Chapter 40: New money

"Annalise," Sin said, his voice rising a little higher than his normal pitch.

His hand wrapped around my fingers, breaking my fall at the very last minute, my eyes wide. I turned, meeting his eyes, my chest heaving.

He pulled me into his arms, and his hand wrapped around my waist, bringing me into the solid warmth of his body, my hand resting on him instinctively.

My mind was in shambles as I prayed desperately that the ripping sound I had heard earlier and the increased amount of naked air I was getting on my waist was just a fragment of my own imagination.

God, please.

"Are you okay?" Sin finally asked, and I looked up at him, my lips parting.

I looked down, my eyes taking him in, my brows furrowed.

"Please, please tell me this dress isn't torn."

"Annalise."

My lips parted, but I was far too scared to check. To confirm. What would I do? If this dress costs so much that even Mrs. Ferguson would have to go back to get the complete payment, then how would I ever...

"Excuse me, Sir. I have come to get the..."

My breath hitched in my throat, my chest heaving hard. Sin's brows furrowed, and he held my waist tighter, pressing me closer into his body. His warmth certainly did help because I wanted nothing more than to bury myself away from everyone and everything.

"To get the what?" Sin asked, breaking the steely silence that filled the room.

The attendant's voice cracked, and she hesitated. "The wedding dress, Sir. The wedding dress is already reserved by..."

"Oh, please. Give it up already."

I turned, and a large woman wearing nothing but expensive clothes from head to toe came bursting through, her hands on her waist.

Her eyes met mine, and she slowly took me in, her lips parting a little.

"I can smell the desperate need of a poor church rat to try on clothes that her family would never be able to afford, just so she can fit into where she does not belong. Hand the dress back, baby girl."

I swallowed hard, tears running down my cheeks now. I should have reined that need in. I should never have worn it. How could I do this? How will I ever be able to pay for this dress?

I bit down on my lips, then took a step towards her and away from Sin, my chest heaving, my pride crumbling right in front of me.

"Mrs, please hand it over. Mrs. Ferguson brought the balance, and she wants to take the dress. I will escort you to..."

"It ripped," I said, my voice low, the tears blurring my vision.

I looked up, and the attendant's eyes widened, her hand coming slowly to cup her mouth as she let out an inaudible gasp.

"What?" Mrs. Ferguson said, her voice filled with instant spite.

"It... I just tried it on and..."

Before I could finish, Mrs. Ferguson suddenly turned towards the attendant and slapped her hard across the face, causing the poor woman to stumble to the floor.

I gasped, the tears rushing down faster and faster down my face. She turned to me, her eyes wide, her nose practically fuming.

"And you! This stupid bitch gave you a fifteen million dollar dress and you thought you could fit it on your scrawny malnourished body before my daughter wears it?! What can you do to repay it? Your dignity isn't even worth a thing, and even if you go on your damned knees, it wouldn't fix. A single thing!"

I swallowed, pushing my pride aside. I started to go down on my knees. It was the only thing I knew. The only thing I could do. What would I say? She was right about me. I was poor. The fact that I was here didn't change much of that fact. The fact that I had pushed myself into trying clothes that were way out of my league... it didn't change what I really was.

I closed my eyes as I slowly knelt to the floor, but before my knees touched the floor, I felt a hand wrap around my arm and pull me roughly back up on my feet.

My eyes widened as Sin gently pulled me back to his body, his right hand cupping my waist tight, his other hand resting behind my head as he brought me to rest on the left side of his chest, his heartbeat steady in my ears.

"Let her go on her knees and beg! That is the only thing these poor bastards do! Your father did such a bad job and wasted his youth. So it is my fault that I have to deal with you lot now! It is my fault that..."

She suddenly stopped talking as the sound of light tapping on the floor reached my ears. I turned a little to see, not quite willing to leave Sin's warmth.

A single black card was lying on the floor between us, and Mrs Ferguson was watching it, her chest heaving with disdain.

"Take the cost of the dress out, and for everything else in the shop that my wife fancies, even if it is the one on her neck."

The attendant was on her feet now, but with a large slap scar on her face, her eyes filled with tears.

"Sir... Sir, the dress is worth... fifteen million dollars in pure worth. For everything else, it would cost around twenty million dollars."

Sin let out a small curse, and I swallowed, my hands grabbing onto his coat a bit tighter.

"You don't have to do this for me, Sin. This is too much and..."

"You can't afford it, can you? You are carrying Daddy's black card, and you know even that won't..."

"I wouldn't have come to this shop if I knew you sold such cheap wedding dresses," Sin suddenly said, his voice cold and slightly mocking. "These kinds of shops with the expensive facades. You are the ones who cause these new money women to have unnecessary pride. Enough pride to even raise a voice at my wife."

Mrs. Ferguson stepped forward, her eyes wide. "Anyone who lives in this city knows me. They know my husband..."

"Maybe your husband should work harder, Samantha Ferguson. All I know him for is groveling in my secretary's office for an investment in his failing company. I was considering it, but I don't think so now."

"What?"

Sin shrugged. "I am a very petty man, Samantha. Things will not die between us with all those names you have just called my wife after I purchase this dress. "

She started to laugh and took a step forward. "What do you want? For me to kneel?"

"Yes," Sin said quite clearly. "Kneel and apologize to my wife."