Chapter 88
Zoey froze for a moment. "What would Alexander do to me?"
Tamsin, sensing the tension ease, giggled. "Come on, let's go get our hair and makeup done together."
Yvonne walked out of the VIP room, her expression tightening when she saw Zoey. "Ms. King, what a surprise to see you here."
Zoey, not particularly fond of Yvonne, gave a slight nod.
Tamsin linked her arm with Zoey's, rolling her eyes and whispering, "Seriously? She is unbelievable."
Zoey's lips curved up slightly, but she stayed silent.
Alexander followed behind, carrying Zoey's bag. Yvonne caught up and said softly, "Alexander, let me take Ms. King's bag. There might be some private stuff in there, so she wouldn't want a guy handling it."
"What's the big deal?" Marcus noticed Alexander's darkening expression and quickly stepped in, pulling Yvonne aside and whispering, "Don't start trouble."
Trying to lighten the mood, Daniel smiled. "We're all just getting ready for the Garcia family's banquet tomorrow. No need to argue, right?"
"The Garcia family's banquet? What right does Zoey have to attend?" Yvonne's voice was low but sharp.
Alexander's eyes turned cold, and just as he was about to speak, Tamsin jumped in. "Yvonne! Watch it! Zoey is my guest. It's not your place to trash about it!"
Marcus appeared just in time to pull Yvonne back. "Watch your words, Yvonne."
Yvonne's eyes reddened with frustration. "Marcus! What did I say wrong? She's got a criminal record..."
"Enough!" Alexander's voice wasn't loud, but it silenced the room instantly. "Zoey is my guest. If anyone has a problem with that, they can leave now."
Zoey remained silent, calmly looking at herself in the mirror.
The stylist was working on her hair, a strand falling over her forehead, which she gently brushed aside.
"Ms. King, your skin is amazing," the stylist praised. "What kind of makeup look would you like to try?"
"Keep it simple," Zoey said, glancing at Alexander through the mirror, who was standing not far behind her, his gaze intense.
Yvonne was pulled to the corner by Marcus, but continued to glare at Zoey with resentment.
Daniel leaned over to Tamsin and whispered, "Don't be mad. You're up next for hair and makeup. Here, have a candy."
Tamsin took the candy from his hand with a huff. "If it weren't for Marcus, I would've kicked her out already."
Who did Yvonne think she was, daring to badmouth Zoey in front of her?
Still fuming, Tamsin crossed her arms and found the stylist working on Yvonne. "Make her look ugly."
"What?" The stylist was taken aback. "Ms. Garcia, are you sure?"
Chroma Atelier was actually owned by the Garcia family, and usually, only their family members had the privilege of getting million-dollar makeovers here. If it weren't for Marcus and Alexander's friendship, Yvonne wouldn't have been allowed in.
"Yes, make her look as ugly as possible without her noticing," Tamsin insisted, eager to stand up for Zoey.
"Okay," the stylist agreed, knowing that even if the Graham family retaliated, the Garcia family would protect him.
The stylist chose a dark green velvet dress for Zoey, which made her skin look like porcelain.
When she stepped out of the fitting room, the studio fell silent.
Alexander's gaze lingered on her for a few seconds, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.
"Does it look bad?" Zoey asked, looking down at herself.
Alexander walked up to her and gently smoothed a wrinkle on her shoulder. "You look beautiful."
The simple compliment made Zoey's ears heat up.
She took a small step back, trying to hide her reaction. "Thanks."
Tamsin bounced over. "Zoey! You look like a forest fairy straight out of a fairytale!"
Daniel couldn't help but chime in. "Ms. King, that color suits you perfectly."
Yvonne stood at a distance, her nails digging into her palms. She had never seen Alexander look at anyone like that, with such focus and intensity, as if the whole world had disappeared except for that one person.
Yvonne sat at the makeup table in the VIP room, impatiently tapping her fingers. "Where's my stylist? Why isn't anyone here yet?"
The stylist rushed in, sweat on his forehead. "Ms. Graham, I'm sorry to keep you waiting."
"Chroma Atelier's service is getting worse and worse," Yvonne huffed.
The stylist kept his head down, not daring to argue. Chroma Atelier was a property that belonged to the Garcia family, but Yvonne often bossed them around, relying on her connections with Marcus and Alexander.
"I want the most eye-catching look," Yvonne demanded, staring at her reflection. "Something that will outshine Zoey."
The stylist remembered Tamsin's instructions, and his eyes lit up. "Ms. Graham, how about we try color blocking? It's very trendy this year."
"Color blocking?"
"Yes, mixing high-saturation colors. You'll definitely be the center of attention," the stylist lied smoothly. "It's perfect for your style."
Yvonne imagined herself stealing the spotlight and nodded in satisfaction. "Alright, let's do it."
Two hours later, Yvonne stood in front of the full-length mirror, barely recognizing herself. Neon pink eyeshadow paired with bright blue mascara, orange blush that looked like she had been slapped, and the most outrageous was the rainbow sequin dress that sparkled under the lights, making her look like a human disco ball.
"This... this is what you call fashion?" Yvonne's voice trembled.
The stylist stifled a laugh. "Ms. Graham, this is the latest trend. It's definitely very eye-catching."
Yvonne hesitated, turning around. The reflection was indeed eye-catching, painfully so. But determined to outshine Zoey, she gritted her teeth. "Fine, let's go with this."
When she strutted out of the VIP room, the studio fell silent again.
Daniel, who was drinking water, choked at the sight of Yvonne's look. "Yvonne, what... what style is this?"
Marcus dropped his magazine in shock. "Yvonne, you..."
Tamsin hid behind Zoey, her shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter, her face turning red.
Alexander took one look and frowned, quickly looking away. "How ugly!"
"Alexander, this is the latest trend..."
"You look like a peacock," Alexander cut her off mercilessly, turning to Zoey, who was adjusting her hair accessories. His voice softened instantly. "Need any help?"
Zoey shook her head, the dark green velvet dress making her skin look like porcelain, the simple pearl earrings adding a touch of elegance. The contrast with Yvonne's look was stark.
Daniel and Marcus exchanged a glance, both silently criticizing Alexander's blatant favoritism.
"Alexander is so biased..." Daniel muttered.
Marcus sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Did the stylist set Yvonne up?"
Tamsin came over and handed Daniel a candy. "Serves her right for badmouthing Zoey."
Yvonne stood there, her nails digging into her palms. Alexander was talking to Zoey, his gaze focused and intense, something she had never received from him.
Zoey just smiled faintly, her ears slightly red, seemingly unaware of everything around her.
"Ms. Graham, do you need any adjustments?" the stylist asked with concern.
Yvonne spun around, the sequins rustling. "Redo it! Now! Immediately!"