t

gleamed as she took my hand, guiding

ul for her help, my sense of style was less dramatic than her own. I guess I was just overly used to wearing

the fundraiser?" I asked her, unable to keep the doubt from my voice as t

I became more and more certain that I would lik

it left no doubt that the man was a client of hers. "I told him about you needi

shop, a middle aged man whose bald s

ce as he ushered us inside. "Lenit

iulia hugged him and exclaimed dramatical

e racks of costumes toward the back. Slowly, he picked up dress after dress and held the

d, thrusting a few gowns at

t sight of Giulia looking hopefully at me. So with

ess as she called out, "too long" or "too revealin

g to buy," I moaned, already tired of having to play dress

rifling through the racks of garments, and a fe

," she bubbled enthusiastically as she

into the fabric. The sweetheart neckline was classically simple but made the ruffled hem

eard mysel

us and I spun to find Leni

his hand and dragged him away from me, probably to talk to him in private -

came back, he was in a much better mood and even

ke sure you don't ruin this dress. It's worth m

ld with mere words, before Giulia and I took

nd grooming every inch of me until I somewhat resembled one

chen. "Franky will be acting as a waiter so whatever you manage to ge

had been the night I had snuck

around my neck. "Don't you have something more glamorous than tha

clutched it in my fist pro

mly, still tormented by what I had exper

ough of a deterrent for me to never take off the n

nceded, her eyes narrowing once again as she shot a

I felt my throat tighten. I didn't relax as the black vehicle drove me to the fundrais

o the throng. Mother had presented me with an invitation and the velvet mask covering my eyes obscured m

do said, his eyes on my hands as

ard slightly, but he took it and waved me inside, and I w

atues and gold gilded vases before I got to work. Most of the attendees wore expensive items

particular target