Chapter 3 Why Can't I Touch What's Mine

Joshua's eyes narrowed, the shadows beneath them deepening as he shot Bella a look brimming with accusation.

For him, Daniela wasn't just a fiancée-she was his ticket to an empire.

As long as he could lock her down, she would keep producing lucrative new drugs nonstop. With her at his side, Aurora Pharmaceuticals would dominate the market, and even secure a partnership with Serene Hospital.

Letting Daniela discover his affair-with their wedding around the corner-was unthinkable.

A faint, knowing smile touched Daniela's lips. "If this were about anything else, maybe I'd turn a blind eye. But this gown was made just for me-for my wedding. I can't exactly call off the ceremony just because someone tried to snatch my dress, right?"

Joshua's complexion flickered from ashen to flushed, his expression betraying a flicker of panic before he quickly recovered. "You're right," he replied, voice suddenly gentle. "No one else could ever wear that gown but you."

Bella's lower lip trembled as she pouted, her eyes brimming with wounded indignation.

Joshua turned to her, his voice suddenly cold. "Bella, if you really like the style, I'm sure the boutique has other options. There's no reason to obsess over Daniela's gown."

His words landed with a chilling finality.

Watching the act unfold, Daniela almost had to admire Joshua's nerve.

She cast a sidelong glance at Bella, her head cocked in mock curiosity. "Didn't you just call your boyfriend and ask him to come here to have your back? Well, where is he now? If he's not here in the next minute, I'm leaving."

Joshua's glare turned razor-sharp, cutting straight through Bella.

If Daniela learned about him and Bella, she would never forgive him.

He could humiliate Bella as much as he pleased-as long as Daniela never caught on that he was seeing someone else behind her back.

The intensity of his stare made Bella visibly flinch, her mouth snapping shut.

Rising from her seat, Daniela addressed the shop assistant, her tone brisk. "Deliver the gown to my place. I want it spotless, untouched by anyone else."

The shop assistant bobbed her head in agreement, scrambling to make a note.

Joshua mustered a forced grin and remarked, "Daniela, let's not waste time here. The project's waiting, and you know how tight the deadlines are. You should really get back to the lab."

She nearly snorted at that-of course he wanted her chained to her research day and night.

"Fine," she responded evenly.

With a final, mocking glance at Bella, Daniela strode for the door, her composure unshaken.

As soon as Daniela left, Bella flung herself into Joshua's arms, her voice quivering with accusation. "Why were you so harsh with me?"

Joshua recoiled instantly, shoving her aside as if her touch burned. He shot a wary glance at the door. "Are you out of your mind? She could still be right outside! How many times do I have to remind you? Don't get her suspicious. She is valuable to Aurora Pharmaceuticals! I can't risk losing her now."

Tears pooled in Bella's eyes, making her look all the more pitiful. "But you're about to marry her," she choked out. "It kills me. I just wanted to try on a wedding dress, just once. That way, for a moment, it would feel like you were marrying me, too. But she was so cold-she wouldn't even let me get close to it."

Joshua's resolve faltered under the weight of her sorrow, her tears always able to shake his determination. He drew her back into his arms with a sigh. "Alright. Once the wedding's over, I'll make sure you're never left out. You want to try on the gown? Do it."

The shop assistant, frozen to the spot, stared in disbelief at the unfolding spectacle. "Mr. Clark, Miss Stewart gave strict orders. No one else is allowed to touch the dress..."

Joshua cut her off, his patience gone. "I fucking paid a deposit! Why can't I touch what's mine?"

He seized the gown and stuffed it into Bella's arms, his tone softening for her alone. "Go on-let me see how beautiful you look in it."

Bella's eyes danced with mischief as she curled a finger around Joshua's collar, drawing him closer. "Can you help me with that dress in the fitting room?"

Joshua just grinned, then swept her off her feet and carried her into the changing room.

The door snapped shut behind them. Minutes stretched into nearly an hour, the air thick with muffled laughter and the sound of shallow breaths.

When they finally reappeared, Bella wore the wedding gown-but the dress looked nothing like it had before. The pristine silk was now a wrinkled, crumpled mess, its delicate train dragging limp behind her.

Kiss marks flared along her neck, barely hidden by tousled hair.

The shop assistant stepped forward, her voice cool and unwavering. "Mr. Clark, this gown was tailored specifically for Miss Stewart. She was to handle the payment. However, since this young lady has worn it, I'll need you to settle the full balance now."

Bella shot her an incredulous look and let out a scoff. "She can have it back if she wants. I was just trying it on. What's the big deal?"

Privately, Bella felt a twisted sense of triumph. The idea of Daniela walking down the aisle in a dress she had already claimed for herself felt poetic.

The shop assistant's face didn't flicker. "I'm sorry, but our policy is strict. For custom gowns, only the client may try them on. If anyone else does, the dress must be purchased outright."

Bella rolled her eyes and folded her arms. "Whatever. I'll buy it. It's just a dress. Joshua, you're paying for it, right?"

Joshua's lips curled into a lazy smirk. "Of course, I'll cover the bill."

He turned to the shop assistant, the irritation in his voice barely disguised. "I already put down $100, 000. Just tell me how much more you need to be done with this."

Dropping a few hundred grand on a dress meant nothing to him.

The shop assistant stood her ground, her expression hard as granite. "This isn't just any gown," she noted, her voice crisp. "It's an exclusive Anna Payne original. There's only one in existence, adorned with hundreds of hand-set diamonds. The total comes to $30 million. You've already put down $100, 000, so you still owe $29.9 million."

Joshua blinked, stunned, but Bella's voice exploded across the boutique. "$30 million?!"

That kind of cash could buy a mansion.

Her fists clenched at her sides as she glared at the shop assistant, disbelief etched into every line of her face. Daniela-the nerve of that bitch to spend that much on a dress?

Bella shot Joshua a look, her lips curled in contempt. "She's not even your wife yet and she's already burning through your money. If you really marry her, she'll suck you dry!"

Thirty million dollars for a single gown. Unbelievable.

The shop assistant never missed a beat as she stated, "Per the agreement, Miss Stewart was supposed to pay the balance. But since you allowed someone else to wear her custom dress without permission, it's only right that you take responsibility for the rest."

She went on, slipping her hand into her pocket for her phone, "Unless you'd rather I call Miss Stewart and let her make the decision herself."