Chapter 44
Jason wrapped all of the dresses, but Emma insisted to wear the enchanting lavender dress she originally loved. But now it was nothing compared to the decadent white one. After her hair and makeup was finished, her and Will set off for the wedding.
Will was dressed in an immaculate dark grey suit. Emma cursed at herself for drooling a little when she saw him. He may be an egotistical asshole, but he was still the sexiest man she had ever seen. In and out of clothes.
They arrived at the wedding venue. It was called The Bella Fontana and it was well known as one of the most gorgeous places in the city. The outside alone was grand and imposing. A large sign read, “Congratulations Denis and Grace. #HappilyEverAdams” in elegant script. Emma’s arm was looped around Will, and she felt him tense as they walked in. The inside of the venue was more glorious than she could imagine. The room glowed in a hazy, amber light and was highlighted by touches of golden amber uplighting.
Towering florid centerpieces dominating the tables. White roses, hydrangeas and amaryllis blooms cascading from glass vases draped in white faux fur. Chandeliers made of bleached tree branches floated above them and dripped with garlands of Swarovski crystals that glimmered in the gilded light. The space was huge and Emma lost count at twenty guest tables. It was bathed in an ocean of gold, cream and white.
The guests were just as elegant. Woman was swathed in chic, yet tasteful gowns. Men wore smart, impeccable suits. While she looked the part, Emma felt out of place. They were sharks in the water, and she felt like a freshly slaughtered seal. She looked up at Will. His face was stony and unreadable, but his eyes told a story of torture and agony. He was hurting, but Emma reminded herself that she shouldn’t care.
He made it a point to miss the ceremony. Emma figured that watching Grace marry someone would be too painful for him. But again, she shouldn’t care.
A sophisticated, refined, striking woman approached. She wore a brilliant white gown. Dazzling crystals adorned the dress and it was molded to her curves. Her hair was up in a simple updo decorated with a stunning diamond hair piece. She wore simple pearl stud earrings and a diamond and pearl necklace. She looked like a bride from a magazine. Never had Emma seen such a gorgeous bride in person. Will squeezed Emma’s arm as Grace approached them.
“Will,” Grace greeted him, not giving Emma a second glance. “You’re here. When I didn’t see you at the ceremony, I was afraid you wouldn’t show.”
“I wouldn’t miss a chance to celebrate you,” he smiled. For how rigid his body was, his voice was eerily calm. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” Grace blushed. Will released Emma’s arm and offered it to Grace. She took it and they walked off leaving Emma stranded as though she wasn’t there. Emma felt nervous being left alone in a crowd of strangers. To avoid the horde of wedding guests, she wandered over to the food stations. As she admired the delectable food selection, she heard a voice call to her from behind.
“Excuse me, miss?” Emma turned around and saw two attractive women walking towards her. They reminded her of Sabrina and Jess in their appearance, and she dropped her guard because of that. “Are you here with Will? William Stewart?” one asked.
“Yes,” Emma answered. They seemed surprised by her answer.
“Oh wow!” The other exclaimed. “How come we’ve never you seen you before? Are you like a new girlfriend or something?” They smiled at her as they waited for an answer. Will said she had to pretend to be his girlfriend, but she couldn’t get the words out of her mouth. How should she describe her relationship to Will? His pet? His sex toy? His contractually obligated plaything?
“I’m his friend,” was the answer she settled on.
“Friend?” The first one said. They looked at each other. They seemed puzzled. I don’t blame them, Emma thought. “Where do you live?”
Well, that’s an interesting answer. The dorm, her childhood home, Will’s apartment. She lived wherever Will allowed her to live at that point.
“Um, currently I live on campus at the university.”
“A student!” one of the women enthused. “How lovely. Where is your family from?”
Emma knew she wasn’t going to get out of this one. She didn’t know anything about where the wealthy families were from. She cursed Will out on her mind for leaving her alone and putting her in this position. She had no choice but to be truthful.
“My family is from Windermere,” Emma said with embarrassment. Windermere was a small sleepy town on the edge of the city. It was charming, but it was known as a poorer place. “It’s where I grew up.”
“So, your family isn’t wealthy?”
“No.” Their attitudes changed instantly and they were suddenly looking down at her. A few people around them heard the exchange, and began whispering to each other. It felt like being at school during that month that everyone was spreading rumors about her. Emma wanted to disappear.
“Oh! I see. So, you and Will are like friends… with benefits,” one of the women laughed. People stared at Emma, and she shrunk into herself.
“Girl, be honest. What benefits could Will possibly be getting from this?” the other one mocked. Wedding guests jeered and laughed, and she could feel their contempt for her. She clenched her fists and glared at them.
“Oh, how cute! She’s angry!” they ridiculed her.
“I can’t say that I blame her, really. I mean, who hasn’t wanted a piece of William Stewart? It’s just baffling to me that someone so poor and plain managed to snag him.”
“She is rather dull, isn’t she?”
Emma’s fists were clenched so hard that they shook. She bit her lower lip in humiliation. The room spun around her and she felt sick. Even the air made her nauseous. All she could think about was getting out of there. She looked for an opening in the crowd to make her escape. Will and Grace stood in the crowd watching. She looked at him, hoping he would help her. But he just stared. She should have known better than to think William Stewart had her back.
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