Chapter 5 4

"We've arrived," the taxi driver's voice cut through the rain, and I stared at him in disbelief.

"But my house is still far away. I'll get soaked," I protested, handing him a couple of bills.

"Don't worry, young lady. You'll run fast," he replied, and before I could even shut the door behind me, the car sped off.

The downpour was relentless, a solid wall of rain, and running would have made no sense anyway. I was already soaked to the bone, so I trudged home at an unhurried pace. To be honest, my mood for guests had completely vanished, which inspired a brilliant plan on how to get out of an unwanted meeting.

The moment I stepped inside, my mother peeked out from the living room and gasped loudly when she saw the state I was in.

I had to put all my acting skills to use to convince her. A loud, almost perfectly realistic sneeze echoed through the spacious hallway, and I hugged myself, dragging my feet as if every step took effort.

"Oh sweetheart, how did this happen? You could've called, I would've brought you an umbrella," Mom exclaimed as she rushed over to me. "Are you okay? No fever? Any headache?"

Seriously? As if I could get sick that fast. But her excessive concern worked perfectly in my favor.

"Mom, I'm fine. A hot bath will definitely help," I said with a smile, then went on the offensive. "I'm so tired, and I'm soaked. Maybe you could meet the guests without me? If they even come in this horrible rain."

"Of course, no problem at all. But if you start feeling worse, please don't keep it to yourself. Tell me."

"No problem," I replied, barely holding back a victorious smile.

As soon as I felt I was far enough away, I sprinted up the stairs to my room. I needed to take a bath and change as quickly as possible-getting sick was definitely not part of my plans.

Afterward, I went through my entire skincare, hair, and body routine. My stylist hadn't just chosen my look and wardrobe, but had also recommended care products that were perfect for my hair and skin type.

I dried my hair, pulled on my favorite loungewear-a short top and shorts-and settled into bed with my laptop.

Thank God we live in an age of advanced technology. I could order contact lenses online and simply pick them up later. I checked the city map, found the best salon, and placed an order for several pairs.

My phone, which had been silent as a fish until then, suddenly came to life.

"What do you want at this hour?" I muttered irritably as I answered the call. "Valen, to what do I owe this late-night phone call?"

"I just wanted to make sure you're completely fine," came his sickly sweet voice through the line.

"And what exactly could happen to me?" I snorted.

"Nothing, darling! Do you hear me?" he suddenly raised his voice, as he often did. "Nothing must happen to you! Not a single bruise, not a scratch-and don't you dare get a tan, do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand. You told me all of this yesterday. Why repeat it a hundred times?"

"I shouldn't have let you go alone. Giving you a vacation was a mistake, especially one this long."

"But I need rest. Be human," I pleaded softly.

"Fine." After a short pause, he continued, "Nadya, what did you eat today?"

Here we go. Should I start sending him reports next? Maybe track my entire day by the minute, like a workplace productivity log-every step, every cutlet I eat? Suddenly, I remembered my friend's request and decided to change the subject.

"Valen, your timing is actually perfect. I need something from you. I want to take part in a photo shoot..."

"I forbid it! No! No! No! End of discussion!"

So stubborn. I knew this was coming, but I decided to bring up a few arguments.

"My face won't be visible, and my name won't appear anywhere. My best friend asked me to do this. Please, Valen, this is really important."

"Important, you say?" the man scoffed and went silent. Already a good sign-at least he hadn't told me off. "What's the theme?"

"Lingerie."

"No. Forbidden. I forbid it, do you hear me? Those curves should only advertise luxury brands."

"But it is a branded collection, so please-"

"What brand exactly?"

Damn it. I didn't know. I hadn't asked Nina. But before I had to answer, the manager continued:

"Alright. I'll give my consent, but on two conditions. First, your face must not be visible. And second-you'll fulfill one request of mine."

"What request?" I asked, already celebrating my victory internally.

"I'll tell you later."

"Fine. I agree."

"Excellent. Then good night, Nadya. Don't stare at the screen for too long. I won't tolerate dark circles under your eyes."

"Alright."

I ended the call and immediately messaged Nina to tell her I'd be participating in the photo shoot. In response, I received a flood of happy emojis and set my phone aside.

The day had been exhausting, and fatigue crashed over me with overwhelming force. I desperately wanted to sleep, but my plans were abruptly interrupted by a quiet knock on the door. Surely Mom had decided to check on her beloved daughter, so without a second thought, I said:

"Come in, why are you knocking..."

Only it wasn't my mother who entered the room.

And not a woman at all...