Chapter 18 Trying on the Wedding Dress
I didn't argue with the crowd's teasing.
Seeing my reaction, these troublemakers thought I was admitting it.
No one knew that Helena was the woman I wanted to marry.
Nancy beside me handed me a drink and smiled, "Don't talk nonsense, guys. Atlas isn't that kind of person."
Hearing her words, the crowd got even more excited.
Glass in hand, the amber liquid swirled inside, creating ripples.
I stared at the drink but my mind was on Helena, wondering if she had already gone to bed.
Thinking of her made me restless. I downed the drink in one gulp.
When everyone left around midnight, my steps were unsteady, somewhat drunk.
Nancy carefully supported me, helping me to the car.
I stumbled, trying to push her away, but she only held my waist tighter.
"Atlas, you're drunk. Don't move around. I'll take you home now."
"Home? What home do I have?" I waved my hand and shouted carelessly. Since my mother died, where was home for me?
"I'm not going back!"
Nancy quickly tried to calm me down, "Okay, okay, we won't go back. Then I'll take you to your place."
"No!"
I pushed her away forcefully and got in the car myself. As Nancy cried out in alarm, I started the engine and sped off.
"Atlas, Atlas!"
In the rearview mirror, I saw Nancy jumping up and down. I grinned.
"Want to take me home? I don't need you to!"
I pressed the gas pedal harder, driving straight onto the highway.
I opened the sunroof, and the cold wind rushed at my head, sobering me up a bit.
An urgent thought rose in my mind—I needed to see Helena!
Unable to control myself, I drove straight to The Lockwood Manor. Looking at the scattered lights in the villa, my heart felt at peace.
I reached for a cigarette, only to find the pack empty.
I lay back heavily in my seat, looking at Helena's home, a smile unconsciously forming on my lips.
The moment my hand touched my phone, I felt the urge to call Helena, but I forced myself to suppress it.
I couldn't scare her again. If I did, I might really lose any chance with Helena.
So I quietly watched Helena's villa all night. At some point, I actually fell asleep.
I was awakened by noisy sounds. When I sat up and looked, the scene before me instantly made my blood boil.
I saw Knox again. Knox wore a flattering smile, opening the car door for Helena.
The sight of them chatting and laughing together deeply hurt my eyes.
I struggled to control my urge to rush out, watching helplessly as Helena got into Knox's car, which quickly left the villa.
My eyes turned red with anger, and I started my car to follow them.
All along the way, I suppressed my rage, trying hard not to crash into their car.
Following them, I felt something was wrong. Soon Knox's car stopped at a private photography studio.
The car door opened, and Helena stepped out.
That was when I noticed several other cars parked around. Elders from both the Lockwood family and the Pemberton family were present.
Watching the two families gathered together, chatting and laughing, I thought of one possibility, and instantly all the blood in my body froze.
Helena's POV
Early this morning, Knox drove over to pick up Maria and me to look at wedding dresses.
As soon as we got out of the car, Knox's mother Arabella Pearl came up to greet us.
"Helena dear, Knox has been personally overseeing this wedding dress. It just arrived from overseas yesterday, and he couldn't wait to call you as soon as it landed. He specifically asked us all to come today to see it."
"We wouldn't dare delay. Look, everyone came together."
Arabella took my hand and said, "Helena, don't worry. I'm watching over Knox. After you two get married, I won't let you suffer any grievance."
I looked up at the fine wrinkles of Arabella's smile, but my heart turned cold.
In my past life, Knox said he didn't want children. To go along with him, I told everyone I didn't want them either. Because of this, Arabella often got angry with me.
To make her happy, I spent a lot of money on her, but she turned around and introduced mistresses to Knox.
When I discovered this, Knox and I had a huge fight. Finally, Knox himself warned Arabella, and the matter was settled.
Arabella was selfish and vicious, only caring about herself. In my past life, as a member of the Pemberton family, she must have known about Knox harming me.
Thinking about how in my past life I dealt day after day with these greedy and cruel wolves of the Pemberton family, my heart instantly grew colder.
"Thank you, Mrs. Pemberton."
"Still calling me Mrs. Pemberton? Well, not for much longer. In a few days, I'll officially become your mother-in-law."
After Arabella finished speaking, she looked at Maria and said, "Maria, thank you for raising such a wonderful child as Helena. Knox is so lucky to marry Helena."
Maria casually responded, "You're too kind, Arabella. Knox is also very good."
"Of course, these two children are a match made in heaven!"
Hearing Maria praise Knox, Arabella's face showed undisguised pride.
"Since Knox joined the company, he's received praise from many senior members. Maria, you can rest assured leaving Helena to our Knox!"
"Alright, let's go in and take a look."
Knox walked over, wanting to hold my hand. Under everyone's gaze, I couldn't refuse.
His cold, clammy hand stuck to my skin like a snake's tongue, making me shiver involuntarily.
Noticing my reaction, Knox quickly asked, "Are you cold?"
I shook my head and said casually, "I'm fine. Let's go in."
"Okay."
He didn't think much of it and pulled my hand as we walked inside.
Inside the private photography studio, a giant black curtain appeared before us.
When everyone had gathered in front, Knox pointed at the curtain and said, "Helena, this is the wedding dress I carefully selected for you. Now let's unveil it together."
He placed my hand on one corner of the curtain, then looked at me with a smile, "Come on, Helena, together."
Before he finished speaking, I pulled hard, and the black curtain fell. Soon a pure white wedding dress appeared before everyone.
On the dress, diamond-studded fabric flowed, making the entire dress look both noble and elegant.
As I stood there in a daze, Knox stepped forward and pointed at the diamonds on the dress, "Helena, do you like it? I selected all these diamonds myself. There are ninety-nine in total, symbolizing our everlasting love."
I looked up at him. His eyes were full of deep affection.
If I didn't know Knox's true nature, I might actually have been moved by him.
Too bad. Now, these things were nothing but a joke to me.
I nodded, "I like it. Thank you, Knox."
"It's absolutely beautiful. Helena, go try it on quickly."
Arabella kept urging from the side.
"No need, Mrs. Pemberton. I've called for a fitting model."
I raised my hand, and soon a model with a similar build to mine walked over.
I pointed at the wedding dress, "Try it on."
"Yes, Ms. Lockwood."
After the model spoke, she and other staff members took down the wedding dress and went into the fitting room together.
Arabella froze for a moment. She hadn't expected that I wouldn't try on the wedding dress myself.
A stiffness settled into her smile, "Helena dear, this wedding dress was handmade by a famous foreign designer. How can you let another woman try it on?"