Dear Ex Wife Please take me back by The Every Woman

ATHENA

"I don't believe that shit for a second!" Isabelle holds her hip as she watches me brush my hair.

"You look beautiful with your hair down." A certain voice I shouldn't have in my head whispers, making my heart clench.

"Not everything has to do with Alex, Izzy. I won a prize and took it." I watch her through the mirror.

She straightens and walks towards me. Still in scrubs and looking tired as hell.

"You should rest."

"Nope. I have to see your dress and see your full look. Otherwise, I'll have a sleepless night." She walks to the bag where the dress is.

Noticing how silent it has been, I turn and find Isabelle standing with her mouth half open.

"You don't like it?" I bite my lip.

The women kept on recommending it to me, and I ended up convinced.

"Girl, how much was this dress? I have no words for it. It's so gorgeous." She carefully places it on the bed like she's holding something fragile.

Then she takes her phone to take a picture of the dress.

"What are you doing?" I laugh.

"Checking the price. This dress looks like it can buy me a car. In Fact two." She says, and I roll my eyes.

"Izzy, put your damn phone dow-"

"$10,000?" Her wide eyes look at me.

What?

"That's not possible. Mine should be an imitation." I state the obvious. "Now unless you want me to be late, help me zip up!"

Isabelle's hands are cold as she helps zip me up, muttering under her breath.

"If this is an imitation, then I'm Beyoncé."

I laugh despite the growing nerves in my stomach.

The fabric hugs me like it was made for my skin. It's the kind of dress that makes you stand taller, breathe slower. Midnight blue, velvet-like texture with a thigh-high slit and a delicate shimmer that catches the light every time I move.

I feel like a stranger in my own skin. A more powerful, less breakable version of me.

"I swear to God," Isabelle murmurs, circling me slowly, "If I didn't know you, I'd think you were a... femme fatale in a Bond movie. One look and men drop dead."

"Not exactly the

moves to fix a strand of my hair, her fingers softer now. "You've never looked like this before. Like... you're about to burn the world

from me, though my throat tightens. "Maybe I

"They

rings, making us

expecting someone?" She asks, and I shake my head

out then." She says, and

final touch-up and grab my

walking downstairs when Isabelle's eyes meet me

and I've known Isabelle long enough to

it?" I ask, breaking

Mrs King." Lucas's annoying

his army uniform, so I'm shocked to see

to have ink on." I divert

He chuckles.

Don't mind it." He

in ink, some intricate design I can't make out under the low

you doing

didn't pass through to

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"What?" Isabelle asks.

ignore her and

not going anywhere with

have to be. Or should kgive him a call? ¿'m not even in the

with lan."

can tolerate. These two, I can't. It's

be late. He is with

look up, my eyes sizing

"You're lying."

He chuckles.

me in the car."

winking at

I don't call lan.

keep me from calling him, but it's

actually there. He does sleep in the hospital most

friend could wake up so we

do anything to see that sparkle

closely, her lips pursed. Something she does when

to come

head. "Even if I did. It's not possible. Sleepover tonight.