Page 20 of King of Sin
And stopped.
The moment she saw the dress Alexa was wearing, all the color drained from her face.
The room disappeared around her.
Her gaze slowly moved over the dress, taking in every detail.
The emerald-green fabric.
The delicate hand-stitched embroidery.
The intricate flowers and vines woven into the design.
A dress she knew better than anyone.
Because she had designed it herself.
The dress had been custom-made by a renowned designer and paid for with the money her parents had left behind for her. She had spent months perfecting every detail, from the embroidery to the cut of the skirt, making endless revisions until it looked exactly the way she had always imagined.
It was supposed to be the dress she wore at her wedding reception.
The dress she had dreamed of wearing while standing beside Vincent.
The dress she had once imagined walking toward her future in.
For a long moment, Juliet simply stood there, staring at it in silence. A thousand memories flashed through her mind—late nights spent sketching designs, excitedly discussing fabrics with the designer, and the foolish happiness she had felt while planning a future she had believed was certain.
Slowly, she lifted her gaze to Alexa.
Any trace of shock had already disappeared from her face.
What remained was something far more unsettling.
Her expression was calm.
Terrifyingly calm.
When she finally spoke, her voice was so composed that it sent an inexplicable chill through the room.
"Take it off." Her gaze remained fixed on the emerald gown as she slowly lifted her eyes to Alexa's face. "Why are you wearing the dress I planned to wear at my wedding reception?"
The room instantly fell silent.
No one spoke. No one even seemed to breathe.
Juliet's voice hadn't been loud. It hadn't trembled or cracked. If anything, it was unnervingly calm, the kind of quiet that came before a storm, and every single word echoed clearly through the room.
Because she knew that dress.
She knew every inch of it.
She had personally ordered that exact shade of emerald green. She had spent months working with the designer, going through sketch after sketch until everything was perfect. She had carefully chosen the neckline, the intricate embroidery along the bodice, and even the placement of every tiny bead sewn into the fabric. Countless evenings had been spent discussing details with the designer because she hadn't wanted just any dress.
She had wantedthedress.
The dress she had planned to wear at her wedding reception with Vincent.
Back then, she had still believed they would have a future together. She had imagined herself wearing this very dress while standing beside him, imagined dancing with him in front of their family and friends, imagined beginning the next chapter of their lives together.
