Chapter 50\u00a0<\/p>\n
DYLAN\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDo we really have to do this?\u201d I asked Hunter as soon as we stepped out of his house.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was standing beside the car, opening the door for me when he answered, \u201cDo what?\u201d he replied innocently.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know exactly what I was talking about, Hunter,\u201d I said, squinting my eyes at him as a warning.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He just smiled before walking towards me. He planted a soft kiss on my lips before wrapping his arms around my waist. \u201cWe don\u2019t need to, but I want to. Besides, I\u2019ve already booked and paid for everything. All you have to do is tell them what you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I roll my eyes at him. After what happened last time, he insisted that we have to pursue the wedding even though we\u2019re already married. He insisted on doing this because of what happened last night.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I sighed, letting my head fall lightly against his chest as he held me close. The sun caught on his features, softening the stubborn set of his jaw. He looked entirely too pleased with himself, as if dragging me into this was some grand romantic gesture instead of pure Hunter\u2013level pushiness.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShow off,\u201d I muttered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to get used to it. That\u2019s the price you have to pay for marrying me,\u201d he said, tapping the tip of my nose before guiding me toward the car.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t exactly get a choice the first time,\u201d I shot back, though there was no real bite to it. Not when he looked at me like that, with his eyes full of quiet certainty.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He smoothed his hand down my back, the movement so gentle it made something in my chest loosen. \u201cEven if you have, I can be very persuasive,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I slipped into the car, trying to hide the way my heart was pounding. \u201cJust don\u2019t make a big scene out of it,\u201d I mumbled, buckling in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hunter leaned down, bracing one hand on the door frame, his face inches from mine. \u201cThat, I can\u2019t promise,\u201d he said quietly, the warmth of his breath fanning across my cheek. \u201cYou deserve a scene or two.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hunter barely gave me time to think before he ushered me toward the car, his hand warm at the small of my back like he thought I might bolt at any second. I grumbled under my breath, but he only opened the passenger door with a smug little smile, as if he\u2019d already won the ar\u00a0<\/p>\n
argument I hadn\u2019t even started yet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The drive was quiet at first, the kind of silence that wasn\u2019t awkward\u2013just filled with thoughts neither of us wanted to say out loud. I stared out the window, watching the morning sunlight spill over the city, my nerves tightening with every passing minute.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo,\u201d I finally muttered, arms crossed, \u201cyou\u2019re really serious about this whole wedding thing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hunter shot me a quick glance, the corner of his mouth curving. \u201cVery.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou didn\u2019t even think of asking me if I wanted to do this?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI did,\u201d he said. \u201cThis morning. You answered pretty loud, if I recall.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My whole face heated. \u201cHunter!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He laughed, low and pleased with himself, and reached over to rest his hand on my thigh. His thunib stroked once\u2013slow, teasing and that was all it took for my heart to race.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 50\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cRelax,\u201d he said softly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEasy for you to say,\u201d I shot back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, if you really don\u2019t want to, we can just go back and stay in our room. Besides, it\u2019s still our honeymoon.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I tried to glare at him, but his smirk made it impossible. I can\u2019t believe that he still manages to think about things like that when I already lost count of how many times we did it this morning. This man is really insatiable.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cJust shut up and drive,\u201d I said to shut him up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
By the time we reached the boutique district, the streets had grown quieter and the shops more elegant. He turned into a reserved parking space right in front of a gleaming glass storefront that looked nothing like a casual drop\u2013in place.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The shop didn\u2019t look like the kind of place someone wandered into by accident. It was elegant, quiet, and far too expensive just by the way the glass doors glimmered. As soon as we stepped inside, the soft scent of fresh flowers and warm vanilla wrapped around me, making the whole place feel like a dream someone curated just to steal my breath.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A woman in a sleek pastel dress approached us with a warm smile. \u201cGood afternoon. I\u2019m Eva, and I\u2019m here to assist you, Mr. and Mrs. De Marco.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hunter tightened his hand around mine, his thumb stroking slow circles over my skin. \u201cI want the best for my wife. Assist her accordingly,\u201d he said easily.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The woman\u2019s eyes flicked to me, her smile widening. \u201cIt\u2019s our pleasure, sir. We\u2019ve prepared several gowns based on the preferences your husband provided. You\u2019re welcome to take your time with each.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned to glare at him. \u201cYou picked dresses for me?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t even look guilty. \u201cI just made suggestions,\u201d he said. \u201cI know what looks good on you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is not the same thing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He leaned down, whispering close enough that his breath tickled my ear. \u201cYou\u2019ll thank me later.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I swatted his arm, but he only grinned.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The consultant led me behind a curtain into a spacious fitting room filled with gowns\u2013soft lace, silk, and tulle that floated like clouds. I stared at them, suddenly unsure.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They were beautiful. Too beautiful. And somehow\u2026 too real.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hunter stayed outside, but I could hear the rustle of him pacing, probably pretending he wasn\u2019t dying to peek in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s start with this one,\u201d the consultant said, lifting a delicate gown with a sweetheart neckline and lace tracing down the bodice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I slipped into it carefully. When she fastened the last button, I took a breath, turned toward the mirror\u2026 and froze.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I looked like a bride.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not the accidental one. Not the forced one.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A woman stepping into something she chose.\u00a0<\/p>\n
My throat tightened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you want to show him?\u201d the consultant asked softly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 50\u00a0<\/p>\n
I hesitated, fingers trembling where they touched the skirt. Did I want to?\u00a0<\/p>\n
My heart already knew the answer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d I whispered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She pulled the curtain aside, and there he was\u2013leaning against the wall, pretending to be relaxed when his whole body went still the moment he saw me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His eyes widened, darkened, and softened\u2026 all at once. He didn\u2019t move for several seconds, as if breathing might shatter the\u00a0<\/p>\n
moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHunter?\u201d I asked quietly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He pushed off the wall and walked toward me slowly, like I was something fragile or sacred. When he stopped in front of me, he reached out, brushing a fingertip along the lace on my shoulder.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re\u2026 breathtaking,\u201d he said, voice rougher than usual.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Heat shot up my neck.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI look okay,\u201d I muttered, looking away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He gave a soft laugh. \u201cYou look like someone I\u2019d marry twice.\u201d He cupped my cheek, tilting my face toward him. \u201cMaybe even three times.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
My chest tightened again\u2013this time not from nerves, but from something warm and dangerous blooming inside me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGo on, try on some more. I want to see everything,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The woman quickly attended to me and assisted me in removing the gown. It hadn\u2019t been long when I heard Hunter\u2019s phone ring, but he deliberately ignored it before going back to his seat, waiting for me to try on the <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Alchemist of Broken Dreams by Sienna Rose Blackwell 50 Chapter 50\u00a0 DYLAN\u00a0 \u201cDo we really have to do this?\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24401","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-alphas-golden-cage-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24401","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24401"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24401\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24401"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24401"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24401"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}