Makeup is not a mask.
Makeup is art.
Makeup is Passion.
Makeup is an expression.
I found the quote to be true when my eyes fell on the mirror, and I gawked at the girl staring back. Her hair was swept up in a messy ballerina bun with curls falling around her round face, and her makeup was immaculately perfect. Smokey eyeshadow under freshly waxed eyebrows, made the baby blue in her eyes pop like a blue lagoon in a dark cave, and light pink lipstick adorned her lips in complement to the blush on her cheeks.
My finger grazed along one of my flawless contoured cheekbones in awe. I felt like a pretty princess, fresh out of a disney castle.
"Do you like it?" Caroline questioned, from beside me. She was the head of the makeup team Dimitri hired for me, the ultimate make-up queen.
"I look so beautiful!" I gushed.
&nbs
Thank you so very much for reading my book and supporting me. Your precious feedback means a lot to me, so don't forget to leave a review at the end of the book cx Stay Safe! Lots of love xoxoxo
~Hazel's POV~Darkness befallen over the hall before a tiny flame flickered, illuminating all that was present in the room. A dozen pairs of eyes broadened, taking the shade of amber, and in a hubbub, everyone yelled, “Happy Birthday, Lauren!”As instructed, John switched the lights back on, and I approached the coffee table, setting the strawberry cake in the middle; a customized candle shaped as the numbers seventy-six centered the top. Chuckling at the hungry expressions, I clapped my hands. “Come, come, everyone. It's time.”Like a swarm of aged bees, forty people rushed forward, huddling around a flushed Lauren who, even at this age, looked almost like a fairy tale princess in her pink fluffy gown.“Cut it, cut it, Laurie. I ain't getting any younger,” Ben urged, bouncing his frail body as much as his age let him, and everyone burst out laughing.Handing the knife to L
I stared at my reflection in the mirror. The eyes stared back were pavid, and lines of stress dwelled in-between my brows. Not an ounce of sleep blessed my eyes last night, but the concealer did a fine job hiding it. I sighed, only one name echoing through my head.Dimitri Kingston.The name that I had been hearing everywhere since I came back to Chicago. He was the unexpected billionaire who pulled his father's sinking business out of the water and established it on the highest ground above the clouds. No wonder why all the other similar companies were slowly falling out of the race.But it wasn't what had me shaking like a dried leaf in the wintry wind, it was his cruel, merciless conduct, his rumor of being the most dangerous tycoon in the city. He was so heartless, he didn't even spare his own mother from going to jail. Once his eyes were cast to something, he'd have it one way or another; no one dared falterin
The words came out of his mouth with such venom, it rendered me terror-stricken since I stepped foot in this cabin. I sat across him, listening to his schedules and noting them down, my fingers trembling over the keys on the iPad. But my heart, however, pounded from only fear I couldn't say for my eyes were glued to the hazardous beauty before me and ears to his silvery voice.His looks were something that stopped people in their tracks, urging to look once more, to devour the handsomeness to the eyes' content; features so sharp and defined as if molded out of granite, midnight hair so thick and lustrous my hand etched to run through them, and those catastrophic gray eyes if wished could bring out even the darkest of one's secrets with one glance.But I had to control myself, yet I couldn't until he looked up from his laptop. Tearing my gaze, I peered down, my ears burning like it took a visit to the Sahara desert. Fear, fasci
From the door to the bed.Back to the door from the bed.I paced, my body ached to rest after such torture at work, but my mind stayed restless. I did finish the rest of the task, staying late in the office without another word after I heard that name.He had begun.And I was the cause.I had given him the final straw to get to the Kingstons.Criminal. All I felt like was a criminal.My pacing stopped, and I leaned my head against the wall, a strangled cry left my mouth as I drove my fist on the wall repeatedly. “Why...why, just WHY?”Moments passed before a loud ringing snapped me to reality. My hand lifted, wiping my tears, and I reached for my phone, smiling at the caller ID of Jane, my attorney and good friend. Hopefully she'd have some good news to enlighten my messed-up world.
“Congratulations, Ms Green! The deal is ours because of your excellent performance yesterday.”“Thank you, Mr Cortez!” I gratified. Yeah, the Kingston Corp won the deal which explained Montero's mood after the meeting. He hadn't contacted me yet, and that was both relieving and frightening at the same time. I couldn't fathom what he might be planning next.“BTW, I'm sorry for what happened there,” he said, looking genuinely sorry, although it wasn't his fault.“It's alright.” I smiled. Even if he was a rude asshole, he kicked me out for my own good. Though everyone already saw what could be seen including Mr Cortez. My cheeks reddened realizing that, and my eyes wandered about until they fell on the black leather folder on his desk, written on the cover was 'V.V.I.' i.e. very, very important. “What's that?”His eyes followed mine, and his demeanor changed. “Uh, it's nothing.” He grabbed
“Who were you talking to, Ms Green?” Mr Cortez asked, a frown dwelling between his brows.I gulped, lowering my shaking hand holding the phone. He heard. He found out. Now he'd tell Mr Kingston, and I'd have to go to jail. No. This couldn't happen. Not when the old-age home needed me the most. “I-I...”His hand lifted, and I flinched away, deepening his frown even more. “Ms, Green? What's wrong? Who was that on the call?”He tried to approach me again, and fear took over every part of my sanity. “I... You've to believe me, Mr Cortez. I didn-”He held my shoulders firmly. “Relax! You look like you've seen a ghost. Was it your mother? Has her condition worsened?”“What?” I blinked, dumbfounded.“I saw you crying, so I thought... You sa
A cloud of white balloons hung above the head, and fairy lights sparkling in-between, resembled thousands of stars. On my left, on the spotlighted stage dwelled a large, three-storied cake with the numbers, ten thousand, written on it with decorative icing.Yes.It was a celebration day, for the Kingston Corporation had secured the first place in possessing the most number of hotels and resorts around the world.I still didn't understand the silence from the Montero division. If he really planned to take the Kingstons down, then why was he not taking any action? Why was he letting them win without a hard fight? It wasn't like my deft method of presentation won the deals at the table, no, but because there was no actual effort from the other side. It almost felt like the calm before a colossal storm hit the curbs of the Kingston fort.However, since I was the one in assistance of its crea
"Smurfette."Anger rushed through me, and I hustled out my car keys from my purse."Smurfette, wait!"Footsteps neared, and I tried to insert the key in the lock, but the shaking in my fingers made it harder."Smurfette." His hand wrapped around my wrist, seizing my struggle, and I jerked it off."Don't call me that," I yelled.Taken aback at my outburst, He stared. "Why?"I could clearly detect the hurt in his eyes. But why would he be hurt when it was supposed to be me? My fingers curled into fists, and I pushed at his chest with all my rage. "You betray me like that, and you still have the audacity to ask me why?""What? What're you talk-"Another push from my hands cut him off. "I should be the one asking you why. Why?" And another push faltered his steps, collidi