Chapter 6 - The Transformation|
Three weeks passed inside the Sterling Estate like the most extravagant dream I had never dared to imagine.
My frayed, oversized maternity clothes were thrown into an incinerator. In their place, my walk-in closet was filled with custom-tailored haute couture from Paris and Milan. A team of elite makeup artists, etiquette coaches, and private nutritionists fluttered around me daily.
I looked at myself in the massive gilded mirror.
My hair, once brittle and dull from stress, was now glossy and styled into an elegant updo. My pale skin was radiant and glowing. The emerald-green silk gown hugged my curves and my eight-and-a-half-month baby bump perfectly, exuding a quiet, dangerous power I didn't know I possessed. My blue eyes, which used to hold only fear, now flickered with a sharp, cold flame.
“You look breathtaking, my queen,” Eleanor stepped into the room, smiling with immense pride.
“I feel like a completely different person,” I said, running my fingers over the smooth silk.
“No, Clara. This is who you always were. The weak facade you wore before was the illusion,” Eleanor stood behind me, resting her hands on my shoulders through the mirror. “Tonight is the biggest high-society charity gala of the year. This is when I officially introduce you to the world. Are you ready?”
I took a deep breath. The memory of Julian’s contempt in the courtroom and the nights I spent crying in humiliation flashed through my mind, fueling a new fire.
May you like
“I’m ready,” I answered, my voice steady and unwavering.
“Good. Because according to the guest list, Julian’s mistress and her family will be there. I intentionally didn't cross their names off.” Eleanor smirked, a deadly expression I realized I was starting to mirror. “It’s time we show them how a real lioness roars.”
