"Knowles-Maraj residence." I uncapped my water and took a long sip.
"Don't tell meh you've gone and gotten hitched before I could even meet ya child."
My eyes nearly fell out of my skull. That could only be one person. "Mrs. Maraj I-" I choked.
"C...
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any (song) names/persons mentioned in this story. This is a fictitious representation of events. Uses are for entertainment purposes only.
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April 28th, 2016 - 7:29pm - 10 Grand Ave Apt 3B - Brooklyn, NY
"Irreplaceable"
Bey POV
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I was coming off a year high. After securing my partnership with Pepsi-Co more brands wanted my face attached to them. I was receiving offers every day from big name retailers including H&M, Armani, Tommy Hilfiger, Samsung, American Express, and L'Oreal Paris! The first thing my management team wanted to do was get some head shots of me for future business ventures.
Who knew that a couple of pictures of my face would land me a modeling contract with Wilhelmina Models? I mean, I've always been a pretty girl but I never thought I could be model material. I almost couldn't believe it at first! I was all teeth and gums when I signed the bottom line—and from there things just kept happening for me. It was photo shoot after photo shoot, on top of a few highly publicized editorials.
L'Oreal coughed up the big bucks for a 5-year contract that instantly made me a multi-millionaire. Like 4.7 million to be exact. And in turn I was required to appear in photoshoots and promotional events for 10 days out of each calendar year. And if I wanted to, I could work an additional 2 days for an extra 25 thousand per day. The contract came with a few reasonable stipulations. I was forbidden to buy or use any products from Revlon or Clairol, and I had to maintain my "excellent" physical condition. Including my current weight, skin color, hair style and length, and shade and tone. I also had to submit to hair inspections as well—with appropriate notice.
Small price to pay for a couple million dollars.
To say this was a dream come true would be a massive understatement. The truth was I couldn't put into words how incredibly lucky I was. When I would come on set I'd get so excited to see my name on the call sheet or on my dressing room in big sparkly letters. Up until this point I was so used to being behind the camera, helping other people execute their vision. Choosing fabrics, researching trends, creating design concepts. Those skills I had worked so hard to hone were like second nature to me. But to be in front of the camera was a whole new thing entirely.
The newfound visibility I'd gained opened me up to amazing opportunities, yes. But it also left me exposed to unrelenting scrutiny.
