Billionaire's Cinderella

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 7

It'd been three hours, and Sarah was still in her chair while Henry gave final touches to her makeup. She didn't look up to see herself in the reflection for about an hour because she wasn't sure how she'd respond to her looks. She sure had worn makeup before but not this much. Her hair had been styled as well.

Sarah didn't feel bored because Henry had so many stories to tell. He bragged about the times he worked with famous artists of Hollywood. At some points, even Sarah had was surprised with the information he had shared with her. She felt as if she was in a different world.

Despite all this, Sarah tried to distract herself but Evey now and then she had thought about Chris, and the car ride they had shared this morning. A brief smiled would play on her lips when she thought about his witty comebacks. Well... those weren't so much witty but lame.

Sarah chided herself mentally. She shouldn't be thinking about men. They were only troubles and her life didn't have time to include another one in an already fucked up equation. Her family would not appreciator her actions. And getting involved with a white man would only cause problems, nothing else. Brown families were like these. And her family was hard-core traditional. It'd take a lifetime to change their opinions, especially her grandfather. She had learned her lesson.

What would you tell them about this little impelling stunt of yours? And about graduating from an arts college instead of medical? Her subconsciousness sowed a seed of guilt.

Ashlyn's voice broke Sarah's trance. "OK, listen beauties! Everything is set, and guests have started to come and we'll be starting this grand fashion show in about 45 minutes." Many models cheered in response. "After the fashion show, there will be a party in the hall. And you all are invited to join." And announcement generated more enthusiastic cheers.

Sarah didn't notice when Crystal came and stood beside her chair.

"You're looking gorgeous, Sarah," she complimented her shyly. Sarah had gotten to know her and Ashlyn, and she liked these girls. Ashlyn was kinda her boss, but Crystal worked for Chris and Sarah was amazed at how cool-headed she was while working for him. Because she had seen Chris being difficult to please. He didn't spare Crystal either. He had tried to rile her up but she never reacted. Well, at least not in front of her except for this morning when she informed Chris that she had quit.

"Thank you. I haven't seen myself in the mirror. Should I do?" Sarah replied.

Crystal nodded with a small smile. "Henry's work is a piece of art. Your eyeshadow is complimenting your blue-green eyes. Even with your mask, no one can miss them."

Sarah dared to turn her attention to the mirror and slowly moved her eyes to her reflection. For a few seconds, she was confused that what exactly she was looking at. Then realization dawn upon her that it was her. A beautiful face staring back at her was her. Sarah never considered herself beautiful because for her it was difficult to see what beauty others would see on her face. She didn't have that self-awareness, no matter how many times others complimented me; how many boys approached her in school days. She had always dismissed those compliments. And she never saw why people would go crazy about her eyes. She was told on several occasions that her eyes were of unusual shade. They were true as well because most of the girls in her community had brown eyes. She rarely saw a brown woman with either blue or somewhat green eyes.

"I can't believe this is me." Sarah breathed out.

"Oh believe me doll! It's you. See I told you that I'd make you even more gorgeous." Henry fanned his face with a proud expression.

Sarah had the neutral eyeshadow but just a hint of peacock blue and green colored thin streaks over her eyeliner enhanced her look. Caramel-colored lipstick gave her a soft look. Her hair had loose curls. She looked beautiful.

"Thank you, I love it." She gushed.

"Wow! You're going to slay everyone." Ashlyn praised her, then she went to talk to other models to motivate them.

"Let's get you into the dress," Crystal said.

"Alright. Let's go." Sarah stood up from her chair. "Thank you, Henry. You're amazing."

"You're welcome, and I'd love to work with you again."

Then both Crystal and Sarah walked out of the room to go to the other one where dresses had been kept.

"Didn't you quit today?" Sarah asked, remembering the phone conversation Chris had while they drove here.

Crystal's face reddened. With a guilty look, she shrugged her shoulder. "Yeah! I did. But then I felt pity for Chris. I know he is very different but he's still my brother. For these three months, he had been miserable. He had fired more than a dozen assistants. So... here I am. Helping him, no matter what."

"Oh!" Sarah nodded in understanding but she was curious to know what made him tick like this that he fired so many people in just three months.

They both bettered the room. There were already few models who were getting their dresses off the racks.

Sarah spotted her name tag on the cover and was about to get it off the rack when Crystal stopped her.

"Sarah, don't wear this dress."

"What?" Sarah was shocked. She couldn't understand why crystal would stop her. And that too just half an hour before the fashion show. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, but I feel something is wrong."

"Crystal, you're not making any sense."

"I know it sounds lame but I feel things and it's kinda sixth sense to me."

"Okay, what are you feeling now?"

"That you shouldn't wear this dress otherwise something would go wrong." Crystal whispered.

A range of scenarios played in Sarah's mind. And one of them was a wardrobe malfunction in front of everyone. She felt scared. She didn't want to experience that.

"Why are you feeling this?" Sarah asked.

"Because I saw Stella leaving the room when we were walking in here. You didn't see her but she looked in your direction and there was an unsettling expression on her face. I don't think she is up to anything good."

"You think she has done something to the dress?" Sarah remembered either encounter a few hours ago. The way she talked and left without creating a scene. Sarah sucked in a breath.

"What do we do now?"

"We should tell Ashlyn and Chris." Crystal replied.

"You're right." Sarah agreed and Crystal called Ashlyn and told her to bring Chris with her.