Marie Illustrated

Marie meaningfully made down the pedestrian street, right out of Maison de Victoire. It was part of the many lines of Italian baroque architecture. There - underneath the black awning that had the boutique's name in white cursive - it was the bridal shop. The dated facade only added to the beauty of the striking window display. Hélie stood near the door, steaming the ball gown in the doorway's line of sight. No doubt Zéphyrine, Cosette and Colombe were in the sewing room running down gossip. Marie walking home in those black six-inch heels was a norm.

She lived not too far from it - close enough to comfortably walk in those silver studded stiletto platforms. The pedestrian street the boutique was on made driving inconvenient. Her apartment building was also not far from the university campus which meant a lot of students lived there too. Her shoes echoed over tiled foyer towards the stairs.

"Marie," a male voice called her.

She looked over her shoulder to her upstairs neighbour. "How do you know my name?"

He held up an envelope. "They sometimes put your stuff in my box."

Marie rolled her eyes coming down the steps she had walked. "Who sends letters in this day age, anyway," she hissed, taking the envelope. She pried it open with sigh. Inside the boring white envelope was another. The pale pink envelope opened up into an invitation:

Laurelle Greyson & Evan Michael Elliott

Request the honour of your presence at the celebration of their wedding.

Tuesday, the fifteenth of July at the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild.

There was more information on the invite but what Marie read was enough to make her gag. She tossed it over her shoulder with an eye roll and her black high heels left. "Congratulations, adulterers."