Bound to him since birth

4. Shopping

Sofie's POV-

I can't believe it's been a week since we came here. The days went so fast with the Millers. We talked about the coming functions and Carolina aunt wanted to complete all the ceremonies real fast and bring me to her home. So, we decided to have an early marriage, that is, after a week. 

I've been spending time with them, while Brian has been busy taking care of the arrangements of the marriage. Christian, well he sometimes shows up and sometimes he is just in his room, taking business calls. I can't believe he isn't helping Brian in anything! It's his brother's marriage and he isn't doing anything. It's just my dad, aunt Carolina, Uncle George and my future, loving husband, Brian. Like, he should be the one to rest, right? And Christian should be the one preparing for the marriage of his younger brother. But it's all opposite.

Aunt along with me and don't know why with Christian decided to go for shopping today. So, here we are in the car and I'm sitting in between Christian and aunt, in the back seat. Christian has been quiet since we started the journey, while I and aunt have been discussing the marriage. He didn't even call me since that night and I am grateful for that. 

"Christian, I think that you should wear a matching..." Aunt starts but Christian speaks up before her, "I get it, mom." He says. 

How can he be so rude to his own mother?

"Oh...Okay." She says and turns her head to look outside the window. And I'm sure he just ruined her mood.

We reach the designer's place and aunt's face light up again.

"Carolina, it's so good to see you again!" A man, probably in his mid-thirties comes and cheerfully greets aunt.

"It's so nice to be here too, Henry." She says smiling and gives him a hug.

"Oh, you know, you can't resist my charm." He says. Aunt leans forwards to me and whispers in my ear, "He is gay and a very cheesy person. His works are amazing and I always come to him for every occasion." Hmm... I thought so because they both acknowledge each other by their first names.  

"This is my future daughter in law, Sofie Gill and... this is my son, Christian." She says referring to me and Christian.

"Oh, of course, I know him. I just want to meet this little cutie here." He says smiling and walks up to me.

"I know, you don't know me sweetie, but I can't resist myself, you are so adorable." He says and hugs me too. That's weird.

"It's okay, sir. And thank you for the compliment." I say, but I don't want to be called adorable! Clarice, my best friend, too pulls my cheeks, saying I'm cute, but I want to be bold. Cute is a compliment for kids!

"Oh c'mon, throw the formalities out of the window and call me Henry, just Henry." He says throwing his hands in the air and moves to greet Christian. Christian frowns when he hugs him and I control myself from giggling. Henry holds his hand and starts pulling him inside.

"C'mon, ladies and gentleman, we have got a lot to decide." He says while pulling Christian with him, like a boy pulling his Dad by the arm. Christian frowns deeper and both aunt and I try to control our giggle.

A tough man like Christian is being dragged for some shopping. Hahaha...

His eyes meet mine and I suddenly stop. He stares at me before Henry again starts his banter.

"You know Christi, I've thought of some really good suits for you and I'm sure you'll love them. I don't know why you don't come to me for your suits. I mean, you do stay away in New York, but my brand is famous all over the world, why don't you try it huh? But don't worry, I understand you are a busy man and it must be your assistants, who take care of all this stuff. I can already tell, they don't have a good taste in fashion, because they don't choose me." Henry keeps asking him questions that he answers himself and I can tell that Christian is trying to control himself from saying anything to him. And, what did he call him? Christi? Hahaha...

"Henry, Christian will come along with other men, now we just need to finalize Sofie's gown," Aunt says ending Christian's misery, and starting mine. 

We move to the area where Henry has selected the gowns for me and I stand there looking at all of them in awe. They are all so beautiful. How am I gonna choose?

"Now, now... Sofie gets in the changing room and Leah here will help you put on the dresses." Henry says pointing towards the girl standing beside the dresses while pushing me inside a room. The room has mirrors surrounding it and just then Leah enters.

"Okay then, get ready for the show people." I hear Henry say dramatically and I don't think I'll be shocked to know that he bowed after saying that.

I come out with my first dress. It has spaghetti straps and hugs my full body. It's too tight for my liking, and it's like those one-piece party dresses if you remove the veil. I want to wear something ball gown type that is comfortable and yet stands out among all other dresses.

"You look gorgeous sweetie, but I'm guessing, you don't like it, right?" Henry asks.

"Umm... yeah, actually the dress is good, but for the wedding, I want something similar to a ball dress. What do you think Aunt?" I say.

"Yes, this more like of looks like a party dress, we'll have something Cinderella type. It's her wedding after all and she should look like a princess." She says.

"Then, we can try all other dresses," Henry says and moves all the undesired dresses at the back. I try more dresses but they don't satisfy me.

"Leah? Where is that blue-white wedding dress?" Henry asks after I try like twelve dresses.

"Umm… sorry sir, but I guess I didn't bring it." She says concerned.

"Ahh... Leah, go and bring that too." He says and she looks at me.

"It's okay. I can manage trying out the outfits by myself." I say smiling. I pick the hem of the gown and move to the dressing room. 

It's a blue-white full-length ball dress with pearl's work all over it. Its back has a net and nothing else, except the pearls buttons that come in the middle of my back, starting from my lower neck and ending a little over my butt cleavage. I might not like it, but let's see what other's think.

I get out of the room, only to find Christian sitting on the sofa, doing something on his phone. He seems to notice me and his eyes start roaming all over me. I move a little to the side, looking everywhere for aunt and Henry but I can't find them.

