CHAPTER 28
**CHLOE DUARTE**
“I'm sure James will have a fit when he sees you at the ball.", she says with a dreamy expression on her face as I quickly turn to the mirror.
“I think we found the perfect dress, Sam!", I celebrate with a smile as I see that there are only a few small adjustments left to the skirt of the dress.
Behind me, Samanta lifts my hair, helping me to observe every single detail of the gold dress that has two slits in the legs.
“Miss Miller, can you adjust this model?", Samanta asks, opening the fitting room and making room for Amber to come in and look at me with a smile on her face.
“You have picked the perfect fit, Chloe! It looks like it was made exclusively for you...", she says, leading me to another room where I climb on a sort of stool while she begins her work in finalizing the last adjustments on the dress.
After almost half an hour standing and wearing the most beautiful dress I have ever seen, I change while we go to the beginning of the store again.
“We already have the dress, all that's missing are the heels and the accessories to match it perfectly...", Amber says thoughtfully as she looks at a display of jewelry.
“Oh, no! We just came to look for the dress, I don't need any other things...", I say quickly, but she doesn't seem convinced.
“James told me to make you look wonderful for this ball and I'm just doing my job, so let's choose the jewelry!", she says with a friendly smile.
“That's very generous of him, but I can't afford the other pieces."
“Don't worry about that either, dear. James asked me to take care of everything."
With a frown, I meet Samanta's wide”eyed gaze and she shrugs her shoulders without knowing what to say.
I'm speechless too, accepting a gift in appreciation for my work is one thing I can accept, but adorning myself with expensive jewelry and shoes is another thing altogether.
I feel strange as if he is paying me with expensive objects for sex.
“I know you are just doing your job and I admire what you do, Amber. But, I won't accept anything but the dress...", Samanta hisses loudly from my side as if warning me that I am going crazy.
Amber continues to stare at me with a frown and when she tries to convince me again about accepting she ends up sighing with a smile.
“Fine, I won't insist, but I also don't want to see James' reaction when he finds out..."
“I'll take care of it!", I assume with a grateful smile.
The Personal Style personal steps aside to pick up the dress in the black cape she put on after finishing the adjustments, the piece was perfect and looked more stunning when I tried it on after finishing the final details.
“Do you know how much a pair of heels costs here, Chloe?", I turn my head to find my best friend staring at me with her hands on her waist.
“A fortune, I'm sure!", I say the obvious and see her nod.
“That's right! And you still had the nerve to refuse jewelry and a beautiful pair of heels from a luxury brand?", she says with wide eyes followed by an indignant expression.
“I know it sounds dumb, but I don't want to overdo it, Samanta!", I retort, flashing a small smile in appreciation when Amber returns with the cover and hands it to me along with a soft paper card.
“It was lovely to meet you, if you ever need my assistance again just look me up...", Amber points to the card which I quickly put in my purse.
“It was nice to meet you too, Amber!", we say goodbye with kisses on the cheek and when we leave the store we go to the exit and ask for another car by the app.
On the way home, Samanta kept questioning why I refused to accept the other gifts that would accompany the dress, I tried to dodge all her attempts, and almost failed.
I breathe a sigh of relief when the Uber parks on the sidewalk next to my building, Samanta gets out and holds the long black cape while I pay and also leave the vehicle.
We walk up to my apartment together and decide that we will stay together in each other's company until party time, since James was very generous in extending the prom invitation to my friends.
I didn't know that they had also been invited before today, I learned after Samanta let me know that she had already gotten her dress.
Before leaving for the mall I went over all the details of the party very carefully, I also received a message from James telling me about the time of the dance.
Samanta will also get ready here and we will leave together to the place where the dance will take place, Matt also attended and will meet us there.
“I have known Matt for a long time, but I have never seen him in formal clothes...", Samanta comments while we are sitting on my couch.
“It looks like we will have the great good fortune to see our bad boy wearing a suit tonight.", I comment, imagining our friend in such a way.
“Yes, our friend is not bad at all, but I know he will have a hard time knotting his tie the right way.", she says with a mocking smile, making me laugh along with her.
We talked some more until lunchtime when I accepted my best friend's help in preparing a simple and delicious meal.
Knocks on my apartment door are soon heard, I frown, dropping the tea towel as I walk to the living room where I find Samanta on the couch with Mel on her lap.
“Are you expecting guests?", she asks, but I nod and walk to the door.
When I open the door I see a man and two blond women who appear to be twins holding various types of bags and equipment, I am about to say they have misplaced the door when the brunette man pronounces himself with a smile:
“Chloe Duarte?"
“Yes, who are you?"
