Chapter 24 MY FIANCEE.
\~~~SERENA.
It had been a week since my public engagement to Damien Hale.
Just one week and yet, it felt like my entire life had been turned upside down in that short space of time. Everything was moving too fast, but somehow, everything was also falling perfectly into place.
This coming Saturday, I will be tying the knot with him.
The thought still felt unreal.
Yesterday, the event planners in charge of our wedding had visited. A whole team of them. Polite, professional, and confident people who spoke in calm voices and moved like they already knew exactly what they were doing.
They had shown me the details of the location they had chosen. The entrance, the hall, the lighting, the flowers, the seating. In fact, single thing.
I could not believe how fast they had brought everything to life in less than a week.
It felt like magic.
They also showed me my wedding dress.
Not the finished one yet.
The first fitting.
The unfinished version of it. The one they were still sewing, still adjusting, and still working on.
They told me I needed to make myself available for the actual fitting the next day.
It took everything in me not to cry in front of them.
Because even in its unfinished state, the dress was so beautiful that my chest had hurt. Soft fabrics and delicate details. A design that felt like it was made just for me.
When they finally left, I had locked myself in the bathroom and cried quietly.
Everything was going according to plan.
This morning, however, Damien had informed me that there was a party we needed to attend together.
He said it was business related and important, so he had to be there.
And that I would be accompanying him.
I didn’t want to.
Going there with him meant meeting people from his world. Powerful people, rich people and people who were used to luxury and status and confidence.
I wasn’t ready for that kind of pressure.
I had tried to protest.
But Damien didn’t give me room to disagree.
I had even told him I had nothing to wear.
He had only said, okay.
And just like that, I thought he had let it go.
But I was wrong because that afternoon, people started arriving.
One group came to deliver outfits. Another to do my hair. Another for my nails. Another for my makeup.
They filled the house so fast that I barely had time to think.
Before I could protest, I was already seated, my hair being worked on, my nails being filed, my face being prepped.
Everything happened too fast.
“You’re so beautiful, ma’am,” the fashion designer said when they were finally done.
I turned slowly to look at myself in the mirror.
For a second, I didn’t recognize the girl staring back at me.
I was wearing a long, elegant gown made from soft champagne-colored silk. It hugged my body gently, falling smoothly over my curves. The neckline was modest but graceful, with delicate embroidery around the edges. The sleeves were sheer, clinging lightly to my arms, and the dress shimmered softly under the light.
My hair was styled neatly, falling down my back in soft waves. My makeup was simple but glowing. Nothing too loud. Just enough to make me look… polished.
Oh, beautiful.
“T… thank you,” I cleared my throat, my voice shaking slightly.
I picked up my small clutch and made my way outside.
Damien was already waiting.
He was dressed in a dark Tom Ford suit, tailored perfectly to his body. The fabric looked expensive even from afar. His white shirt was crisp, his tie neatly done and his hair was swept back cleanly, exposing his sharp features.
God, this man was handsome.
Dangerously so.
“Shall we?” he smiled, taking my hands in his.
My heart skipped.
“Is this really necessary?” I asked quietly as he led me forward.
“It is important,” he replied simply.
Before I entered the car, he paused and looked at me properly.
“You look so gorgeous, by the way.”
I hiccuped softly, completely unprepared for that, then quickly entered the car.
______
The venue was grand.
A luxurious hall filled with lights, glass chandeliers, and expensive decor. The entrance was lined with people dressed in designer outfits. Men in suits and women in elegant gowns.
As soon as we arrived, people began to bow slightly, greeting Damien respectfully.
Paparazzi cameras flashed nonstop.
We stopped briefly by the red carpet, cameras clicking loudly as pictures were taken.
I held Damien’s arm tightly, like my life depended on it.
Moving even a second away from him felt like the world would swallow me whole.
He guided me to a table where a man and a woman stood immediately, bowing politely.
“Good evening, ma’am,” they greeted.
“Good evening,” I replied softly.
“How is it going?” Damien asked the man.
The man answered briefly, and respectfully.
The event went on for a while. There were conversations, smiles and soft music.
And just then, Damien’s name was announced.
He was called on stage as the winner of the USA Business Award.
My eyes widened and I gasped, turned to look at him. “That is you?!”
“Yes,” he nodded calmly, standing up.
I clapped loudly without thinking.
I didn’t even care that no one else was clapping yet.
I watched as he walked up to the stage, confident and composed, and received the award.
When it was time for his speech, he only said a few words.
“I am grateful for this recognition,” he said. “And I would like to acknowledge my fiancée, who will soon be my wife. She came into my life quietly, but she changed everything. This achievement means more because she is here tonight.”
My lips pressed together as heads turned around searching for me.
I stayed frozen.
This man had a talent for making me uncomfortable.
And flustered, and seen.
All at fucking once.