Chapter 109
Aria struck an exaggerated pleading pose.
"I just think this dress suits you so much. It's really perfect, you know? It hugs every inch of your curves but doesn't look cheap at all. The black makes your skin look like pearls, and your blonde hair against the black is like melted gold. And the cut... oh my God, the cut is a work of art."
"Isabella, I'm almost falling for you myself. If I were Vitale and saw you walk into a restaurant in this, I'd cancel dinner right away and take you to the nearest hotel."
Isabella burst into laughter at Aria's over-the-top words, covering her face with her hands, though the tips of her ears had already turned red.
"Aria, you're being way too dramatic. It's just a dress."
Isabella reached out and took Aria's hand.
"I think I might need to look around a bit more. Sweetie, can you come with me to check out some other options? I mean, what if we find something better? Something cheaper, more practical, more suitable for everyday wear. Okay, maybe not for everyday, but at least something that won't show my entire butt when I bend over."
Aria stared at Isabella for a few seconds, then sighed, her shoulders slumping.
"Fine, fine. But what can I do? I'm your best friend. Let's go look some more. But I'm warning you, you're not going to find anything more perfect than that dress. That dress is meant to be yours, Isabella. If you let it go, it's going to cry."
Isabella laughed. "Thanks. I'll be out soon."
She turned and went back into the fitting room, closing the door behind her. Leaning against it, she took a deep breath.
Her fingers gently brushed over the fabric of the dress.
Aria was right. It was perfect.
But the price tag felt like a thorn piercing her heart.
The cost of that dress was equal to two months of her salary.
If she were still working at her old accounting firm, it would've been four months' worth.
Even now, with Vitale paying her way above the market rate, it was still a huge amount.
And...
Isabella remembered how Vitale, in a moment of passion, had accidentally torn the side seam of one of her dresses.
That dress had been cheap, so she didn't care, but this one...
What if Vitale got too excited that night and ripped this dress apart?
She'd be heartbroken.
Isabella took another deep breath, then carefully unzipped the side, letting the smooth fabric slide off her body.
When she stepped out of the fitting room, she handed the dress to the salesperson waiting outside.
She grabbed Aria's hand, and they left the store, heading to another boutique at the other end of the mall.
The next shop had a completely different vibe.
It wasn't the minimalist, modern style, but more romantic and feminine in design.
Aria's eyes were immediately drawn to a wine-red gown.
"This one!" she pointed at the dress, her voice full of excitement. "Look! It has sleeves, and the neckline is modest."
From the front, the dress did look conservative—long sleeves, high neck, ankle-length.
But the side...
Oh my God, the side had a slit that went from the ankle almost up to the waist.
And it wasn't just a regular slit; it was held together with thin straps that could easily come undone with a slight tug.
Isabella sighed but still took the dress from the salesperson and headed into the fitting room.
This time, she was mentally prepared, but after putting it on, she still felt a wave of absurd helplessness.
From the front, she looked like a lady heading to a church wedding.
But from the side, if she lifted her leg even slightly or a breeze caught the hem, anyone could see what color her underwear was.
Worse, the fabric was a semi-sheer tulle that, under the light, almost revealed the outline of her undergarments.
And the wine-red color made Isabella's skin look even smoother, almost glowing.
"Isabella!" Aria's voice came from outside. "Are you done? Come out and let me see!"
Isabella sighed in resignation, adjusted the hem to make the side slit look less dramatic, and pushed the door open.
When Aria saw her, her eyes lit up at first, but then quickly dimmed into a disappointed grumble.
"Although this one looks nice too, it's way too conservative."
Isabella closed her eyes, rubbing her temples, feeling the exhaustion of shopping creep in.
"Look at where this slit is," she pointed to the side of her thigh, where the opening went almost up to her hip. "This is conservative? Aria, if I wear this on a date with Vitale, I'll spend the whole night worrying that the hem might suddenly fly open or that the sheer fabric will turn transparent under the lights."
Aria sighed, her shoulders slumping. "But this one really isn't as good as the last one. It's tempting, but it lacks that instant wow factor."
Isabella opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror.
The wine-red tulle flowed like liquid wine under the light. Her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her skin looked like fine porcelain against the deep color.
She did look beautiful, but it was a subtle beauty, one that needed to be noticed, not the bold statement the black dress made.
And at that moment, she was just tired.