“We are part of the beauty salon called Hair Designs, we are here at the request of James Colucci."
What?
“I'm sorry, I don't think I understand yet, I didn't ask for any kind of treatment..."
“But James did, and we are here to do what we do best, to make you look spectacular for the party tonight."
I open my mouth to say something, but Samanta appears at my side and opens the door inviting the three of them to come in.
“Come in, please!", I am about to protest, but she just smiles and whispers:
“If the man wants to make us beautiful, we just accept, Chloe...", I roll my eyes and close the door before joining them in the living room.
“Forgive us for coming unannounced, but James asked me not to and I'm sure you know how that man gets when he hears no!", I laugh and nod my head.
Almost an hour and a half later, Samanta and I are with our hairstyles done, I had a big surprise when I stood up and looked in the mirror.
No doubt the team did a great job on both of us, my hair has a few loose, wavy waves while Samanta's is tied up in a bun on top of her head.
While the three of them worked their magic on us, we talked and laughed a lot, I confess that I liked them and that our short time together resulted in a light friendship.
After taking care of our hair, Luigi was in charge of my makeup while Samanta was under the care of her assistants.
I am feeling like a princess to receive so much care in just one day, I can't deny that it is very satisfying to feel this way at least once in my entire life.
“There, beautiful!", I open my eyes and lower my head to the mirror on my dressing table.
“Wow!", I exclaim with a huge smile noting that everything is perfect.
It's not heavy makeup for an evening occasion, I asked Luigi for a lighter, more natural performance when Samanta asked for the complete opposite of what I did.
“You're the best, Luigi!", I smile, leaving a kiss on his cheek in thanks.
“You look wonderful, I'm sure James' eyes will be on you all night long!", I smile and see that the assistants are finishing Samanta's face.
And after finishing, my best friend gets up and almost spins around the room when she sees her reflection in the mirror, I must admit that she was right to ask for more elaborate make-up.
Half an hour after the trio says goodbye and wishes us good luck, I am in my robe looking at the dress stretched out on the bed that I will wear tonight.
My moment of focus is interrupted by the ringing of my cell phone on the table, I pick it up and see that it is a message from James.
JAMES: A car will be in front of your building to pick you up, I can't wait to see you, little seductress...
After replying to James' message, I stopped wasting time and went to put on the dress with my body trembling with anxiety, the excitement building as I finished putting it on and looked at myself closely thinking that I have never been treated this way before.
“I still can't believe you gave up expensive jewelry that would go perfectly with this dress, Chloe!", I hear Samanta's voice coming from the bathroom.
As I turn around my eyes widen at the sight of my best friend in a long green dress, seeing my shock, a smile breaks out on her red lipstick”covered lips as she twirls around the room.
“You like it, don't you?", I smile and nod, still staring at the details of the dark green fabric with shoulder straps.
“I know it's not as expensive and chic as yours, but I liked it a lot."
“You look perfect, girlfriend!", I clap my hands and pull her hand to my side in the mirror.
“We look so hot!", I giggle and nod my head in agreement.
While Samanta finishes adjusting the neckline of the dress, I go to my closet and look for my favorite pair of heels.
I put my most important belongings in a small handbag and meet Samanta in the living room who is holding a glass of wine.
“Are you ready?", she asks, taking the last sip from the glass and standing up when I nod.
I leave my kitty some cat food and change her water before bidding her farewell with a caress on her furry head.
“Did Mr. Colucci tell us when the car will pick us up?", Samanta asks as we carefully walk down the stairs to the first floor.
“No, he didn't say that...", I stop talking as I push open the double doors that lead to the sidewalk and see that a luxurious black car is parked next to my building.
“I feel like an important person...", Sam murmurs staring at the car.
Beside her, I see the driver's door open and reveal a tall man with long hair going around the car and opening the back door, inviting us in.
“Ladies, my name is Diego, I have come at Mr. Colucci's request to take you to the ball.", he says with a thick voice and still staring at him I see that he wears a black suit that covers his tattoos that start on his neck.
“Thank you and nice to meet you Diego...", I say with a gentle smile pulling Samanta who stares at the poor man without averting her clear eyes.
The inside of the car manages to be more luxurious than the outside, we look like two idiots watching every detail, but it seems too surreal.
“I feel like a modern-day Cinderella being taken to the ball to meet her prince...", I murmur, leaning back in the soft seat and putting on my seat belt.
“In your case, the prince is a fucking hottie!", she laughs as I elbow her.
I didn't need to tell Diego the address of the place, since I knew perfectly well where it was, during the entire long drive we kept our eyes glued to the car window, observing every detail of the luxurious part of the city we entered.