Roman and Julienne's heart desire
Chapter 22: Marriage Registry I, trying the gowns first

Chapter 22: Marriage Registry I, trying the gowns first

"Please follow me," the receptionist said as she emerged from her half-cabin, which was surrounded by a sleek glass partition that offered a panoramic view of the bustling mall.

As they walked in, Julie’s mouth dropped again, and her eyes widened in awe at the sight of the gowns displayed in a line, reminiscent of students standing in formation during an assembly.

The gowns sparkled under the bright lights, their intricate designs and delicate fabrics catching Julie’s eye.

She couldn’t help but feel like a kid in a candy store, her excitement and wonder evident on her face.

The air was filled with the sweet scent of perfume, and the soft hum of conversation from the salon’s patrons created a soothing background noise.

As they walked, the receptionist’s heels clicked on the polished floor, drawing attention from the salon’s patrons. Some glanced over, their eyes lingering on Roman’s tall, imposing figure, while others focused on Julie, curiosity etched on their faces.

"Mr. Thompson," a feminine voice called out from behind, and Roman turned to see Samantha, the salon’s owner, hurrying towards him with a bright smile on her face.

"What an honor to see you here in my own salon, wow!" Samantha exclaimed, her eyes shining with delight.

Roman’s expression remained neutral, but Julie noticed a hint of familiarity in his demeanor.

"Samantha, how are you doing?" Roman asked, raising an eyebrow as he greeted her. Samantha’s smile faltered for a moment, and she looked at Roman with a mixture of concern and curiosity.

Samantha didn’t hesitate to speak her mind, her thoughts and feelings evident in her words. "Hmm, you know you’re never nice, even asking me how I’m doing. What’s behind the sudden change?" She asked, her tone laced with curiosity and a hint of skepticism.

As Julie watched the exchange, she wondered who this young woman was and what her relationship was with Roman.

Samantha’s words and actions suggested a level of comfort and familiarity that Julie couldn’t quite decipher.

She noticed the way Samantha’s eyes sparkled when she talked to Roman, the way her voice softened, and her demeanor changed.

Samantha, Roman’s best friend’s girlfriend, Lazarus, was a kind soul with a gentle heart. However, she had a tendency to overthink and overreact, often jumping to conclusions without all the facts.

As she stood before Roman, she couldn’t help but think that something was amiss.

"Is something wrong? Did something happen to him? No, where?" Samantha asked, shaking her head and thinking aloud, her mind racing with possibilities.

She didn’t need Roman to say anything; her imagination was running wild with scenarios, each one more dire than the last.

As she stood there, her eyes locked on Roman’s face, searching for answers that weren’t forthcoming. You could see the worry etched on her face, her brow furrowed in concern, her eyes clouded with uncertainty.

The salon’s patrons seemed to fade into the background as Samantha’s focus remained fixed on Roman.

Roman’s expression remained impassive, but Julie could sense a hint of amusement behind his eyes. He seemed to be enjoying Samantha’s antics, her worry and concern evident in every word.

Samantha’s overthinking nature was something Roman was familiar with, and he knew that she would eventually calm down and realize that everything was fine.

You could see that for yourself without Roman saying anything, she started thinking that something had happened to her boyfriend, who, without her knowing, was safe and sound, sleeping in her bedroom, unbeknownst to everyone.

Roman sighed as he looked at her reaction and decided to talk. "Calm down, nothing happened, rest assured, okay," he said, his deep voice soothing Samantha’s frazzled nerves.

In a second, all Julie could feel was his hand that circled her waist, and he slowly pushed her forward and closer to him.

The sudden movement caught her off guard, and she felt a flutter in her chest as his warm hand made contact with her skin.

"I brought her here, I know you’ll do an excellent job, right?" Roman said, looking at Samantha with an expectant gaze.

He glanced at Julie’s back and continued, "It’s evening wear, you know what to do." Roman concluded his words and walked back away without bothering to do the introduction, leaving Julie and Samantha standing there, sizing each other up.

Samantha’s eyes sparkled with curiosity as she looked at Julie, her mind racing with questions. "Hmm, it seems we have to do the introduction ourselves. I’m Samantha, his best friend’s girlfriend," she said with a smile on her lips, her eyes showing a mix of curiosity and friendliness.

Julie smiled politely, feeling a bit awkward at the sudden attention. "I’m Julienne, but you can call me Julie," she said, not bothering to say anything more. However, as Samantha continued to look at her, Julie couldn’t help but feel a bit self-conscious.