Isabella was tired of trying on clothes that made her feel uneasy, tired of balancing between sexy and modest, tired of stressing so much over a single date.
"I think this is fine," she finally said, her voice carrying a hint of determination. "I'll take this one. I like it. Can we buy it?"
Aria pouted, her face looking like a kid who just bit into a sour lemon. "Isabella, I really think you should think twice. Do you want a man's eyes to stay dull? Do you want Vitale to just politely smile when he sees you, instead of wanting to rip your clothes off right there?"
Isabella laughed, a smile filled with confidence and warmth Aria had never seen before.
"No matter what I wear, Vitale's eyes will light up. Because he's not looking at the clothes—he's looking at me. Even if I'm in an old T-shirt and jeans, even if I'm in a conservative suit, even if I'm wearing nothing at all, the way he looks at me is always the same. Full of desire, full of possession, full of love."
"And besides, I'm exhausted from shopping," Isabella added, pulling out her wallet from her bag to pay. "Don't you want to hear about Henley? I remember last time you said you're into bigger guys and asked me to find out if Henley has a girlfriend or if he's married, right?"
Aria's eyes widened instantly.
"Yes! Yes! I want to know! Did you find out? Tell me now! Does he have a girlfriend? Is he married? Divorced? Does he have kids? What's his orientation?"
Isabella held back a laugh, waving her phone playfully.
"Let me pay first, then we'll go to the café downstairs. I'll tell you everything slowly. There are so many details, like the kind of women he likes to look at on his phone..."
Aria gave in almost immediately. "Fine! Pay! Now! Right now!"
She even rushed ahead of Isabella, handing the dress to the salesperson and urging her to wrap it up quickly.
The café was on the ground floor of the mall, with a quiet corner surrounded by tall green plants, creating a semi-private space.
Isabella and Aria sat there, ordering two hot lattes and a slice of cheesecake.
"Alright," Aria leaned forward eagerly, "tell me everything."
Isabella took a small sip of her coffee, gathering her thoughts.
"Henley is Vitale's bodyguard and driver. He's been with him for many years and is very loyal. He's around forty-five, single, never married, no kids. According to Vitale, Henley had a deep, unforgettable love when he was younger, but the woman passed away. It was a car accident. Since then, Henley hasn't seriously dated anyone."
Aria's expression turned sympathetic. "A tragic past makes him even more intriguing. What else? Does he have a girlfriend now? Or a boyfriend?"
Isabella shook her head. "Neither. But he does like looking at women on his phone—women with big chests."
Aria glanced down at her own chest, her face instantly falling in disappointment.
"Looks like I need to drink more milk," she muttered, but quickly perked up. "Whatever! I can always pad it! And I have other strengths! Like, I can paint! I can make Eldoria pasta!"
Isabella laughed, about to say something, when Aria's phone suddenly rang.
Aria glanced at the screen, her eyes lighting up. "It's Doria!"
Isabella felt a wave of excitement, too.
Doria Martinez was another close friend from their college days, a little ball of sunshine who always brought laughter.
But after graduation, Doria moved to the West Coast, and their contact had dwindled to occasional likes on social media.
Aria answered the call, her voice bursting with excitement. "Doria! We're at the downtown mall! What? Are you here too? Are you upstairs? You saw us?"
She covered the mouthpiece and turned to Isabella. "Doria's nearby! She just saw us from the glass railing upstairs! She wants to come meet us. Is that okay?"
Isabella nodded happily. "Of course! My God, how long has it been since I've seen her? A year? Two?"
Aria spoke into the phone. "Come down! We're at the café on the ground floor, in the corner with the plants! Hurry! Isabella's here too!"
Five minutes later, a familiar figure appeared at the café entrance.
Doria, with her honey-colored skin, deep brown curly hair, and a bright smile, was wearing a vibrant yellow winter coat.
"Girls!" she waved, walking over quickly.
Isabella and Aria stood up, and the three women shared a warm hug in the corner of the café, their laughter drawing a few curious glances from nearby customers, though they didn't care at all.
"My God, Doria, you look amazing!" Isabella stepped back to take a good look at her old friend. "The West Coast sun suits you!"
Doria laughed as she took off her coat, revealing a white sweater and jeans underneath. "You guys look great too! Aria, still so stylish, and Isabella..."
She paused, looking at Isabella closely, her smile turning meaningful. "Girl, I feel like you've gotten even prettier since the last time we met. Am I imagining things?"