Chapter 3

Thea drew a steadying breath, forcing down the ache constricting her chest. She had just risen to leave when a pair of hands stopped her. "Thea, why are you leaving without me? Are you having a bad day? Your custom wedding dress just arrived. Let's go see how it fits. We can alter anything you're not happy with." Terrence hugged her, his touch affectionate as he brushed her hair. "I'll pass. You choose the dress." What difference did it make? She wouldn't even be there to wear the dress on their wedding day. Terrence must have noticed her withdrawal, his hands moving carefully as he signed, "Thea, you don't seem excited about the wedding. Have you changed your mind about us?" Thea held his anxious gaze, the confession surging up her throat—that she'd never marry him, that she knew about his betrayal, that he'd shattered their love, that he'd extinguished all hope for their marriage, and that he'd no right to even ask. But she held back. The moment for truth would come later. As soon as Thea and Terrence entered the bridal shop, an attendant swept aside the curtains, revealing the gown. "Ms. Lundy, your Fremoria couture gown—specially ordered by Mr. Hatcher—has arrived. We're at your service for any alterations." Before the last syllable faded, an interpreter stepped forward, translating the words into precise signs. The staff exchanged hushed whispers of awe. "How considerate of Mr. Hatcher to arrange a sign language interpreter." "That's nothing. Look at the center stone. He acquired it at Sotheby's and had the designer personally set it." "He paid the designer's annual fee for exclusive attention to this dress." Terrence's lips curled into a smile as he heard the staff's admiring whispers. He moved behind Thea, his arm wrapping around her waist. "Do you like it, sweetheart?" he asked. The dress was centered with a pink diamond roughly the size of a large marble, while its 16-and-a-half-foot train glimmered with tiny diamonds that sparkled with every movement. Thea ran her fingers over the fabric. There was no denying this dress was everything she'd ever wanted. She'd mentioned to Terrence again and again how much she loved pink and how she'd always dreamed of a wedding dress with a long train. He'd remembered it all, designing this masterpiece just for her. But no matter how stunning the dress or how bright the diamonds shone, they couldn't mend what was broken in her heart. "Thea, look closer at the heart of the diamond. You'll find 'L&H Forever' engraved there. They say diamonds are forever, and so is my love. I had our names carved into it as a promise that my love for you will never fade." Thea lowered her eyes to the diamond, where a line of tiny letters had been etched. When she looked back at Terrence, his gaze was brimming with devotion. Her heart quivered as she murmured, "Do you really mean that? That your love for me will never fade?" Terrence's hands flew into motion, signing before she could misread his silence, "I, Terrence Hatcher, swear I'll love you forever, Thea. Not just now, but even after death. I'd never betray you. If I do, may lightning strike me where I stand." But no amount of passion in his words could melt the ice encasing her heart. He had already broken his promise but was still playing his part. Wasn't he tired of lying? Thea turned away, unable to bear the insincerity written across his face. Terrence was about to speak further when his phone suddenly rang. His expression shifted almost unnoticeably as he moved aside to take the call. When he returned, a trace of regret darkened his features. "Thea, something urgent came up. I need to get to the office. Go ahead with the fitting, and let the staff know if anything needs adjustment. The driver will take you home when you're finished," he signed quickly, skipping their customary goodbye embrace before hurrying to his car. Thea watched his retreating figure as he departed. The moment he was gone, the staff broke into excited gasps. "That speech Mr. Hatcher gave was so moving. I almost cried." "Even running off to work, he still made sure Ms. Lundy was properly looked after. He's one in a million." Thea couldn't ignore the bitter irony. Terrence had never abandoned her for work before. And that look in his eyes when he returned from the call? Ravenous. This probably had nothing to do with work. More likely, it was simply a pretext to visit his mistress, Alyssa Schuler. Thea gave a mirthless smile and turned to leave. A staff member rushed to intercept her. "Ms. Lundy, you still need to be fitted for your wedding dress." Thea shook her head, her composure unshaken. "That won't be necessary." Why bother with a wedding dress when the bride would be nothing more than a replica corpse during the ceremony?