TAINTED LOVE (Racer×CEO)

N I N E

I walked casually to the royal blue body con dress sprawled on my bed. It had spaghetti straps and flooded at the floor in a generous amount. Taking it inside my bathroom without a second thought, while the ladies continued to do their work on my dressing table, I just passed knowing looks. 

I stood in front of my full-length wall mirror in my room as the bulb glowed over me and suddenly I felt beautiful. I was always the kind of person who wore shirts and leather jackets with boots. 

However miraculous it was but I couldn't deny that I was loving the change of scenario, way too much. The fitting was perfect, the neck-deep, and backless, just supported by a few silver straps. 

I don't know how long I have been staring at myself, turning and twisting but when I realized that it wasn't me alone in the room, I snapped back to reality. 

"Looks like you like my choice."

"Yes," I replied, making over to Madelyn who was holding the blow dryer. 

"You look absolutely gorgeous. Mr. Raymond is going to be in love with you all over again." I scoffed internally but gave a curt nod. 

After Madelyn had blown dried my hair, she curled them to perfect waves. "Should I leave your hair loose?" Madelyn asked herself. Looking at myself in the mirror I felt it was perfect to leave them open. 

"I think we should make a chignon bun. It will go better with the gown." Her mother suggested rather. I nodded anyway. 

As Elizabeth was working on my hair, Madelyn took care of my facial makeup. I felt like a princess, with beauticians going for my whims and fancies. "Keep the makeup minimal." I murmured to her. 

"Don't worry, your face doesn't need a lot anyway." was her reply.

 I closed my eyes and drifted off to my wonderland of thoughts. How irrelevant of Raymond, who didn't even inform me earlier that we have to attend an event. Who will come, what would they take me to be, what will they think about me, I had no clue. 

Opening my eyes as the sudden light rays made them squint, I asked them, "How long have you guys been working for Raymond's?" 

"Ever since I was twenty-one." Elizabeth quipped.

 "Gloria, Theo's mom was my college friend. But after her death I quitted working for them but then Dalziel, Mr. Raymond remarried and I was obliged to join again."

"What happened to her, I mean his mother..." 

"Breast cancer, dear. She was such a wonderful lady but after her death, everything fell apart. It was really a hard phase for both father and son. But Aislynn, Theo's stepmom is no less than a jewel. She's just as a kind hearted as Theo's real mom if not more."

"They look like great people." involuntarily the words slipped out of my mouth, as my mind was still digging to know more. 

"Of course they are. But why am I even saying these things. You might already know everything." She replied spontaneously, yet her focus didn't divert from my hair. 

"Yeah, I have. Are we done with the hair?" I changed the topic. You need to be more careful Lia. 

"Yeah, almost done. Just the finishing touches." 

My phone beeped as I asked Elizabeth to pass it to me. "Hello." 

"Yeah, the driver is at your place. The party starts in half an hour." Mr. Raymond's voice filled my ears as I stopped breathing for a sec. 

I replied 'okay' and the line went dead. The ladies continued to work on me as I started fidgeting with my fingers out of boredom. 

"Are we done?" I asked lazily for the fourth time, having a feeling to jump into the bed and immerse into a deep slumber.