The Wedding Project 💍

'I Will Possess Your Heart' - The Caterer (@XxxSistersxxX)

It has been almost four years since Dustin met the woman who stole his heart. Anna Gilmour. The only problem was that Dustin wasn't hers. Anna barely even registered that Dustin existed. He was just another salesperson on whom she had to get a restraining order.

It started in mid-July four years ago when Anna walked into the expensive jewellery store that Dustin was working in. She instantly caught his attention when she made jokes and laughed with him. She had dark locks of well-maintained curls that sat so effortlessly around her soft, delicate features. Never had Dustin seen a more stunning woman in his life. She was the dream of any man, a triple catch, as she wasn't stuck up like his other customers; she was kind and attentive. She even understood when Dustin told her it would take a couple of weeks to fix her anklet.

That evening, Dustin used the address Anna had given to take a peek at where she lived. He wasn't going to stay long. Just a quick look, and he would return to his evening. But he couldn't. Her place was open, and anybody could see right in. From then on, he decided to keep an eye on her for her sake. Any creep could be watching her, and she was all alone, so he needed to keep her safe.

For years, Dustin followed her from city to city, leaving any job if it meant she wasn't close. He watched as she went from relationship to relationship. Each man was worse than the last. Neither one respected or treated her right. They cheated, and in plain sight, it was a true testament to Dustin's love that he didn't step in. He had to let it go on until he could not take it any longer.

It was like any typical day when Dustin had the night shift, so he followed her from building to building until she stopped in a small café on a crowded street. Usually, Dustin found a good hiding spot opposite the café window, but it was so crowded he didn't think he would get a good view. So that day, he went in, got himself a coffee, and sat a few tables down from Anna. He had been so close, that he could hear everything she said on her phone.

She was ranting about men and how she believed she would never find a good one. Yet Dustin was sitting just tables away. He knew he was the man for her. There was no doubt about how well Dustin knew her. After all, he had been looking after her for the last two years. She had to realise he was the man she needed.

So Dustin took his shot. He got up and told Anna all about the last two years. About how the minute he saw her in that jewellery shop, he knew she was the one. He even told her about how he had been watching over her, protecting her for years.

She didn't find this romantic or endearing; instead, she got up and told him he was the most revolting man she had ever met and seen. And a few days later, Dustin was served papers informing him that Anna had placed a restraining order against him.

He had blown his chance with her. She found him revolting, and he needed to change that. So, for the next year, he saved enough money to change his face into something more appealing. It took time, which meant he had to stay away from her for a while. But this face change was for her, so he expected her to understand. With the face change, he also changed his name. He no longer held the ugly name of Dustin Hawkins, the one she had been disgusted by. He would now be called John Banks.

After the procedure, it took many months for the swelling to go down. The new John had taken a few months to get used to the new name and face. But as he was over his recovery, John needed only one thing: Anna! He had heard through social media that she was now engaged, and her wedding was set in a few weeks on an island near Haiti. So naturally, he got himself a job as a waiting staff member and waited for her to arrive. She may be engaged, but it doesn't mean she can't still be his.

And that's why John is now sitting in a bush staring at Anna Gilmour, wearing a stunning summer dress hanging just above her pale knees. She looked no different from how John had seen her two years ago. She still had her long, luscious hair that fell back over her shoulders. He could also see the gold chain he had helped her with when they first met, dangling from her ankle and feeling a lump leave him. She was finally in his company again.