The Red Thread

Chapter 13

As I arrived at Addy's house to pick her up for the engagement venue, my heart quickened with anticipation. It had been a week since our unexpected moment in her bedroom.I carefully selected an emerald necklace for Addy, a gift I hoped would match her dress. I tucked a note inside for her. With the necklace in hand, I asked Sophia to give it to Addy, as a phone call demanded my immediate attention.

As I entered the living room, I was met with the sight of Addy and her family standing there, and for a moment, the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the focus on her.

I couldn't help but stand still for a moment, mesmerized by the sight of Addy in her emerald green dress. She looked incredibly beautiful, and the moment was like a freeze-frame in my memory, capturing the enchanting image of her that I would carry with me throughout the evening.

With an effort, I shifted my gaze from Addy to greet her family.I couldn't help but notice that Addy had been checking me out.With a playful smirk, I made my way over to Addy, gently kissing her cheek and whispering in her ear, "You look beautiful, Blue."

Addy's reaction was nothing short of adorable. She looked genuinely shocked, clearly not expecting the affectionate gesture. Her face turned a deeper shade of red, and the surprise in her eyes only added to her charm.

I couldn't help but be taken aback by my own actions. Kissing Addy and whispering that compliment was entirely unplanned, a spontaneous reaction to her breathtaking beauty. It was a reminder that, despite all my efforts to keep my distance, there was a magnetic pull that drew me to her, a force I couldn't deny.

Addy's mother cleared her throat, breaking the moment, and gently reminded us that it was time to leave for the engagement venue.As Addy's family departed, I couldn't help but feel a mix of nervousness and excitement. It was just Addy, Lily, and me now.

Lily and I had never really gotten along. We had different personalities, clashed on many occasions, and had a tendency to irritate each other with our mere presence.Lily turned toward me, wearing a fake smile, and greeted me with a sarcastic tone, "Hi, asshole, I mean, 'Asher.'" I retorted to Lily in a bored tone, "Well, hello, Lily. Always a pleasure."

Lily warned me to behave properly with Addy before leaving for the venue.
I turned to Addy and whispered, "You know I can only tolerate Lily because of you, right?" She chuckled softly.Addy raised an eyebrow and asked in a sarcastic tone, "What's with the whispering, Asher?"

I leaned closer to her and gently remarked, "You called me 'Asher' instead of 'Carter.' Anything special behind that, Blue?" Addy's eyes went wide with realization but she quickly masked her surprise by saying with a casual tone, "Well, you know, Asher, I'm just trying to be civil. After all, you are my fiancé."

I reached into my pocket, my fingers curling around the ring I had brought.As I carefully placed the ring on Addy's finger, a hint of concern crept into my thoughts when I noticed a faint frown on her face. I couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong, Blue?"

She confessed, "Asher, I always wanted a romantic proposal, and I dreamed of marrying the person I love." Addy's words struck me, and I realized the importance of her dreams and desires.
Addy further added " You destroyed everything by accepting the proposal Asher and stop doing these things, do I need to remind you that we're not a couple in love"

I replied coldly "You think I'm happy with this marriage? I'm not. But blaming me won't change anything. You accepted it on your own will. We're in this together now, whether we like it or not". I suggested, "We should head to the venue now or we'll end up running late."

As we climbed into the car and I started the engine, the ride to the engagement venue was filled with an odd mix of tension and uncertainty. The car's interior was enveloped in a heavy silence. We sat side by side, our minds seemingly lost in thought. I couldn't help but steal glances at her, wondering what was going through her mind.

As we sat in silence, my phone rang, and I saw it was my mom calling. I picked up, and she reminded us to hurry up. I decided to increase the car's speed, wanting to reach the venue quickly. As I did, I couldn't help but notice Addy's uneasiness. Her breathing quickened, and cold sweats broke out on her face.

I quickly realized that Addy was having a panic attack, and concern washed over me.I stopped the car nearby, got out, and rushed to her side. I asked Addy with concern, "Blue, what's wrong?" Addy muttered something about her pills to me, but I couldn't quite catch what she said. I held Addy's hands in mine and softly said, "Take deep breaths, Blue."

After a few minutes of comforting her, Addy's breathing returned to normal.I hugged Addy, whispering, "You're fine," and gently kissed her forehead to reassure her. Addy whispered " Thank you Asher." I nodded my head in response and got back into my seat. She reassured me that she was fine and  reminded me that we should get going, or we'd be late for the event.As we continued on our way to the event, I couldn't help but steal glances towards Addy.

As soon as we arrived at the venue, I turned to Addy and asked, "What happened back in the car, Addy? Are you alright?".Addy replied coldly, "It's none of your business." My frustration welled up, and I  banged the steering wheel in response.

Before I could say anything Lily knocked on the car's window.Addy's ability to recover from the panic attack left me both amazed and concerned. She got out of the car, smiling as if the recent turmoil had never occurred, leaving me to wonder about the complexities that lay beneath her serene exterior.

I wondered to himself, "What are you hiding, Blue?"