They Already Won

~~ RHEA ~~

Olga. The most talented fashion designer in Madrid waltzed in wearing a fur coat.

Her eyes were bright. Not as bright as her, red lipstick.

Her brows folded and her lips pursed, observing me like I was her next big project.

Then Walter. The best makeup artist on the island followed.

He hustled me into a chair, spinning it, and I momentarily flinched at the speed of it.

Lucian and Lily were seated on the couch watching me in interest.

“They're overdoing it. That was dangerous.”

“Relax. Dad. She'll get used to it.”

I heard Lucian stifle an uncomfortable groan before forcing himself to relax.

“Good shoulders. Your hips are great. Fine calves. Beautiful legs.” Olga said, running her hands over my body as I stood on a platform.

“What do you mean?”

“It means your fashion sense was the problem. You have the body fit of a top model. Perfect," Olga said, her eyes shining with precision.

I didn't have time to think too much as I got gently pushed into a chair in front of a mirror by someone that just walked in.

“I'm Vanessa, your hairstylist. Trim cut or bobbing?” He asked in a heavily accented tone.

“Trim–”

“Trim cut it is.” Vernice answered and got to work.

In fact, I could barely understand them because they all had that thick Spanish accent, but I decided this was just a stepping stone to gaining my real identity back.

The identity I once threw away like it meant nothing was all for a lie.

The identity I forever buried.

Imagined it was lost forever

Didn't have the courage to claim it.

And that same identity being the one that saved me.

A bit of trimming, spraying my hair perfumes, and palming.

Then face powder and eyebrow carving.

Applying lipstick and dabbing a little bit of this and that.

Then Olga made me throw on a champagne silk dress that had a thigh-high split running down my thighs.

I waited back in the bathroom after getting changed.

Looking through the mirror, I stared back at my reflection.

I was gorgeous. Looking bold and dangerous with the red lipstick and my short-length hair trimmed to perfection, revealing features my long, greasy hair has hidden for years.

I felt for my face.

Minimal makeup that didn't hide my entire self

It just outlined the features of me that years of neglect had failed to.

For a moment I felt powerful and free.

Like a Hemmington should feel.

It felt right.

Then I recollected the hate and anger in Henry's eyes

The indifference in Kayon’s eyes as I begged him to remember I was his mom while he held another woman's hand and called her mom.

Then the smugness in Camille's expression.

The disinterest in Amaya's face.

The condescending treatment of Matilda and Sloane Henry's mom and sister.

The mocking laughter of his business partners.

Who was I?

Who was I trying to be?

What was my real identity?

“Rhea. Please come out let's see the work of art.” Olga called.

I pushed those thoughts out of my mind and took one last look at myself in the mirror before stepping out.

Lucian Froze as he took me in.

Gasp traveled across the room, and Lily's smile brightened.

“Oh my god... You look so beautiful. I want to take a picture.” Lily ran out of the room, returning with a camera hanging around her neck.

Lucian stood up, walking up to me slowly.

His eyes still took me in. His silence ate me up, and I suddenly felt like something was wrong.

Was he disappointed he wasted his money on me already?

The way Henry was. The side looks he gave me each time he bought me a cheap fit.

Like it was too much for me.

Like, I didn't deserve it.

“What do you think?” I asked, my voice right.

“You're… you're..”

“Just say she's perfect, Dad. He's probably too stunned to speak.” Lily teased, and Lucian faced cracking with something into something like a smile.

Over the years I've known him he barely smiled but for some reason I caught a faint laugh line crease.

“She took the words right out of my mouth. You look stunning.”

I swallowed, feeling better.

His words. They were genuine.

Always has.

Then after the whole makeover session, Lucian introduced me to Professor Gunner.

He was a Spanish-American. Older. Sharp features. Calculating stern eyes. A permanent scowl on his face.

Thankfully his accent was that thick compared to the others.

“He's your new tutor. He'll teach you about. Business. Power. Strategy. Money. By the time he's done with you, you'd know everything about the basics.”

“What are the basics?"

“Bonds. Shares. In flow. Network. Divisions. Mergers. Finance language," Lucian answered.

I wasn't sure what to expect as I watched Gunner perched in Lucian's study, looking like he was going to squeeze every piece of knowledge into my brain, whether I liked it or not.

I panicked. My breathing moving fast.

“Can I do it? Henry never thought I could do anything. He'd say we co-owned something but left me out of the signing and checking the documents. He said he'd handle everything, so I never had any firsthand experience.”

“That's what he did to keep you conditioned. Dependent on him. To him that is control. And now you're free of him, free of control, so yes, you can do it.” Lucian encouraged.

I nodded, bracing myself as I watched him walk out of the door, leaving me alone to face my battles…

But I knew I wasn't in some makeover session.

At least not in his house.

Did I trust him?

“Over here. Missus. No time to waste. The market waits for no one.” Professor Gunner waved me over.

I went to the table and sat across from him.

We went over finance journals, divisions, market analysis, and the professional terminology.

My brain heated up on the verge of exploding as Professor Gunner barked orders for me to redo the assignment until I got everything right.

At a point I developed a headache, finally giving in.

“Can you slow down? I don't even know what I'm doing. I'm 35, divorced, without my family. He left me and moved on with another woman, and now I'm here after everything, letting you lecture me about business, ethics like I'm some teenager. I'm too old for this.”

I dumped the book on the table in surrender.

Gunner had a cold smile as he tilted his head.

“Fine. Good. Let's stop all this. Throw the books away and we both leave this room relieved. But that means you let them win.”

“They already won.” I countered.

“For now. Tables can only turn when you get up and go for it. If you sit there, sad, feeling sorry for yourself, you'll never change anything. You'll let them win until the very end.”

Win until the end?.

They got engaged, with a wedding on the way.

Could they continue living their happy lives?

Camille would give Henry a kid or two.

Kayon would have new siblings.

Amaya would continue going over to see my family.

Not mine anymore.

A family that has erased me like I never existed.

Then they'd continue living their happy, normal lives.

Living without facing the consequences of their actions and pretending they had the right to happiness.

When they ruined mine.

I dug my nails into my palm until I felt my skin prick open.

I wouldn't let that happen.

I straightened up and learned.

Gunner gave me access to memoirs, assignments, journals, and analysis to study.

I stayed up all night, looking through them, calculating, solving, and resolving things that didn't add up.

“Hey.” Lucian stepped into the study, taking in the multiple books spread out in front of me.

“You haven't eaten all day.”

“I'm not hungry. I have to finish all these up before our next class. Gunner will need answers. Me too.”

Lucian leaned forward.

“You can get back to these later. I promise. And we can work out together if you need to loosen up.”

His hand brushed mine, and for the first time in hours, I looked up, and I felt him tense up.

He looked away from me, his eyes falling behind me.

“And it's time to get you new ones.”

I followed his eyes, and it landed on the piece of jewelry lying next to me.

A necklace Henry had bought...

It was cheap, but I cherished it.

That's what you do when you love someone.

Cherished whatever thing they bought, though matter how little, how insignificant it seemed.

Even if it was a rock.

I almost laughed at my stupidity.

I was stupid to have believed in him so much.

That he'd never hurt me.