Chapter 7

**SIX YEARS LATER**

“It looks gorgeous!” Freya Evergreen beamed as she admired her reflection in the mirror. The smoky eyes, sculpted cheekbones, and soft nude lipstick gave her that expensive, polished glow that always turned heads.

She turned to me with a bright smile. “I love what you did! If you weren’t always so busy, I’d steal you as my personal makeup artist in a heartbeat.”

I laughed softly and ran my fingers through her dark hair, smoothing a few stray strands. She was all set for the runway, and I was relieved my part was almost done. I glanced at my watch, feeling the anticipation build. Just one more hour and I could finally breathe.

“Elara! I need you over here!” Josh Murray, the fashion world’s golden boy, called out. I excused myself from Freya and hurried over. Backstage was pure chaos—models rushing around, stylists scrambling, everyone on edge.

“Not too bold, keep it balanced with the dress, okay?” he said quickly. I nodded with a smile as he moved on to the next girl. Today was Josh’s big moment—he was launching his most anticipated collection of the year. I studied the model in front of me, figuring out which shades would suit her skin tone and complement the outfit perfectly.

“Dry skin?” I asked her.

Her brown eyes met mine and she shook her head. “Oily, actually.”

“Got it.” I picked the right base, the perfect foundation, and my trusty beauty blender. I always worked better with the blender than a brush.

“Elara!” Josh shouted again. I picked up the pace, making sure every detail was flawless.

“Close your eyes and lean back,” I told the model. She did as I asked. The noisy chatter of the crowded room faded into the background as I worked, dabbing foundation across her face and neck. With the blender, I smoothed everything until her bronze skin glowed softly.

I was almost finished when Josh’s voice boomed again. I groaned inwardly but stayed focused, brushing highlighter along her cheekbones.

“Part your lips a little,” I said, carefully lining her full pout with the pencil.

“Josh! Come take a look!” I called, scanning the room packed with over forty people moving at full speed. He appeared out of nowhere behind me and studied my work for a second before giving me a thumbs-up.

“The show starts in ten minutes and the models still aren’t ready! God, I’m losing my mind!” he muttered.

“You’ve got this, Josh. Take a deep breath and let the stress go. Everything will be fine,” I reassured him. Even though he’d done dozens of shows around the world, he still got nervous like it was his first time.

I remembered meeting him four years ago. He’d seemed so intimidating back then, but I quickly learned he was actually the opposite. We weren’t exactly close friends, but we worked well together now.

“Yeah,” he said, straightening his sharp geometric tie. He led me over to the final model. Where on earth were Lily Harper and Mandy? They were supposed to be my assistants, yet I was doing almost everything myself. “Nervous?” I teased the girl named Darcy McEwen.

Her eyes stayed closed while I worked on her eye makeup. “Oh please, I’m practically floating,” she joked.

Ten minutes later, I watched the models line up neatly, ready to step onto the runway with Josh standing proudly beside them. The announcement began, and one by one the ten girls walked out to the main hall.

“Oh God, that was exhausting!” Mandy flopped onto a chair, letting out a dramatic sigh. I raised an eyebrow at her.

Seriously? What exactly had she done?

“Where were you two?” I asked, crossing my arms. Only a few stylists were left now, packing up accessories.

“Working, obviously,” she shrugged, avoiding my eyes. Lily Harper looked guilty, like she knew it was a weak excuse. I’d chosen them because I thought they were reliable and would actually help when I needed it. Clearly my judgment wasn’t as good as I’d hoped.

“You’re my assistants. You were supposed to be helping me. I was looking everywhere for you,” I said firmly, the frustration from earlier bubbling up again. “Tell me the truth, Mandy. Why did you disappear?”

She sat up straighter, biting her lip before mumbling, “I came to learn… to gain experience.”

“And what exactly were you doing?”

“We were doing our job,” she insisted. “Ask Lily. Kimberly Hale demanded we fetch her manager right in the middle of her makeup. I told her it wasn’t our job, but she started yelling at us. So we had to run all the way to the fifteenth floor to find him!”

I glanced at Lily Harper. She nodded, her ponytail bouncing. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Fine. But next time something like that happens, come to me first, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am!”

---

I was never letting Mandy sit next to me on a plane again. Ever. That girl practically climbed into my lap instead of staying in her own seat. God, I was wiped out. Three hours in the air had left every muscle in my body aching, but I was so happy to be home.

With a tired smile, I unlocked the door and stepped inside.

“I’m home!” I called out cheerfully. I kicked off my heels—my poor feet were killing me—and walked through the hallway into the living room. It was empty. I dropped my bag and the packages onto the blue couch and headed straight for the kitchen.

“Sweetheart, where are you?” I said loud enough for the whole house to hear. No answer.

The kitchen was quiet too, so I went to check his room. I should’ve known he’d be in there. The door was slightly open. I let out a soft sigh. “Sweetheart,” I called again, already smiling because I could picture him rolling his eyes.

I pushed the door open and there he was—my adorable little boy, sitting cross-legged on the bed with his eyes glued to the iPad. He had headphones on, which explained why he hadn’t heard me. And he was talking to someone.

The moment he noticed me, his face lit up with a huge grin. He pulled off the headphones and ran over, throwing his arms around me in a tight hug. “You’re back, Mommy!”

I laughed and covered his face with kisses. I loved this kid more than anything in the world.

“You came at the perfect time, Mommy. Aunt Clara Bennett is on the call,” he said. “She wants to talk to you.” Clever boy.

“I brought you some gifts. Go check the living room,” I told him, ruffling his jet-black hair. Before he dashed off, he gave me a quick peck on the cheek while I crouched down to his level.

Once he was gone, I picked up the iPad. My best friend’s familiar face appeared on the screen. “No wonder Leo ran off!” she pouted playfully, then broke into a big smile. “So how are you, Miss Always-Busy?”

“Don’t even ask,” I groaned, flopping onto the bed. I hadn’t slept in twenty hours and had worked straight for fifteen. The second my back hit the soft mattress, I felt pure relief. “How are you? And why are you grinning like that?”

Her smile only grew wider, making me even more curious. She didn’t say a word. Instead, she lifted her hand toward the camera. At first it looked normal, but then I noticed it the sparkling stone sitting pretty on her ring finger.