I stared at my phone, my heart racing with excitement, Cian had finally responded to my message.
The message read : Hi there my cinderella I'm terribly sorry I have not responded sooner, I had to fly into Ireland to attend to some business there, I want to make it up to you, accompany me to an event this evening.
Yours Cian
He was inviting me to an event this evening .I couldn't believe it. I felt like I was floating on air, my feet barely touching the ground.
I turned to Sophie, who was sitting next to me on the couch, and showed her the message. "Oh my God, he's finally responded!" I exclaimed, my voice barely above a whisper.
Sophie squealed with excitement, her eyes lighting up with delight. "That's amazing, Em! You have to go out with him. It's the perfect opportunity to get your mind off Alek."
I nodded, feeling a pang of sadness. Alek had been on my mind for far too long, and I couldn't seem to shake him off. The moment he saved me until Natalias arrival, everything kept replaying in my mind , the promise Ryurik asked of me.
It's been three day and yet no word from Alek, if he truly cared and if everything was a misunderstanding surely he would have shown up by now to explain things and set everything right.
However there hasn't been a trace of him, leaving me to second guess if the entire night and morning was merely a dream, probably a figment of my imagination.
Maybe Sophie was right, maybe this was exactly what I needed , a distraction, a chance to have fun and forget about the heartache.
"Why not?" Sophie continued, her voice persuasive. "You can use this as an opportunity to move on. Alek hasn't reached out to you since... everything. He could be living a happy life with his wife for all we know. You deserve better than to be stuck in limbo, waiting for someone who may never come back to you."
I knew Sophie was right, but it still hurt to hear her say it. I felt like I was stuck in a state of perpetual sadness, unable to move on from the pain of Alek's departure.
Sophie put a hand on my arm, her expression softening. "I'm not saying this to hurt you, Em. I'm saying it because I care about you, and I want to see you happy. You deserve it."
I nodded, feeling a lump form in my throat. Sophie was right. I did deserve happiness. And maybe, just maybe, this dinner with Sian was the start of something new.
Before I could even decide what to do, Sophie was already making plans for me. "You have to go, Em. It's just one night. Have fun, enjoy yourself, and see where things go. You never know what might happen."
I smiled, feeling a sense of nervousness mixed with excitement. What would tonight bring? Would I have fun, or would I end up regretting my decision? Only time would tell.
While I was still brainstorming on what to do, about to respond to Cian's message, still unsure if I was ready to say yes to dinner or to decline, before I could even type out my response, my phone buzzed again.
"If you agree to dinner, please open your door. There's a package waiting for you," the message read.
I looked at Sophie, who was still sitting next to me, and raised an eyebrow. "This is weird," I said, getting up to head to the door.
Sophie's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Go, go, go! See what's in the package!"
I opened the door, and there it was - a huge black box, neatly wrapped with a cute bow on it. Sophie squealed in the background, her voice barely containable. "Don't tell me this is another amazing package! I get to play dress-up with you again!"
I laughed, feeling a sense of excitement building up inside me. I picked up the box and brought it inside, closing the door behind me. Sophie followed me, her eyes fixed on the box.
As we opened it, we were met with a stunning dress, a matching beautiful shoe, and a necklace that sparkled in the light. Sophie's eyes widened in amazement. "I told you, didn't I? It's time for dress-up!"
I couldn't help but smile as Sophie helped me get ready. She was like a whirlwind, moving around me with precision and speed. By the time she finished, I felt like a completely different person.
Sophie stepped back, her eyes shining with admiration. "Oh my god, you look like Cinderella! I've said this before, but damn girl, at this point, you are living Cinderella's life!"
I laughed, feeling like a princess in the beautiful dress. I couldn't wait to see what the night had in store for me. Was this the start of something magical, or was it just a fleeting moment of fantasy? Either way, I was ready to enjoy it.
Finally, Sophie was done getting me ready. She stepped back and admired her handiwork, her eyes shining with excitement. "Oh my God, you look breathtaking," she said, her voice full of admiration. "You're looking ravishing tonight, if I were a man I would get on one knee and ask you to marry me.
I look at her speechless and blushing furiously unable to come up with a response,I turned to the mirror, and my jaw dropped. The beautiful person staring back at me was almost unrecognizable. I couldn't believe the transformation. Sophie had worked her magic, and I felt like a princess.
Just then, a horn honked outside, and Sophie's eyes sparkled. "I think he's here," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I think so too," I replied, feeling a flutter in my chest.
We scrambled around, gathering my purse and everything else I needed. As we headed to the door, Sophie grabbed my hand and spun me around. "Don't forget to share your location with me," she said, her eyes serious. "Have fun and be happy tonight, okay? I love you."
She kissed me on the cheek, and I felt a surge of gratitude towards my friend. I opened the door, and there he was , Cian standing tall and handsome, looking like a dream come true.