I endured the searing pain in my wrist, lifted my chin, and stared straight into his eyes.
"Dominic, you make me sick."
I wrenched my arm free with every ounce of strength I had.
A ring of angry red marks already bloomed across my wrist.
I didn't spare him another glance. I turned and walked away.
Behind me came the sound of Dominic's arrogant scoff, followed by the mechanical click of the glass door's lock engaging.
Click.
The bridal shop's heavy glass doors sealed shut behind me.
I turned around.
Dominic stood on the other side, tossing an electronic key fob he'd taken from the shop manager, flipping it lazily between his fingers.
He watched me through the glass, one corner of his mouth curling upward.
"Gabriella. I told you. Without my say-so, you're not going anywhere."
I slammed my palms against the glass. "Dominic! This is unlawful imprisonment! Open this door!"
"Imprisonment?"
He strolled back to the sofa with the unhurried ease of a man who owned the world, sat down, and crossed one leg over the other.
"I'm simply teaching my fiancée what it means to follow the rules."
Millicent sidled over and leaned against his shoulder, flashing me a taunting smile through the glass.
"Gabriella, just stop making a scene. Dominic's only doing this for your own good."
"Besides, it's about to pour out there. You can't even get a ride."
Dominic pulled out his phone and dialed a number right in front of me.
"Cancel every supplementary card under Gabriella Robinson's name."
"Freeze all her hotel VIP privileges."
"Notify every car service and ride-hailing platform in Grandview: anyone who accepts a booking from Gabriella Robinson is making an enemy of the Kesslers."
He hung up and rapped his knuckles against the glass.
"Gabriella. That pride of yours? It's worthless."
"Without me, you can't find a place to sleep in this city."
"I'm giving you two hours to think it over."
"When you've come to your senses, you can get on your knees outside this door and beg."
The sky darkened fast.
Wind tore through the street, and then the rain came, sudden and merciless.
It soaked through my clothes in seconds, chilling me to the bone.
I stood beneath the narrow awning outside the shop, shaking from head to toe.
I pulled out my phone. The screen was flooded with notifications.
Dear valued customer, your credit card has been frozen by the primary cardholder...