The color was a rich, deep emerald green, reminiscent of a lush forest glade, which brought out the warmth in my hazel eyes, finally giving them a meaning, they looked like wet soil sparkling under the sunlight.
The dress featured a modest V-neckline, beautifying my visible collarbones without being too revealing.
The top part of the dress was tight-fitting, with small gathered folds that made it look interesting and gave me a nice shape.
A thin satin belt in a matching green color tied on the waist, highlighting my natural curves.
The skirt flowed down from the waist in soft, cascading layers, each one slightly shorter than the one beneath it, creating a tiered effect that added flow to this beautiful dress.
The hemline brushed just above my knees, offering a balance between chic and playful.
It was sleeveless. Tiny, embroidered floral patterns in a slightly lighter shade of green adorned the edges of the sleeves and the neckline, adding a delicate, feminine touch to the overall look.
I felt the dress was a perfect reflection of my personality—quietly beautiful, with small details that revealed themselves upon closer look.
It was a dress that made me feel confident and special, a new favorite piece in my growing wardrobe.
Christine and Willow turned to me, their expressions lighting up.
"Eve, you look beautiful!" Willow exclaimed. "That color really suits you."
Christine nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. You should get it."
My face lit up with a shy but genuine smile. "Thanks, you guys. I really like it too."
After purchasing our dresses, we continued our shopping adventure, stopping at various stores and trying on different outfits.
We laughed and shared stories, each finding something special to take home.
At the end of the day, as we sat together in the café, sipping on lattes and sharing a slice of cheesecake, Christine spoke up. "Today was really fun. I'm glad we did this."
Willow nodded, her eyes twinkling. "Me too. We should do it more often."
I was feeling more confident and connected to them than ever, I agreed to them saying, "Definitely. I had the best time."
The shopping trip had not only been a success in terms of purchases but had also taken our minds off the crisis we were facing since I came to this place, we shared memories and deeper connections that made us forget all our problems for just a day maybe but it helped us think about things clearly.
After the wonderful day I had, on my way back home my eyes searched for a sign of him, and I noticed the empty space in front of his house, still no car.
As I entered my house, I found my restless Mom staring at her phone. "Where were you? It's almost 6:30!" she exclaimed.
I rushed to her and embraced her, saying, "Mom, I just had the most amazing time of my life!" I proceeded to share every detail of that day and proudly showed off my dress.
"This is absolutely stunning!" she exclaimed, her eyes filled with joy.
"Oh, I almost forgot to mention, the investigation has begun and Sheriff Newton assured us that he will contact us as soon as he discovers something!" she informed me before leading me to the table for dinner.
Like every other night, I dialed Mr. Darkwood's number on my phone, but once again, there was no response.
While actually he had been on his way to the library the one he has been looking for, but then two individuals on a bike stopped him.
One of them snatched his phone and swiftly fled the scene. Mr. Darkwood chose not to engage in a confrontation, knowing the consequences of his heightened anger.
Instead, he allowed them to escape. After days of research, he finally stumbled upon a book titled "Lycanthrope." Like other ancient books, it featured a strange engraving of a wolf with a half-human body, standing on its back legs, howling with its face turned upward and arms outstretched.
This book contained all the crucial information he had been searching for. It began with a specific line "A tale of a greedy father and his innocent daughter.
If one were to come across this book, they would soon realize that they could never rid themselves of it.
A hundred years ago, there existed a town where a count reigned. His wife had passed away years ago, and the town was plagued by poverty. The count was a father to a charming daughter named Genevieve.
Genevieve was known for her captivating long black hair and her raven-like eyes. Some referred to her as the "black rose," while others called her "the girl with raven eyes." She fell deeply in love with a young and handsome cobbler named Lincoln. However, Lincoln's father, a cobbler, strongly disapproved of their relationship, just because he was aware of Genevieve's father's greedy nature, and he knew he'd never accept Lincoln.
Despite her father's disapproval, Genevieve remained stubborn and helpless in the hands of love. They would spend their time together under a tree, sometimes sneaking fruits from nearby farms or playfully startling random people.
In this cruel world, they found peace in each other's company, creating their own paradise.
One fateful day, while playing in the fields, Lincoln stumbled down a hill. It was during this moment that the dark one first laid eyes on Genevieve.
Under the setting sun, her smile shone brightly against the approaching darkness of the night.
Instantly, he fell in love with her. He attempted to cross her path multiple times since then, but she would always change her route upon spotting him.
One evening, he spotted her sitting by a lake, mesmerized by her appearance in her wet clothes. This sight ignited another dark desire within his heart.
He longed to run to her, to embrace her, and to express his love for her in countless ways. However, before he could act upon his desires, Lincoln appeared out of nowhere and swept Genevieve into his arms, passionately kissing her. This sight pained the dark one deeply.
At first, he attempted a respectable approach by seeking her father's permission to marry her.
However, her father would only agree if he heard of the offers in return.
"I will shower upon you and your descendants immortality and boundless wealth!" he proposed, a truly tempting offer.