"What’s wrong?" Julie asked hesitantly, wondering why Samantha kept looking at her. Samantha’s gaze was intense, and Julie felt like she was being studied under a microscope. "Hmm, didn’t you hear me saying Lazarus’s girlfriend, his best friend?" Samantha said, raising her two eyebrows together playfully at Julie, making her smile at the girl’s antics.

Samantha’s curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, "So, you are his... what? You know, don’t say I’m fishing for information, no. It’s just that he never brings a girl with him, nor do I ever see him with one. So, can you tell me who you are to him?" Samantha explained why she was so curious, her eyes sparkling with interest.

Hearing her words, Julie herself didn’t know what to say. As Samantha’s words came to an end, Julie was asking herself, ’What am I to him? Wife or fake wife? Wait, you’re not even his wife yet, so what am I now?’ she asked herself With her eyes lowered, Julie said, "I think you should ask him and hear it from his mouth. It will be nicer to hear it from him."

She said with a smile as she raised her eyes to look at Samantha, trying to deflect the question. Julie didn’t know how to answer Samantha’s query, and she didn’t want to reveal too much about her relationship with Roman.

As she stood there, Julie felt like she was navigating a minefield, trying to avoid saying anything that might give away the truth.

Samantha’s eyes narrowed slightly, her mind racing with possibilities. She sensed that there was more to Julie’s story, and she was determined to find out what it was. "I see," Samantha said, her voice neutral, but her eyes betraying her curiosity.

Samantha, who suspected that Julie might be Roman’s secret lover and maybe they were having a quarrel and that why Julie is hesitating to say anything, she didn’t ask anything more and changed the topic.

"So, my Julie, tell me, do you like any gown here, or would you like to try so many and choose the perfect one?" Samantha asked calling Julie my and sounding thrilled to see Julie trying on her design gowns.

Julie feel more at ease with Samantha as the girl is friendly and easy to get alot with "Hmm, let me take a look first," Julie said before she started looking at the gowns one by one, walking from the first one to the second, and all the way to the end of the line.

She went to the other side, her eyes scanning the array of dresses, her fingers trailing over the fabrics with a smile on her face.

"I’ll try this one," Julie said to Samantha, who was standing right beside her, checking the cloth. "Okay, let’s go follow me," Samantha said as she removed the cloth from its hanger. "Okay, get in and try it," she said with a smile.

"Thank you," Julie said before taking the cloth and heading into the changing room. As she closed the door behind her, she couldn’t help but admire the gown’s beauty.

"Wow, this is stunning," Julie whispered to herself, running her hands over the intricate designs.

The white fabric felt luxurious against her skin, and the golden diamond lines sparkled in the mirror’s reflection. Julie’s eyes widened as she imagined herself wearing it to a formal event. "I love it," she said, smiling at her reflection.

She carefully slipped into the gown, feeling the fabric hug her curves perfectly. As she zipped it up and adjusted the fit, Julie couldn’t help but feel like a princess. "This is perfect," she said, twirling in front of the mirror.

After admiring herself for a few moments, Julie took a deep breath and stepped out of the changing room, eager to see Samantha’s reaction. As she walked out, the gown sparkled in the light.

"Oh my!!!!!" Samantha said, her eyes widening, and she blinked severely. "What’s wrong, Samantha?" Julie asked, worried that the cloth didn’t look good on her.

"Nothing is wrong, and everything is alright. Come, did you see yourself in the mirror?" Samantha asked her, but before Julie could say anything, she was pulled by Samantha to the mirror. And Julie was mesmerized; the cloth indeed looked gorgeous on her.

As she gazed at her reflection, Julie couldn’t help but notice the intricate details of the gown.

It was a long-sleeved, knee-length white evening gown with striking small golden diamond lines running vertically down it. The fabric shimmered in the light, and the fit was perfect, accentuating Julie’s curves.

"Julie, you seriously know what suits you. You have a good taste in clothes. Next time I’m going out for shopping, I hope you’ll accompany me," Samantha said, and Julie was quick to nod, as she didn’t want to keep being cooped up in the house all the time.

"No problem," Julie said with a smile on her face. "Well, I want you to try another one," Samantha said and quickly gestured to one of her employees to bring over the gown.

"This is especially chosen by Mr. Thompson for you to wear," Samantha said as the employees brought the gown forward, and Julie’s eyes widened in awe.

The gown was stunning, and Julie couldn’t help but wonder what Roman had been thinking when he chose it.