Chapter 2
When Angie reappeared, she was wearing the dress I had specially prepared for the wedding party.
She looked at herself with satisfaction in the mirror, admiring how she looked in the dress.
She casually asked me, “Lynda, you don’t mind I wear your dress, do you?”
“I didn’t bring any other clothes, and Dominick said I could wear this one.”
Angie set up her phone on a tripod and began striking various poses for the camera.
This dress was custom–made by a high–end designer, with fabric and style that were one–of–a–kind.
Angie had wanted to wear it for a long time, so the moment she got the chance, she eagerly put it on to show off.
I found a plastic bag behind the makeup counter, and Angie’s T–shirt and jeans were inside.
“Angie, aren’t these your clothes?” I said, tossing the bag in front of her and waiting for her to take off my dress.
Angie looked down at her plain clothes, her fingers reluctantly caressing the fine fabric of my dress.
Angie looked down at her plain clothes, her fingers reluctantly caressing the fine fabric of my dress.
The wedding party was about to start, and Dominick came to find me.
Seeing him, Angie lit up as if she’d spotted a savior and threw herself into his arms.
“Dominick, I don’t know what I did to upset Lynda. She won’t let me wear her dress.”
Her eyes started to redden, and soon, tears were welling up, ready to spill over.
Dominick frowned slightly, pointing to the clothes hanging on the rack. “Can’t you just wear these?” he asked me.
Those were dresses I had tried on and discarded, and they couldn’t compare to the custom–made gown.
“Why doesn’t Angie wear these instead?
“Today is my wedding day. It only happens once in a lifetime.
“Why should someone else wear the dress. I had specially made while I settle for the leftovers?”
Angie hid behind Dominick, quietly sobbing. “I’m
sorry, Dominick. I’m just too silly. I didn’t know I was wearing Lynda’s favorite dress.
“I’ll take it off right now.”
She began tugging at the buttons on the dress with exaggerated emotion.
She deformed the original exquisite diamond buttons, making them hang loosely on the dress.
Clearly, she didn’t want me to wear this dress as well.
Dominick soothed her as if calming a child, his voice gentle and low.
When he spoke to me, he was always polite but rarely showed any real emotion.
I used to think he was just stoic and emotionally stable.
But now, watching him comfort Angie, I realized he had a sensitive, caring side too,
However, he had never shown that side of him to me.
“In that case, let Angie wear the dress and take my
attend the party with you.”
I lifted my wedding gown and sat down on the sofa.
“Lynda.” Dominick’s tone became impatient.
“Stop this nonsense. You’re the bride. How do think the guests outside will react to this?”
you
I let out a cold laugh, thinking, “He’s finally realized that I am the bride today.”
“Angie is still a child. Don’t hold it against her.
“If it makes you feel any better, I’ll apologize to you on her behalf.”
His tone wasn’t apologetic at all. It was more like he was blaming me for being unreasonable.
I looked at him and Angie, my thoughts drifting to the wedding gift my father had prepared for me.
Angie reluctantly took off the dress she had messed up.
She turned and carefully chose another unique–looking dress.
I tossed the ruined gown she returned into the trash
changed into my everyday clothes.
When my father and the guests saw me wearing a shirt and wide–leg pants to the party, they were all very surprised.
“The dress got dirty from mice. It’s more comfortable in regular clothes,” I explained.
Angie, who followed me out, looked embarrassed but couldn’t say anything.
She spotted a waiter bringing over a pot of hot water, and a sly smile crept onto her lips.
I knew she was planning to pull the same prank from my previous life.
Sure enough, she filled a cup to the brim with hot water and carefully handed it to me.
“Lynda, I apologize for what just happened. Here, have some water.”
She looked sincere as if she genuinely wanted to make amends.
Dominick nudged me with his elbow, signaling for me to take the cup.
I knew that if I reached out, Angie would “accidentally” spill the hot water on my chest.
The burn from last time took me two months to heal.
I turned and walked over to my father’s business associates and greeted them.
Angie had no choice but to follow me, and the hot water scalded her fingers, making her wince.
At this table sat CEOS of companies worth tens of billions of dollars.
Dominick’s mother wanted Angie to make a good impression on them, hoping she might marry into a wealthy family someday.
I introduced Angie to them.
“This is my husband’s sister, Angie. She’s pursuing a master’s in art and will be a great artist in the future.
“Angie, go ahead and offer a toast to these respected gentlemen.”
I picked up the kettle and kept refilling her cup with hot water.
As the water spilled over the rim, Angie could only grit her teeth and endure it.
By the time she had greeted everyone at the table, her fingers were covered with blisters.
Dominick was heartbroken, but there was nothing he could say.
