. "I know. But he let go first. So, I won't feel bad if I end up letting go also."

Cas sighed. "This isn't how it's supposed to turn out. My brother loves you, Monique."

"Then he better prove it by choosing me. Because if he doesn't, he'll never get another chance. If he regrets it later down the line, he better swallow that regret and stay the hell away from me. I'm giving this man one chance, and then I'm done. Forever."

Before Cas could say more in his brother's defense, a door opened, and the sales clerk Monique had been talking to a few minutes ago reappeared. The woman was pushing a tall rack of dresses. Exquisite dresses. A smile crept across Monique's face as the woman approached her.

"Look at those dresses," Meka whispered.

Monique was already doing that. In fact, Monique couldn't tear her eyes away from them. She found herself drifting over to the rack as if floating on clouds. A different clerk came from the back room also, and she was carrying a silver tray filled with velvet boxes of jewelry that matched the dresses hanging from the rack.

"You said you were looking for a revenge dress," the clerk said, smiling.

"Yes, indeed," Monique drawled.

"We actually have a Revenge Couture line coming next spring. I called my boss and asked if I could show these to you, and she said yes. Caspari told us that you're going to the Cattaneo Gala. Our boss would love to have a dress from her new spring line photographed at the Gala. If you're willing to do a photo shoot for us in the dress before the event, our boss said she'd be willing to gift you with matching jewelry for the event. And we'll do any alterations you may need to the dress here, in-house, for free."

Monique couldn't believe her ears. "Um, I'd... uh..." She was speechless.

"She'd love to," Toya said for her.

Monique nodded, still unable to believe someone wanted her to model their clothing. Monique blinked back tears, temporarily forgetting about Raz's nonsense.

"Can I help you decide on a dress that would scream revenge?" the sales clerk asked.

Monique nodded.

"I'll step out and make a phone call," Cas told them.

"Okay," Meka smiled at him.

Toya couldn't let Cas leave without getting something off her chest.

"If you're stepping out to call Leo, tell him he's not doing his job properly. Raz shouldn't have been allowed to go to lunch with his date's dad. He should've found a way to sabotage it or something."

Cas nodded. "I'll relay the message," he told them before leaving the room.

Monique faced the sales clerk once more. "I'm ready."

And then the fun began. Monique tried on at least six dresses and fell in love with each of them. It took her forever to decide on one. Even after making the decision, her heart was still pulling toward a different dress.

"Which one should I choose?" Monique asked her friends.

"I've never been so torn over a dress," Toya huffed, staring Monique up and down. "They both make you look likeTHATbitch."

"Right!" Meka added. "I love them all. I'm sorry. I can't help you decide, Mo. Let's get a man's point of view," Meka suggested. "I'm going to get Cas."

"No!" Monique yelled, hands going to her cleavage to cover her girls.

"Why?" Meka asked.

---