“Because it’s your birthday, and if anyone deserves a treat it’s you. Now go try those on. I’m getting hangry.”
Well, I wasn’t going to argue with that. I retreated inside the cubicle, pulling the curtain closed and sifting through the dresses he’d picked out. All the fabrics were dark and sumptuous, lots of velvet, lace and silk. Only one was a pale cream colour, almost white. I fingered the delicate chiffon, then undressed and began trying on each outfit. They all fit me perfectly. The last dress to try on was the dark red one. It was prettier than anything I’d ever owned, and when I put it on, I felt transformed. It was insane how clothes could do that. They gave you a confidence you didn’t have before.
“Have you decided what you like?” Noah asked from where he sat outside waiting.
“I don’t know what to choose,” I told him honestly. “I like all of them.”
“Then we’ll get them all,” he replied, pulling open the curtain. His eyes travelled down my body and my skin tingled. The dress was long, but it showed a hint of cleavage which I wasn’t used to. Noah’s eyes skimmed my chest, and every part of me simmered with lust. When his gaze met mine through the mirror, I felt like I couldn’t breathe for a second.
“This is my favourite,” I whispered, breaking the thick silence.
“Mine, too,” Noah replied.
“You haven’t even seen the others on me.”
His eyes were liquid heat. “I don’t need to.” A pause as he considered me. “Leave it on.” He picked up the rest of the dresses, and I followed him to the cash register, where he managed to convince the girl to let him pay for the red dress without me removing it. I turned around, and Noah fished out the price tag, his knuckles brushing the back of my neck. Sparks of awareness skittered down my spine. I swallowed tightly as the cashier scanned the bar code while Noah deftly tore the tag off the dress.
“Now you’re all ready for the ball, Cinderestella,” he whispered in my ear as we left laden down with shopping bags. A thrill went through me. I’d never owned so many pretty things.
Noah brought me to a darkly lit, fancy as hell restaurant. I sat in my red dress, feeling like a spoiled princess and trying not to look too closely at the prices on the menu.
“Order whatever you want. In fact, order more than you want. Let’s make this a fucking feast,” he said with abandon before motioning the waiter over to question him on the drinks menu. A few minutes later he returned with two cocktails. I warily took a sip and was delighted by the cherry flavour. For my starter I ordered the French onion soup, and for my main I ordered the fillet steak.
The soup came topped with a giant crusty crouton and melted cheese, while the steak was accompanied by tiny fancy potatoes and tiny fancy mushrooms, drizzled with a bearnaise sauce. Everything tasted incredible. I was stuffed to the gills but took Noah’s suggestion and made it a feast by ordering a chocolate souffle for dessert. After spending the last few years subsisting on cheap, non-perishable items, this dinner was almost like a religious experience.
I was aware of him watching me as I dug my spoon into the souffle. He’d been watching me throughout the meal, a fond smile touching his lips. There was a sadness behind his eyes that unsettled me though.
“Are you thinking about your argument with Vee?” I asked softly.
Now he looked even sadder, but it was odd, because his sadness seemed to be directed at me.
“Don’t worry what I’m thinking about. Enjoy your dessert,” he said. Something about his tone got my back up.
“I heard you tell Vee she was lying to someone. Who were you talking about?”
“Estella,” he said, a plea in his voice. “Just eat, please. You look happy right now. I like seeing you happy.”
I dropped my fork, worry creeping in. “Okay, you need to tell me what’s going on because you’re freaking me out.”
Noah exhaled a breath, staring up at the ceiling for long moments. When his eyes returned to mine, he reached out and took my hands in his. “There’s no money,” he stated flatly.
My stomach lurched. “What do you mean?” I glanced around warily and lowered my voice. “Don’t you have enough to pay for this meal? Why would you bring me here if—”
“I’m not talking about the meal,” he said gravely. “I’m talking about the money your father left for you. It doesn’t exist.”
Just like that, my entire world dropped out from under me. “Y-you’re lying. Of course, it exists. It was set aside for me in his will.”
Noah’s eyes took on a serious edge. “And who told you about the will?”