Chapter 32
Jennie
The red dress paired nicely with the gold leather Chanel heels, which I matched with a matching colour shoulder bag. There was such an array of jewellery to choose from that it took longer than expected, but I settled on something simple, a pair of golden hoop earrings that came with a simple collar necklace.
My hair was pinned back into a loose but elegant bun, with strands falling out to make my face seem smaller. I opted for a simple makeup look because I didn't know anything else. I was able to do a brown smoky eye, glue on some fake lashes, contour, highlight, and Venetian red lipstick for the final touch. I brushed my hair back, letting it fall over my shoulders, did a once over, some perfume at my neck and wrists, then stepped out of the bedroom.
I clutched the purse to my chest nervously as I made my way down the stairs, where I could see Lisa waiting for me. Her back was to me, and I could see her speaking on the phone. Once I reached the bottom, I cleared my throat awkwardly. She spun around, and I think both of our jaws dropped once we got the first look at each other.
Jesus.
Lisa Manoban literally was sex on a stick. She was in black slacks that clung to her legs, a dark blazer that fit over the broads of her shoulders and arms, a white button-up dress shirt that kissed her chest in a way that I wanted to, and a red tie I hoped she would use later tonight on me. It matched the colour of my dress perfectly. Lisa didn't wear the suit; it wore her, and God, it did an amicable job.
She was perfect. Her hair was slicked back, but nothing could keep those hairs to stay in their place. Her eyes burned a hole through my dress, and just because I wanted to, I gave her an eager little spin.
"Fuck."
"That bad?" I teased.
"That fucking sexy." She rasped.
"I feel like I'm ten feet off the floor." I pointed to the heels. Even with all the added height, I still barely came down to the middle of her chest. Something that I knew she liked. She extended her hand towards me, and with such tenderness, she pulled me to her and kissed my forehead.
"Beautiful. My beautiful Jennie." She murmured, and I smiled like a stupid girl in love. Then, with careful steps so I didn't fall forward in the heels, she led me outside the corridor and to the black car waiting for us outside in the driveway.
I kept my head down, and Lisa held my hand tightly as we walked down the line of cameras and flashes. It was loud, and I wondered if that's how she felt every time she had to do something like this. I could hear them shouting questions, but I kept my head down. The whole walk down gave me anxiety, and by the time I reached the end of the line, I let out a loud breath. Lisa gave my hand a tight squeeze as she brought it up to her lips for a reassuring kiss.
I relaxed slightly, and once the man working at the doors cleared our names, he let us inside. I brought my purse back down away from my face and walked without clinging onto her hand once I realised there no cameras were flashing inside.
The event was intimate, just as she had claimed, and it was quiet. The place where it was held felt like a palace; even the air felt expensive to breathe. I half expected someone to come along and drag me outside because they could probably sense that I didn't belong here.
A golden chandelier that was bigger than my apartment hung from the intricate web of the ceiling lighting the palace, vintage art that made no sense hung off the walls, and dark maroon marble flooring that was so clean and polished you could see your reflection in them. There was a stage at the end of the room, with red curtains pinched at the front and two women wearing flowy white dresses. One was playing the piano while the other one was playing the harp. The music was soft and melodic, and it filled the entire room gracefully. There were two bars on either side of the room where I saw most people were standing.
