Chapter 53 To Steal You Away? In Your Dreams
“Start the car and head to Royal Park Manor,” Britney said to the driver the moment she got into the car, completely ignoring the manager as he chased after her.
She was supposed to get fitted for her wedding dress today; it wasn’t like Alexander had no idea how important this day was for her. Furthermore, he hadn’t made his suit yet and was meant to be fitted for it today as well. They had already booked the designer, and Alexander’s schedule had been completely cleared for this. Why would he cancel the appointment all of a sudden?
She suspected that Jordan, the little pest, was the one pulling the strings.
Meanwhile, Courtney had just arrived at the engagement party’s venue. After she showed her invitation, she picked up the gifts that she had prepared and stepped into the banquet hall.
An entire floor of the restaurant had been booked for the engagement party itself. It was decorated lavishly with helium balloons festooning the place. All the guests here were either wealthy individuals or people of high standing.
Courtney surveyed the place, but she didn’t recognize anyone there. She had never been quite used to situations like this, so she silently walked over to a corner and ate.
In the dressing room on the second floor, a gaggle of people dressed in party finery surrounded the soon-to-be bride Vanessa. They were her classmates from her days at university, all of whom she hadn’t seen in a long while. Currently, they were all flattering Vanessa, envious words and titters tumbling out of their mouths.
“I’ve always thought that you were the prettiest out of all our dorm heads back then, Vanessa. You and Isaac practically look like a match made in heaven.”
“When your wedding comes, you’ve got to let me be a bridesmaid. Perhaps I’ll be able to snag a guy out of the groomsmen.”
“You’re so stunning. I heard that Isaac hired an Italian designer to personally design the dress that you’re wearing, right? Doesn’t it cost over 200,000? Let me touch it.”
Vanessa let out a giggle as she caressed her gown. “I guess it’s pretty alright. What’s 200,000 anyway? No regular person can just hire this designer, though.”
Isaac was neglected in the corner as this went on, growing more irate by the minute as Vanessa continued to talk. With that, he simply left the dressing room and headed out into the corridor, lighting a cigarette as he walked. He glanced over the banisters in boredom to observe the merriment one floor down, looking as though he was an outside observer.
“You’re about to get married. Why do you look so glum?” asked Ezra Arneil, who was Isaac’s best friend. He playfully slipped an arm around his shoulders. “Don’t tell me you’re having last-minute regrets, are you?”
Isaac flicked away some cigarette ash, his expression tired. “Will you believe me if I say yes?”
Ezra’s expression stiffened.
“Are you for real? You and Vanessa have been going out for six years already. What have you been smoking?”
Isaac let out a bitter laugh. “Never mind. You won’t understand even if I tell you.”
Six years ago when he went behind Courtney’s back to be with Vanessa, all he felt at that time was a fresh, interesting, and exhilarating experience. Vanessa was more gung-ho than Courtney, and she always let him experience new things that delighted him. Courtney had been busy with her medical research back then, so she didn’t have much time to spend with him. He ended up forgetting that he actually had a proper girlfriend as he continued his affair with Vanessa.
Later on when Courtney left the country and cut all contact with everyone, Isaac knew deep down that she probably had uncovered his relationship with Vanessa; Courtney had gone abroad out of sorrow. He beat himself up for a while and even broke up with Vanessa, but he wasn’t able to withstand Vanessa’s wiles in the end.
He started officially dating Vanessa down the line, but the freshness disappeared as time went on. He began to miss Courtney’s niceness after he was subjected to all the restrictions and rules that Vanessa imposed on him.
Ezra patted his shoulder, seeming as though he understood. “Women are actually like that. You’d think it’s a fresh and new experience at first, but they all turn out the same as time goes on. Don’t think too much about it.”
Isaac didn’t say anything about that.
“Anyway, there are plenty of pretty ladies at the party today; they’re all from good families too. I’m going insane from all the blind dates that my mother has been arranging for me every day. Maybe I should just pick a lady that’s easy on the eyes.”
