Life Begins at Midnight

Planning

He was pleased with the photos. But he didn't show it. "Ms. Wrenner. We'll be having a shoot at midnight today, so it will be good if you could shift in with Ms. Neapolitana.  We'll need you to come to the pool at eleven thirty." He told Anna, and looked at Zoe. "You can both come over together. I heard you've got a sister in your apartment. She could have a separate room for the night. Is that alright?" Zoe knew that she couldn't say no. But she didn't know how she was to break this to Monica. That she had done full justice to the shoot was okay, because that was her job, and she wouldn't let her sister's feelings come in the way, but this was different. She couldn't just bring Anna home, could she?

"Could Analemma have the separate apartment, please? I fear for my sister staying alone." She tried weakly, putting up a lame excuse. Richard guessed what was wrong, but he didn't show it. He decided to play along.

"Oh, okay. Well, maybe your sister and Ms. Wrenner could share the apartment and you can stay in the neighbouring one tonight. In fact, they'd probably be more comfortable that way. They're roughly the same age. And maybe you could bring your sister along for the midnight shoot. We wouldn't want to leave her alone, would we?" he spoke without malice, but Anna knew that he'd guessed. Zoe Neapolitana. She was Monica's elder sister. And now Richard West was going to make Anna and Monica stay in the same apartment. And he must have had something specifically humiliating planned for midnight. Otherwise he wouldn't have invited Monica over to see the fun. Anna hoped she wasn't giving it away with her face. She tried to keep her expression neutral and even managed a smile at Zoe.

Richard knew that she despised him. And he badly wanted her to flare up or make some pathetic excuse. She did neither. She was determined not to give him that tiny pleasure of making her squirm. She managed a quick expression of gratitude. "Thank you, Sir. It is very thoughtful of you." She smiled.

He was irate. This could not be happening. He made up his mind about the photoshoot at midnight. There would be no makeup again. It was one thing to dare to pose without makeup in broad daylight. It was quite another with the harsh artificial lights at night-time. And definitely not at midnight without the beauty-sleep. No model would do it.

He had a slight niggling doubt. No model would do the Cheetah Shoot either. What if this extraordinary girl did it?

He pushed away all the doubts. He had planned something for her which he was sure she couldn't take. She would break tonight.