Chapter 22 — Dress Or Sickness?

"Yes, yes. I'll be there!" Diana exclaimed for the umpteenth time through the phone.

"Then hurry up and get here. What's taking you so long?" Ivan hollered from the other side.

"I'm getting ready." It was a lie. Diana was lazily lying on the bed with a bag of potato chips on her hand.

Ivan let out, "Okay, you better be fast."

She hummed and hung upon him.

Today, Diana, Ivan, and Rain were supposed to select a wedding gown. But Diana made an excuse and told them she would join them later. Although Ivan was reluctant, Rain forced him to accompany her since she already knew Diana's plan. Diana wanted them to spend some quality time together without her being the third wheel. Yet, Ivan was bugging her to come.

To Diana, it was a day all to herself. After coming to the palace, she couldn't spend some personal time.

Finishing the potato chips, she went to change into a new dress. She loved dressing up. Diana was a fashion blogger, after all. She wore a black-striped, white knee-length dress with a brown belt, paired with a black wristwatch and strappy black stilettos. She put on some light makeup as well.

Watching the clear blue sky, Diana decided to take some photos on the balcony. She took the hot cup of coffee from the bedside table and placed it onto the coffee table in the balcony.

"Now, this is a perfect day." Diana inhaled a deep breath and started reading a fashion magazine. Little did she know her perfect day was coming to an end.

Ivan was pacing back and forth in anticipation. He was in a wedding clothing store with Rain. Rain was trying on wedding gowns, while Ivan was worried about Diana.

"Baby, how do I look?" Rain was wearing a strapless, floor-length white lace gown.

"It doesn't suit you," Ivan said without even glancing at her direction.

"I think it looks great." Rain swirled around, flaunting the dress.

"Rain, do you know when Diana is coming?" Ivan asked, making her feel slightly irritated.

Here she was trying on her wedding dress, and all Ivan had in mind was Diana. Covering up her displeasure, she expressed with a smile, "She will be here soon. Why don't you try on your wedding suit?"

"I won't choose my wedding suit without Diana," Ivan blurted out, making Rain arch an eyebrow, showing her his irritation. "I mean, Diana has a great fashion sense. Plus, she promised she would help me," he corrected himself. He couldn't afford to offend Rain, knowing Diana would chew him up alive.

"She can't come," Rain confessed and continued looking for a nice dress.

"What?"

"She is sick," Rain answered, knowing that Diana was pretending to be ill to avoid coming here. She thought that if she told Ivan that, he would stop expecting Diana. How naïve she was!

"I'm leaving," Ivan informed Rain and dashed out of the store without sparing a second glance, leaving her all alone. Tears poured from her eyes. She was heartbroken.

Why do you care so much about Diana, Ivan? I'm the one you love, right? Rain questioned in her mind.

Meanwhile, Diana was busy clicking photos for her blog. Suddenly, a text made her jump up and choke on her coffee. It was a text from Jasper.

Jasper: Ivan is back.

Jasper saw Ivan running down the hallway in a hurry and didn't waste a second informing Diana about his arrival.

Diana texted him back.

Diana: Buy me some time.

Seeing her reply, he let out a sigh. No idea came in Jasper's mind, so he just stopped Ivan on the way.

"Jasper, move. I need to go," Ivan stated, his voice filled with urgency and concern.

"Where are you going? Where is Rain?" Jasper inquired.

"I left her," Ivan replied bluntly and ran past him.

Jasper sighed at his hopeless brother and didn't say anything to him. However, he was worried about Rain. So, he decided to go to Rain.

Meanwhile, Ivan reached their bedroom and heard Diana coughing. Diana was still coughing from choking on her coffee.

"Diana?" Diana's eyes widened when she heard Ivan's worried voice. She quickly wiped her mouth and continued coughing. Ivan's heart dropped when he saw her in such a condition.

He placed his hand on her shoulder and asked with concern, "What's wrong? Do you feel very sick?"

"I feel nauseous," Diana lied through her teeth and clung onto Ivan, pretending to be weak on her feet.

Ivan made her sit on the chair and touched her forehead. "You don't have a fever."

Diana panicked and protested, "I have a fever! Do you know me more than I do?"

Ivan felt a little suspicious at her sudden response. "What are you doing out here on the balcony?" he interrogated.

Diana gulped. "I came to get some fresh air."

"You were drinking coffee?"

"Yes. Coffee helps to reduce nauseousness." Diana didn't even know if it was true, she just said whatever came to her mind.

"You were reading a fashion magazine while you were feeling sick?"

Diana wanted to bang her head on the wall.

"It's okay if you don't care that I have a fever, you don't have to doubt me like that," retorted, Diana feigning a sigh.

Ivan rolled his eyes, seeing her melodrama. Although he doubted her but seeing her outfit, he believed her. At least, she was planning to come, otherwise, she wouldn't get ready, or so he thought.