The dark fog clouding Isaac’s face lifted a little and he smiled.
“Yeah? Who do you have your eye on? I’ll be your wingman.”
“There, that one. Gorgeous, isn’t she?” Ezra looked at a corner one floor down and pursed his lips, a smug look on his face. “I think that woman’s the best one out of all of them here. Nothing much to say about her body and looks, but that aura of hers! She exudes maturity, but there’s this hint of pureness peeking through it. Hehe, it’s gonna be a wild experience in bed with a woman like that.”
Once he followed Ezra’s gaze and glanced at the woman, Isaac could no longer shift his eyes away. The woman was dressed in a strapless silver gown; the front of her skirt was short, but the tail dragged along the floor. Slender legs peeked out from under her skirt, and her bouncy curls fell in a curtain across her shoulders. She leaned back against a deserted corner, enjoying the dessert she had in one hand.
She was like a fresh breath of air in the bustle and opulence of the banquet hall, so clean and pure that there was nothing sullying around her. Yet, she also made others inexplicably want to approach her.
“I’m going to end this conversation right here. I’d better snap her up before anyone else makes a move.”
“Wait a moment.” Isaac returned to his senses and promptly stopped Ezra by grabbing hold of him. “Don’t go yet.”
“What is it?”
“You can hit on anyone else here except that woman.”
As Courtney polished off her third dessert, the waiter by the side couldn’t help but sneak a few glances at her. After all, no one actually came to this kind of party to eat.
She was just taking a sip of water when a familiar voice called out from behind her.
“Courtney.”
When Courtney turned around, she saw Isaac in his white tuxedo; his hair was combed back with nary a strand out of place. He looked far more mature than he did back when he was a university student. He was currently staring at her, sparks of excitement dancing in his eyes.
“It really is you. Why are you here?”
“Naturally, it’s because I got your invitation. Besides, your fiancée kept pestering me with phone calls to ask if I’d come. If I kept declining after all that, it would make me seem petty. Why else do you think I’m here?”
To steal you away? In your dreams.
“Sorry.” Isaac clearly didn’t think that it would be because of this. The sparks in his eyes died down a little, and the regret he felt deepened. “I didn’t know Vanessa would do that. I’m sorry you had to go through her antics.”
Seeing how he was still polite, the glumness that Courtney felt dissipated a little.
“It’s okay. It wasn’t anything bad. All of us used to be classmates anyway. It’s something that I should do—showing up at your engagement party and giving my blessings, that is. Here’s the present I brought for you two.”
As she said that, she handed over the gift that she had been lugging around forever.
“It’s not much, but I hope that you’ll like it.”
“I know.” Isaac took the present, but his gaze never once shifted away from Courtney’s face. He looked a little dejected. “I know that a present’s value comes from the giver’s sincerity.”
Back then, she had left so suddenly that he didn’t get to talk to her, nor did he get the chance to see her. Now that he looked at her carefully, he could see that she was even more beautiful and stunning than she was six years ago. She was like a beautiful jewel that had been cut into its own dazzling shape.
“Well, may your marriage be filled with happiness.”
Courtney smiled politely. The only reason she came to this engagement party was to bid farewell to the past.
“Courtney, I actually…” Isaac looked conflicted, as though he was holding back his words. “I’ve actually missed you all these years. I even asked people about your whereabouts, but I was never able to find out anything. Have the last few years treated you well?”
“Quite well, actually.”
“T-That’s good then.”
Isaac clutched the bag that the gift was packed in. Sometimes, there wasn’t a second chance for people to say the words that should’ve been said long ago.
“Isaac!”A sweet voice suddenly rang out. The two of them turned to the side at the same time to see Vanessa descending the stairs, her gown hiked up as she made her way over. “I was wondering who was talking to my dear Isaac here. It’s you, huh?”
