Wedding dress

As the days flew by, preparations for Raven and Siren's wedding were in full swing. Aiden strictly said that his mother's marriage should be the talk of the town. Alex, who had been eagerly waiting for this day for years, threw himself into the wedding preparations with enthusiasm. 

He almost emptied his wealth from all these years of hard work, to ensure everything was perfect. Despite Conan's advice that it wasn't necessary, Alex adamantly refused to listen, reminding him that the bride was "his" daughter after all.

Ian glanced down at the iPad in his hands, its screen crammed with notes and hints from binge-watching more than hundred dramas for the past week. Thirty years of singledom didn't prepare him for wedding planning as if asking a penguin to dance salsa.

But being a man of perfection, he didn't give up. He gathered ideas from his drama binge and sought advice from the eager young master Aiden. Finally, he settled on the perfect plan for the wedding venue and all its details with compiled statistics. 

He adjusted his glass and headed towards the wedding planner with full confidence.

The wedding planner was a renowned Mrs. Amelia Thompson. She was in her middle age and married a film actor. She is known for her wedding planning for many famous A-list celebrities in the film industry. 

Although it was not easy for her to accept this wedding planning on short notice, the person who is getting married is one of the powerful men in Worcester. If she makes it through this wedding, her fame would exceed beyond imagination.

So she immediately accepted the task when Raven Grey's secretary approached her for the wedding planning. 

Amelia noticed Ian approaching her with a serious expression on his face, causing her to frown in concern she wondered if something about the arrangements had displeased him.

"Mrs. Thompson," Ian greeted her, to which she nodded, offering a greeting in return.

"Is there anything you're unsatisfied with in the arrangements, Mr. Jasper?" she asked politely.

"Change our CEO's suit from black to white, Mrs. Thompson," Ian requested with all the seriousness of a world in his face.

Amelia blinked at him, utterly perplexed. "May I ask why, Mr. Jasper?"

"Absolutely. In my extensive research, I stumbled upon a revelation. You see, every bride wears white, as if marching towards heaven's gates, while the groom is left in black like he's off to some funeral. Isn't that terribly unfair?" Ian explained, wearing his 'I've got an IQ higher than a giraffe's neck' expression.

Amelia found herself momentarily speechless at Ian's peculiar explanation.

"Um... Mr. Jasper, perhaps it's best to leave such decisions to the bride and groom. After all, they're the ones getting married," she awkwardly suggested.

As Ian pondered whether she was subtly mocking him for his single status but he dismissed the thought, acknowledging the point in her words. With a nod, he delegated the remaining tasks to her, giving some suggestions from his young master, before making his exit.

Amelia let out a sigh of relief, couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "No wonder he's still single." 

With that, she turned her attention back to overseeing the other preparations.

Aiden accompanied his mother to the prestigious wedding dress boutique, booked by Mrs. Thompson. It was among the best in Worcester, typically requiring reservations a month in advance. However, with Raven in the picture everything becomes smooth.

When Siren entered the boutique with Aiden, the staff respectfully greeted her, well aware that the woman before them was going to be a member of Grey family.

Excitement buzzed among the people in the boutique at the sight of Raven Grey's bride-to-be. They couldn't help but admire Aiden's good looks as well, though he paid them no mind. 

His attention and cuteness were solely reserved for his mother.

An older woman stepped forward and graciously guided them to the VIP lounge. Aiden followed Siren into the room, his forest green eyes fixating on the dress displayed on a mannequin.

Furrowing his brows, he muttered, "Does this dress even come close to matching his mother's beauty?" In his heart, nothing could ever compare to his mother. 

His mother was simply the best of best. 

Meanwhile, a different kind of frown creased Siren's face as she gazed at the wedding dress before her, her thoughts weighed down by another concern.

She took measured steps forward, her curiosity piqued as she approached the back of the dress. As her gaze swept over the intricate design, that's where she lost it. She was glad for the ample amount of fabric draping the front of the gown compared to the back.

Of course the dress was beautiful. It was backless, adorned with white beads and stones, creating a symmetrical pattern that cascaded gracefully across the shoulders and down the spine.

At the front, soft satin silk enveloped most of the body, while delicate transparent lace, embedded with tiny crystals, adorned her bosom and flowed down from the high thigh slit. A long white chain tied around the waist accentuating the curves.

"Ma'am, would you like to try it on? We can make alterations if necessary," the older woman accompanying them asked politely.

Siren nodded in agreement and turned to address Aiden. 

"Wait for me here, and don't go wandering off," she instructed him, giving his hair a playful ruffle before gesturing for him to take a seat on the nearby couch.

Aiden nodded his head and took the seat. He is eager to see his mother in a wedding dress. His mother must be beautiful in that dress he mused to himself as he waited for her obediently.

Meanwhile, Siren took the dress from the attendants and disappeared into the changing room to try it on. With careful movements, she shed her previous attire and slipped into the silk satin white gown, which hugged her figure like a second skin.

Once she wore the dress she looked at herself in the mirror. She never imagined she'd have the opportunity to wear a wedding dress in her lifetime, yet here she was, adorned in one. She ran her hands over the cloth feeling the smoothness under her fingers.

This moment felt surreal.

With one last look at the mirror she exited the changing room and walked towards the lounge where Aiden had been waiting for her. 

As Aiden caught sight of his mother emerging out from the room, his eyes widened in awe, and he sat there, momentarily stunned by her mother's beauty.

"Aiden, You didn't like this?" Siren asked with uncertainty, noticing his long silence.

Aiden came out of his daze and smiled brightly, "Mama looks so beautiful" he said as he rushed to her, just when he intended to hug her legs, he stopped not wanting to wrinkle the dress. 

He looked up at his mother, he grinned showing his teeth, "Mother is beautiful"

Siren smiled genuinely as she placed her hand on the top of his head.

"Mam, the dress needs a little bit of adjustment in the waist area. It should be ready before the wedding" The woman said as she observed that the dress was a little bit loose there. 

"Sure," Siren said as she changed into her dress and handed over the wedding gown to the staff for alteration. She didn't bother asking about the cost, knowing it was settled by Raven's secretary.

Exiting the shop, Siren halted, deep in thought. Since registering her marriage with Raven, he had taken care of everything she needed, even though it was subtle. She wanted to give him something in return, but Raven Grey seemed to lack nothing.

"Aiden, do you know what your father likes?" she asked him.

Aiden thought for a moment before replying, "Father is interested in suit lapels. Is Mama thinking of buying Dad a gift?"

"Hmm" 

"Then I know the best shop around here" Aiden chimed as they drove towards the shop he said.