He again touched her forehead. "You really don't have a fever."

"I do. I already said so. Do you know my health more than me?" she asked grumpily this time.

Ivan sighed and brought a thermometer. "A thermometer would know more than me and you," he let out, making Diana gulp and he ordered, "Turn around."

She breathed out, "Why?"

Ivan raised an eyebrow. Without further answering her, Ivan put the thermometer in her mouth. His strong gaze fixated on her, as she was looking at her fingernails. Not wasting any more minutes, Diana texted Jasper.

Diana: Call Ivan. NOW!

Soon, the phone rang, making Ivan turn his back and talk. Using the opportunity, Diana quickly dipped the thermometer in the hot coffee on the table and waited till it reached 103 degrees. Then she placed the thermometer in her mouth and waited for Ivan to turn back around. When he did, she handed him the thermometer.

When Ivan saw the temperature, his eyes grew wide. "It's a high fever. Let's go to the hospital," he mumbled, tension falling all over his face. He held her arm to help her stand up, but Diana protested.

"You know I hate hospitals," she whined. Here he was going nuts over her, and she was making excuses.

Ivan frowned. "Okay. Let me call the doctor, at least."

"No, no. He would give me injections. I'll cry then."

"Stop throwing tantrums, Diana," Ivan said sternly.

"No, please," she almost begged.

He sighed, giving up. "Okay. Come to the bedroom. Take some rest," he ordered making Diana nod. His eyes fell on the coffee again. "Finish your coffee since it helps to reduce your nauseousness."

Diana had an urge to puke. She had just placed the thermometer in it. There was no way she was drinking that coffee anymore. "I feel better now." Diana flashed him a nervous smile.

Ivan gave her a stern look and picked up the cup of coffee. "Drink," he instructed.

Diana finally realized what getting caught up in her own web of lies meant. Diana cried out in her mind and hesitantly took the cup. She took a small sip.

"My head is aching. Bring me some medicine." Diana clutched her forehead and took a step back as if she were dizzy.

"You shouldn't rely on medicine so much," Ivan advised, resulting in her glaring at him.

He had a freaking personal drug store. He should be the last person saying that. Diana shot him a death glare and Ivan sighed before going to fetch some medicine.

Diana released a deep breath and quickly poured the coffee unto one of the flower tops. "Sorry, Ms. Flower," she apologized to the unfortunate sunflowers before scooting away to lay down on her bed.

***

Jasper reached the clothing store and found Rain bawling her eyes out. She was sitting on a bench, wearing a wedding dress.

Noticing his presence, Rain hugged him and started sobbing. "Ivan left me."

Jasper patted her head. "Don't worry about him. He had some urgent work to do," he consoled.

"His urgent work is Diana, isn't it?" she interjected sharply.

"Diana really got sick in the end, so he was worried. You know how much he cares about his best friend." Rain sniffed. "But he also cares about you. That's why he sent me." She looked up at him with hopes in her eyes. He nodded, making her a smile a little bit. "Now be a good girl and choose a wedding dress that will make Ivan's nose bleed."

Rain chuckled and moved away from him. "I like this one." She twirled around to show him the wedding dress she had on.

"It doesn't suit you," Jasper let out and started looking around for a gown that would properly fit Rain's sense of fashion. Finally, he found a perfect one. He handed it to Rain and told her to change into it, even though she protested.

When Rain came out wearing the gown, it was Jasper whose breath hitched. It was a beautiful white lace gown, which fit her perfectly.

"You look beautiful," he complimented, making Rain blush slightly. Ivan had never complimented her like that, so it felt great to actually be appreciated for her beauty. She initially wanted Ivan to choose her wedding dress, but since Jasper was kind enough to be with her in her bad times, she decided on that dress.

They purchased the dress and went shopping for the other ornaments and shoes. That way, Jasper was able to divert Rain's mind from Ivan.

***

Ivan was busy pampering Diana. Diana felt horrible for pretending to be sick now that her plan backfired. She didn't know how she was going to face Rain later.

"Why did you leave Rain alone?" Diana asked, taking a sip of the soup Ivan ordered for her.

"I'm pretty sure I've said this before, Diana. You come first."

Why do you have to be so nice? I'm going to leave you after a few days. You're making it so hard for me. Diana felt like crying.

Noticing the tears in the corner of her eyes, Ivan said, "Does it hurt somewhere?"

Diana wanted to hug him, and that's what she did. He didn't understand why, but he hugged her back.

"What happened? Do you want to pass the virus to me?" he joked.

"I don't even have a viral fever," she muttered under her breath.

Suzanne was watching their scene in satisfaction. She was successful in her plans. She made the right call by bringing Diana to this palace. Only a few days were left before the royal wedding—only a few days before Diana became the queen.