"They have gone to select some other dresses," Christian answers my unasked question and my eyes find their way to his eyes. His gaze changes to something behind me and then suddenly he starts moving in my direction. My heartbeat increases but he doesn't stop until he comes so close that my breasts nearly touch his chest. He is so tall, and I want to avert my gaze from him but for some reason, I'm unable to.

His arms come around me and a gasp leaves my mouth. His hands touch my lower back and a tingling sensation spreads there. This sensation is new, I mean, I heard that you get butterflies in your stomach, but I'm having this weird sensation in my lower back, where my back dimples are. 

His fingers move there while he keeps staring at me. 

"Dress properly." That is all he says and goes back to his seat and get engrossed in his phone.

"What was that? I told you to not come closer to me. Did you not understand it?" I say making myself believe that I'm indeed unhappy with what happened just now. 

"Your dress buttons were opened and I just helped you bind them together." He says looking at me deep in my eyes.

"No, I did all the buttons. You deliberately came closer to me! And how did you even know that my buttons were not intact?" I ask.

He turns his head to the side before shaking it, "Maybe, if you wouldn't have been so affected by my closeness and actually would've focused, you would’ve known. And about how I got to know, well, turn around and see for yourself." He says and I turn around and find a full-length mirror there, but I can't lose to him in arguments but before I could come back with an insult, Henry comes inside along with Leah and aunt Carolina.

"Sofie, change everything else and try this one out. This is my personal favourite and I'm sure you wouldn't need to try anything else after this." Henry chirps happily and pushes me into the changing room with Leah behind me, holding the dress with her. 

And true to Henry's words, I'm in love with this dress. It's without sleeves and hugs my body till my waist. The breast part is heavily embroidered and the dress has a sweetheart neckline. Then there are beautiful flower designs that continue below my waist too. Below the waist, the dress spread wide and is puffed with so many canes inside it. The flowery pattern reaches a little above the hem of the dress. And it is in a way, that there is space left between the same several patterns. Once it starts below the waist, it forms the shape of 'V' and then there is space before another 'V' and this pattern follows all around the gown. 

This is the only blue part and the rest of the dress is all white with almost unnoticeable patterns on it.

All in all, it's PERFECT!

"You look beautiful in this dress, miss," Leah says smiling softly at me.

"Thank you... I like it too." I say and happily move out of the dressing room.

Once out everybody just keeps staring at me and I keep grinning like an i***t. But this dress is so beautiful! What can I do?

My eyes find Christian’s and he has his eyes roaming all over me. And when his eyes do meet mine, I can see a hint of admiration in them but that stupid human doesn't even smile at me and looks away.

"O. M. G! You are like a Goddess herself walking on Earth!" Henry comes and hugs me. 

"This dress is final. I mean, that is what I feel like." He says chuckling.

"I feel that too Henry... aunt, what do you think?" I ask her, referring to my dress. 

"You really look like a Goddess baby. I... I don't have words to describe you right now." She says and I notice her eyes tearing up with adoration.

"Then this is final!" I exclaim.

"Sure, it is." She says and hugs me. 

"Umm… Henry, can I call my dad and show him the dress, or else I'm afraid, he'll come to you asking for the dress I finalized." I ask him.

"Of course sweetie, go on." He says, waving at me. I look at aunt and she nods at me smiling. She calls dad and turns on the back camera. As soon as he picks the call, "Hel.." He starts but couldn't finish what he has to say. 

"Am I seeing tears in your eyes, Marc?" Aunt asks playfully and walks to me. She turns the front camera on and I greet my dad.

"Hi dad! How do I look?" I ask.

"Just like my little Princess… I feel like coming to you. Actually, I AM coming to you. Just wait there and don't change." He says and I see him getting up, grabbing his coat. 

"Dad, wait! Where are you coming, huh? You don't need to come here. I'm not going to let you see me before my wedding. Once on the wedding day, when my look is complete, that day you can see me, but not now. Now you'll take a lot of time to arrive here and I'll have to wait for you for a long time." I say and he listens to me frowning. He heaves a sigh and finally agrees. I cut the call after asking him about his doings and my eyes once again meet Christian's. 

I could feel his eyes on me when I was talking to dad too, but just like before he averts his gaze and this time even moves out of the room!

"I'll take an important call and wait for you in the car, mom." He says before going out and Henry rolls his eyes at him. After aunt discusses something with Henry, we move out of the place. 

Aunt Carolina is going to shop along with the men as per Uncle George's orders, he says he wants to help her select the dress and he'll select better than what my dad will select. I don't seriously understand the relation between my dad and uncle. They are like best friends who despise each other.

So, today is all about me. 

We buy heels, jewellery and other accessories for me and finally retire for the day. The whole day, Christian stays by our side but doesn't do anything except being engrossed in his phone.

Christian drops me at my home and after helping me with placing my stuff in the living room, they both leave. And I'm so ready to retire for the night. It took us a whole day shopping and we even ate on our way back here, so I am not even hungry and about dad, I'll see him in the morning. If I stay awake, he'll make me drink coffee and talk to me, whole night! That is what he has been doing since two, three days now. I guess he realized that I'll marry in a few days and so he talks to me every night for a really long time. 

We both reminiscence old memories and laugh together. I can clearly see that he gets emotional, but I know he won't agree to it, ever. 

With these thoughts, I fall on my bed after showering and changing in my pyjamas, with a smile on my face.