Chapter 3 KAENE

Dale opens up the black umbrella as I slide out of my car, it's quiet apart from the noise of the rain getting heavier. I move in the direction of the grave site, Dale hot on my heels

"Wait here with the umbrella" I say as I'm about to get inside

"You can't possibly be in the rain without an umbrella sir."

"Did I stutter?"

The rain almost immediately drenches my suit as I make my way to the grave covered in Blue granite, my black hair sticks to my face, blurring my vision. I hear thunder crash in the distance as the rain gets even heavier

"The deal's been made, I'm marrying White's daughter in 4 days. It's the same day I buried you"

I say as I pull out the single stemmed rose in my breast pocket, I twist it around my fingers as I speak to the grave

"She won't last two years with me, I'll make sure of it. I'll like to see how White handle this, I'll end him for good. I promise, it'll all be over soon. She'll be miserable with me."

Dropping the Rose on the grave, I make my way to a shivering Dale, Pathetic. He opens the door and slides the front seat forward as all Coupes require, I slide in signaling for the driver to close the door while Dale stands there stupefied.

"When I give an order, I don't expect questions. I expect you in the office before I get there. Don't bother coming back to work if you see I've gotten there first. Good luck"

My driver pulls away in silence leaving the stupefied boy there shivering.

"Drive as fast as you can, if he gets there, you're fired"

I get back to reviewing the files on the branch in Malibu I'd been reviewing before I'd gone to the grave site. Something doesn't quite sit with me as I look over the details of the executives.

'Dina Rosa, head of the Malibu branch. A key play to keep Madamé Rosa indebted as my plan for the Whites unfold"

I read through her file slowly, quite impressive. Done with school at 20. All I'd had to do was keep her jobless to get her mother on the same page with me.

Before I can make a call to my investigator to find out if Madamé Rosa has done her part, the car rolls to a stop at the back entrance of the office where Dale waits with a big smile and an umbrella. The front entrance is crowded with reporters wanting the scoop on the wedding to Aria. Dale walks to the car door holding a new suit covered in polyester.

Impressive.

The driver opens the car door and without another word hands over his work ID card and the keys to the house his job as my driver had gotten him. I hand them over to Dale as I face the driver again

"Clear out before 8pm, it's 6:20pm right now. You better get going."

I turn to face Dale who's smile doesn't look as big

"You are moving in to the house tonight, get me a driver and bring up the new suit. I have a place to be in 10 minutes"

I leave them both standing there in a daze as I walk into the company a bit amused at the turn of events. Dale might just be more useful than I thought. People pretend to concentrate on files or computers as I walk past them into the private elevator.

I pick up my phone in the elevator to call the investigator but stop as the elevator door opens to an angry man at the door into my office. Madamé Rosa came through then.

"You son of a bitch!"

The man comes running at me livid but stops when he notices the men at strategic points of the floor

"Hello Dexter, we have some catching up to do"

ARIA

Dread fills me as I walk around the dress shop, it's 4 days to the wedding and I can't help but feel sorry for myself and I'd very nearly been killed by the mob of reporters outside the first place we'd gone to. We'd had to change into disguises to leave unharmed and get to this shop. My mother is beside me, head raised looking down on the manager trying to kiss her ass.

"Honey, you'll have to make do with an already made dress. We can't have one custom made now. It's 4 days till you get married"

She finally turns her attention to the manager ignoring my lack of enthusiasm

"Get me the best designs you own"

The woman scurries away, almost slipping in her rush to please my mother. She spends a few minutes out of sight before returning with a tall woman carrying about 20 wedding dresses. I glance in horror at my mother who's smiling in perfect Glee. She seems to be enjoying herself way too much.

"Am I supposed to test them all out?'

I ask still very horrified, the manager is all smiles as she nods, grabs a dress and pulls me with her to a changing room. I refuse to undress with her in, scared she'd notice the bruises across my back and belly.

Obliging she leaves the changing room for me, leaving the challenging job of wearing the wedding dresses to me alone

I model a number of 15 dresses in total before I find a perfect one. As I walk out in it, my mother's smile looks genuine for the first time in here

"I want this one mama"

The manager is on me in a heart beat

"That's the perfect choice, it's by Lois Vanderburgh. It's a white daffodil laced gown with non- transparent daffodil laced sleeves and hand appliquéd lace on French tulle overlay accented with Lily laced godets. It's perfect for you and will be a perfect fit with a little adjustments too."

I look at her, not understanding a single word of the description she gave me. All I see on me is a body fitting turtle necked lace gown with embroidered flowers everywhere and a very long train. It does a good work of hiding most of my bruises and the few that would probably show can be covered up easily with make up. My measurements are taken to work on the dress more and I am very ready to leave the place and go home.

As we leave, I don't see any crowds of reporters luckily and we hurriedly get into the car

"Now all we need are shoes and Jewelry. I know the perfect place for that"

I groan as I am once again on my way to another madness