The Ruthless Virgin Mistress ✔️ (completed)

One

Heyo Lovelies!!! Welcome to the first chapter of this lovely book and be sure to leave a vote and a wonderful comment...it makes me smile✨♥️✨♥️✨

Dedicated to Pauloluchi

*****

"You look amazing," Elizabeth, the beautician, chattered as she fanned out Claire's unruly mane of flame-coloured curls over her slim shoulders. "You're going to be the star tonight."

    Claire seriously doubted that forecast and reckoned that only a woman confident of her face and body would actually want to take part in a fashion show. She was only there by default, stepping in last minute for the amateur model who had twisted her knee in a fall during the dress rehearsal. Claire had never liked either her face or her body. When she was a child the mirror had been her enemy, destroying her every dream of being a fairy princess in disguise.
    One of her earliest memories had been of hearing her father complain that she was an ugly duckling. Sadly for her, however, the swan phase had failed to transpire, Claire reflected wryly. Her hair had stayed defiantly red, her freckles had increased and her elongated gawky legs had continued to ensure that she towered over most people at a comfortable five feet nine inches in her bare feet. In her opinion, her unfashionably large breasts and hips only increased her oddness.  Only once in her life had Claire considered blessed by any claim to attraction. That had been the miraculous day when Damian Schone had asked her out. During the months that had run up to their wedding day the world had truly seemed to be a joyous place sprinkled with stardust and happiness. But even Damian had once suggested that she might look better as a blonde.

    "Catherine is incredible," Elizabeth commented as a fair-haired woman in a wheelchair sped busily past. "I really do admire her. To have lost so much and still be so Keen to help others."

    "That's Catherine all over," Claire agreed as she admired her brother's wife equally. Catherine might have lost the power of her legs five years earlier, but she still cared for her husband and two children, met the demands of a full-time job and made room for fund-raising activities to support Futures, the spinal injuries charity that had helped her in her hour of need. The fashion show that Claire had helped to organize was being held in aid of Futures.

    "Someone told me that she got hurt in a car crash on her brother's wedding day..."

    "Yes." Claire confirmed, her freckles standing out against her sudden pallor. "A drunk driver."

    "I'm sure I read about it in the newspaper at the time."

    "There was a lot of pressure coverage." Claire did not want to think back to what had happened to the wedding party that dark, wet November day. One moment she'd had everything to live for, the next morning, but she knew how lucky she was to have emerged virtually unscathed from the wreckage. Her brothers love from had been torn apart and, although the pessimistic had forecast otherwise, his marriage had survived the cruel blow that Catherine had suffered.

    "Love the make-up, Elizabeth," Catherine remarked, wheeling to a halt beside them. "You've done Claire proud."

    "It wasn't difficult. She's got great bones and eyes."

    "You look wonderful," Catherine told her sister-in-law warmly.

    Claire studied her reflection. She thought she looked outrageous with her violet-coloured eyes smothered in exotic plum shades and glitter and diamante shimmering in an artistic arc across her cheekbones, but she supposed that the spectacular heavy make-up was all part and parcel of the illusion of glamour. "Is Andrew here yet?" she enquired.