Chapter 46: Her Choice

Emerald’s POV

After my hair was done, I returned to the manicure table and settled into the chair.

Claire decided to handle my nails herself.

She cleaned my natural nails carefully, trimming and shaping them while Laura sat at the side, scrolling through her phone.

I was about to ask Claire what colour she thought would work best when my phone rang.

I glanced at the screen. It was Mum. I accepted the call. "Hello, Mum."

"Weren’t you done at the spa yet?"

"Almost."

"The stylist is already here with the dresses." She sounded impatient. "Don’t keep her waiting."

I looked at the time. "Okay. I’ll be home soon."

"Good."

The call ended. And almost at the same time, Laura lifted her gaze to me. "Is there a problem?"

I shook my head. "No. I just need to go home and choose a dress. The stylist has arrived."

Laura’s face fell. "And here I was thinking about how we could go karaoke after your nails."

I laughed softly. "We can still do it tomorrow night. After the wedding."

Her expression brightened slightly. "You’re serious?"

"Yes."

Claire narrowed her eyes at me. "You’re not going to ditch us or change your mind at the last minute, right?"

"I plan to stick to the time." I smiled, not surprised I wasn’t trusted in this area.

"Good." Laura nodded. "We’ll hold you to that."

Since I still hadn’t decided what I wanted to do with my nails, Laura began making suggestions. After a few minutes of looking at different shapes, she suggested a short oval style.

I looked at my hands after Claire shaped the first nail. "I like this."

"I thought you would." She grinned.

The short oval shape was neat without being too conspicuous, and it suited the length of my natural nails.

The only problem was the colour. I had no idea which dress I would choose.

Claire considered it for a moment before selecting a shade that was soft enough to work with several colours without looking out of place.

"Trust me."

"I’ll take your word for it." I nodded. It’s not like I had any other option.

She smiled before continuing. By the time she finished, my nails looked exactly how I wanted them—simple, neat and elegant.

I thanked her before getting ready to leave.

Laura hugged me. "Don’t forget tomorrow."

"I won’t."

Claire gave me a knowing look. "We’ll see you in the morning."

I smiled and waved to them. "See you both then."

---

When I arrived home, I immediately noticed that something had changed.

The large sitting room had been transformed.

Several clothing racks had been arranged across one side of the room, each covered with dresses in different colours and styles.

Shoes had been displayed on stands.

Handbags were arranged on another table, while several jewellery boxes had been opened to reveal necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings.

It looked less like my family’s living room and more like a private showroom.

Mum was already there. So was the stylist. I recognised her immediately.

She was a well-known name in Los Angeles, and I had seen her work on several celebrities and prominent women before.

She smiled when I approached. "Miss Hugo."

"Good afternoon," I greeted.

"I’m pleased to finally meet you." She extended her hand. I shook it politely. "Thank you for coming."

"It is my pleasure," she replied.

Two attendants stood behind her, each ready to help with whatever was needed.

Mum immediately stepped forward. "I was beginning to wonder if we would have to send someone back to the spa to get you."

I ignored the comment and looked around the room instead. "There are quite a lot of options."

The stylist smiled. "Your mother gave me a general idea of what she wanted." Then, she gestured towards the dresses. "I selected several pieces based on that."

Mum stepped closer. "I want you to wear something that will make people notice you tomorrow."

I turned at her. "Notice me?"

"Of course," she confirmed.

"It’s Vera’s wedding." I had to remind her of the fact, but it felt like she had refused to get the point.

"Exactly." Her tone made it sound obvious. "This is a Hugo family wedding. You can’t walk into that room looking ordinary."

I looked at the dresses again. There were several beautiful gowns. Some were heavily embellished. Others had dramatic cuts, long trains and elaborate details that would certainly attract attention the moment I entered a room.

I wasn’t interested, so I walked towards another rack. "This one."

The stylist looked at the dress I had selected. Mum’s expression changed. "That?"

I nodded. "Yes."

She looked at it again, a mixture of surprise and confusion contouring her face. "But I thought you would choose something more..." She hesitated. "More striking."

"I don’t want to compete with the bride," I said to her.

Mum frowned. "No one said anything about competing with Vera. You want to stand out."

I clarified. "I want to look appropriate." Then I turned towards the stylist. "Can I try this one?"

The stylist smiled immediately. "Of course."

One of her attendants took the dress while another brought the shoes I had selected.

Mum stayed in the same spot. I could tell she wasn’t pleased. Still, she said nothing. I knew she wasn’t going to do anything in front of the stylist and her attendants.

I was grateful for that small mercy.

The attendant helped me into the dress while the stylist waited outside the changing area. When I stepped out, she looked me over carefully.

"This is lovely on you."

I turned towards the mirror. The dress was elegant without being excessive. It suited me, and more importantly, I felt comfortable wearing it.

Mum looked at me for several seconds. "I still think the other one would have made more of an impression."

I met her gaze through the mirror. "I like this one."

She pressed her lips together. For a moment, I thought she might argue, but in the end, she smiled politely. "Fine."

The word sounded anything but agreeable.

The stylist stepped forward. "Would you like to see the jewellery pieces I selected to go with it?"

"Yes, please."

She opened another case. I looked through the pieces carefully before choosing a simple set. Nothing too heavy that would compete with the dress.

Then came the shoes. I selected a pair that matched without making the entire outfit look overly coordinated. For the handbag, I chose something equally simple.

By the time I was done, the stylist had already arranged everything together. She looked pleased.

"You have a very clear sense of what you like."

"I prefer simple things," I replied.

"I noticed."

Mum gave a small smile. "I suppose she will always be like that."

I glanced at her. She smiled again, this time more naturally.

The stylist and her attendants began packing the pieces I had chosen, then I changed back into my clothes and returned to the room.

Mum was still looking at the dress I had rejected. "I still think you should reconsider."

I didn’t know what other reason she had for being insistent, but I still rejected her suggestion. "I won’t."

She looked at me, forcing a polite smile up my lip as I finished, "I’ve already made my choice."

There was another brief silence. Then she nodded. "Fine."

The stylist approached with the final selection. "Everything will be delivered and arranged for tomorrow."

"Thank you."

She smiled. "You’re welcome, Miss Hugo."

After they left, the room gradually returned to normal. Mum looked at me and declared, "You really are stubborn."

I picked up my handbag. "I learned from somewhere."

Her eyebrows lifted. I smiled innocently before walking away.