Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 32064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 160(@200wpm)___ 128(@250wpm)___ 107(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 160(@200wpm)___ 128(@250wpm)___ 107(@300wpm)
“Selene,” I say in a stiff voice. “I’m not really comfortable handling your designer –”
But my employer’s already moved on.
“There, I’m glad we got that settled,” she says. “Now, I have to run because I have a benefit for the Garden Society to attend, but I can’t thank you enough, Ella. You’ve been a lifesaver, and of course, there will be a big bonus for you after the house is sold to thank you for your hard work. Toodle-oo, take care!” she sings, and then the line goes dead. I’m left holding my cell in hand while shaking my head because this is just like Selene. The woman’s a society belle through and through, and has never had to cope with any real hardship in her life. She’s always been taken care of, and the thought of scrimping and saving, much less panicking to make ends meet, is completely out of her orbit.
I sigh as my shoulders slump. Sometimes I hate my life so much because once again, I’m in a shitty situation. I’m the help with few options, and now, I need to dig through my employer’s closet to find things to sell on TheRealReal or whichever designer discount site will get me the highest prices. With slow feet, I trudge upstairs to the master suite. I’m not looking forward to this, but a girl has to pay her bills.
Then again, when I open the door to Selene’s walk-in closet, my heart leaps because a plethora of designer garments hang from the racks. There are silks in every color of the rainbow, shimmering in the low lights of the closet, as well as exquisite furs and a rack of designer shoes lined up in clear boxes in the back. Maybe I could rake in some serious cash by pawning these goods!
I brush my hand over a particularly soft fur jacket and marvel at the color. It’s a mix of snow white with a few black-tipped strands that create a unique speckled effect. Then, I see a pink fur vest that appears to be sheared lambskin. It’s incredibly luxurious, not to mention frivolous in a cotton-candy color that makes me smile. What would it be like to wear something like this on a regular basis?
On impulse, I pull the vest off the rack and slide it on over my plain sweater. Then, I twist and turn before the full-length mirror, examining myself. Selene is a bit smaller than I am, but the vest fits well, highlighting my golden strands and bringing out the rosiness of my peaches and cream complexion. Usually, my employer has us wear grey and white uniforms, but since no one’s home at the moment, I’m dressed in jeans and a nondescript sweater.
But then, something flickers in the corner of my eye and I gasp. When I part the racks to see what it is, my jaw drops because it’s a silver gown that looks made from liquid water. The material is shimmery and fluid, and when I lift the gown out into the light, I see that it’s a classic v-neck with a nipped waist that falls all the way to the floor.
Try it on! the devil on my left shoulder whispers in my ear. There’s no harm in putting it on.
No, put it back on the rack, the angel on my right shoulder admonishes. You’re here to sell clothes, not to model them.
But a girl can dream. After all, Selene will never know, and I’m not hurting anyone by trying on her clothes. Within seconds, the pink fur vest is off, and I’m slipping into the silver gown. When I catch sight of myself in the full-length mirror, my jaw drops because I’ve never seen myself look like this before. The gown emphasizes my big bust, tiny waist, and wide, flared hips. The material makes me look taller than I am, and if anything, my hair looks like spun gold against the metallic fabric.
But then I smile ruefully because I feel like I’m Cinderella trying on her stepsister’s forbidden ballgown. This dress is definitely not me because I’m the help, and not the lady of the manor. My hands go to the back fastening, ready to shed the dress but then, the doorbell rings downstairs. Damnit, it must be the broker who wants to tour Lakeview. If they’ll just give me a minute, I’ll get the door immediately.
But my fingers can’t get the back zip undone easily, and after a minute of useless scrabbling, I give up and lift the hem of the gown with both hands. I’m going to answer the door dressed in this couture outfit because it really doesn’t matter. Selene said that I had her approval to sell these clothes, and if the broker asks, I’ll just tell the truth. So with light feet, I descend the stairs into the marble foyer just as the chime rings insistently again.