Chapter 418: Future Wife

After Olivia had pointed out to her that she was putting the dress she borrowed on backward; Mina shifted the fabric and immediately felt a sense of dread overtake her. The dip that she had believed was supposed to be at her back, was in the front, and more of her cleavage was visible than she had ever shown to anyone. Willow's teasing did not help, and Mina felt the urge to cry as her friend circled her and poked her in places that she did not appreciate being poked.

"Have they gotten bigger?" Willow asked, remembering that she and Mina were not too far off from one another in chest size, but things had obviously changed.

"I think it's the dress," Mina said in a faint voice.

"It's not the dress," Olivia said from where she sat. She stood up, rummaged through one of her bags and tossed something lacey to Mina. "Put it underneath." Mina stripped the upper part of what she was wearing and slipped into what Olivia had given her.

"What is this supposed to do?" The lace bralette did nothing in Mina's opinion, but Olivia and Willow told her she was being dramatic. Willow pushed Mina back into a chair and added more make up to the girl's eyes and lips. She then framed Mina's face with a loose curl on each side.

"You aren't leaving my side tonight. I will punch anyone who comes too close to you," Willow stated.

"What if it's Connor?" Olivia questioned.

"I've been wanting to punch Connor for seven years."

"I kind of want to punch him too," Mina added. The women laughed and continued getting ready, with Mina staring at herself in concern. She did not think she looked ugly, but she did not know if she were ready to step into a room full of desperate hopefuls looking as though she was jockeying for a position within their ranks.

----

Connor kept his eyes trained toward the only open entrance to the main hall. He was sitting at a table set up on the stage with some of his closest friends, but men were not his main concern. Connor wanted to see Mina. She was unlike women who he had in the past, and the thought of being with someone so innocent made him feel refreshed. He wondered how much fun it would be to slowly corrupt her in ways she would probably turn red just hearing about.

"Waiting on someone?" Oric asked Connor, who was not being his usual self. Especially when one took into consideration that it was his birthday party.

"Yes; I am waiting on my future wife." Connor took a sip from his drink, and Cylus who was talking to Vanya became distracted by his friend's words.

"Your what now?" Connor had never entertained the idea of marriage, and he had always touted that he would think about commitment when he was closer to forty. Naturally, Cylus was intrigued by whoever made the man change his mind so abruptly.

"I did not understand it at first; what you two saw in her, but now I do." Oric and Cylus did not have to know who Connor was speaking about, and Cylus, for the sake of Vanya chose not to say the woman's name.

----

Refusing to be the first ones at the party, Willow and Olivia chose to wait until the music was so loud that Mina worried for the local wildlife. She questioned whether the noise pollution was legal, and as expected, after a quick search on Olivia's phone, she found that the law allowed it on weekends up until 6AM. Mina shook her head, fully aware that ordinances like that were only geared to cater toward one group of people.

Satisfied that it was the perfect time to join the celebration, Willow checked herself in the mirror, adjusted her breast and strutted out of the room, leaving Olivia and Mina behind her. She had already told them that her appearance had nothing to do with Connor's party, and she wanted to stir up a bit of mischief before they regrouped. For Willow, she was making a declaration to everyone who had ever uttered a word against her. She was showing them that she was not a little girl anymore, and in the past, she had chosen not to fight back.

When Willow stepped into the room, she expected a few heads to turn, but she was thoroughly impressed with herself when more than one woman rolled their eyes at her. Willow's eyes danced around the area, and she found Connor, who as expected made himself very visible to others. She sashayed up to the stage, swaying her hips more than necessary, and loving the reaction she was getting.

Willow made sure to make and keep eye contact with some of the men who had tried to embarrass her family by denying her invitation to her coming out party with rude responses, instead of just staying silent on the matter. She could tell that many of the men and women around had no idea who she was, and that was fine, but for the few that recognized her, she had a small performance to put on for them.

Filled with malice, Willow gracefully made her way onto the stage, where Connor stood to greet her. He went to place a kiss on her cheek, but she dodged his lips and lifted her hand to him instead. The man glared at her, but it was Willow, and she did whatever she wanted whenever she wanted.

Connor kissed Willow's hand and she withdrew it while his lips were still on her dorsal. He chuckled to himself, fully aware that she was trying to humiliate him, but he refused to hit a woman, and he was fairly sure that Willow could take him in a fight and would probably enjoy beating him in front of so many people.

"You know if you were a man, I would have hit you already," Connor whispered with a smile.

"Do you think I wouldn't hit you back?" Connor shook his head.

"Which is why I haven't," he replied. "Where is Mina?" The pair were still on stage, but Connors back was to the doors.

"You mean that gorgeous woman over there?" Willow pointed and Connor turned in the direction, along with everyone else who had been staring at the two interact.

Cylus stiffened and both Oric and Connor stared at Mina with wide eyes. Oric found himself conflicted, he could tell Mina was uncomfortable, but he had moved aside in exchange for Connor's promise not to pursue Willow. They all watched as Brayden made his way to the woman who looked like she was lost.

No one in the room expected Connor to react faster than anyone had ever seen him move for any reason. He quickly made his way to Mina, rudely interrupting her conversation with one of his own.

Ever polite, Mina bowed her head to Connor.

"Happy birthday." Mina produced a small box from behind her back and handed it to the man. She had not bought the present herself, but she had arranged for it with Connor in mind.

As a 'thank you' gift, AccuVision asked Mina if there was anything she was particularly into, and she claimed to collect men's cufflinks. The company did not ask questions, and a day later she received a brilliant set of sapphire and white crystal links that she was too scared to have appraised without James by her side. The gift had always been for Connor, who Mina believed would just toss them to the side with the hundreds of other gifts she was sure he would receive, but the man looked surprised.

Connor took the box from Mina's hands not waiting to sit before opening it. He looked at the delicately crafted men's accessory before him and said the first two words that popped into his head.

"Marry me."