That night, on one of the mid-spring nights, is the season when flowers bloom. The leaves of the trees thrive after a long winter, and a woman is sitting on a long, soft, quality sofa in the lounge area of a five-star hotel. The moonlight, shining brightly because it was in the complete moon phase, entered the room where the woman was and shone on her smooth, white skin.
The long dark brown hair, deliberately plucked, moved beautifully whenever the woman's head looked right and left like a silk scarf. The woman once again glanced at the graceful watch looped around her right wrist before gazing up at the night sky adorned by beautiful, magnificent skyscrapers through the glass walls, showing a pair of dark brown irises filled with anticipation from the reflection.
Luna Alicia is twenty-eight years old. At that young age, she already had a brilliant reputation that cannot be doubted. Many men vied for her attention, and many women envied her fame. Her wealth is beyond question. Living a life of luxury and wealth is like a gift after that woman's hard struggle. She's even ranked among the most successful young women on one of the best-known sites.
Luna is a famous influencer and young businessman who opened her beauty brand successfully. Of course, she earned that position and reputation very hard. During her youth, she had to work day and night only for everyday meals. Being an orphan and living in an orphanage is one of the reasons Luna succeeds; she doesn't want to live forever in poverty and dependence on others.
When she was old enough, Luna decided to leave the orphanage. After leaving that horrible place, Luna worked haphazardly, washing dishes at restaurants and newspaper sellers. She eventually became a waitress and owned a small apartment in the suburbs. Luna is indeed happy to see new things and includes art lovers.
Ever since childhood, she has aspired to travel the world. So, when the opportunity came, she immediately took advantage of it by going around the place to learn new things so that she could fill in her personal social media account with her travels.
Her travels initially limited her to easy-to-reach places and museums to discuss art. She then expanded out of town and ended with overseas travel. All of her followers love the content Luna gives them. She also always had ideas for her content, so Luna became more popular.
Of course, her efforts paid off, making her one of the influencers with quite a significant income. The general public recognizes this and can travel worldwide to explore the various arts that exist to fill its content.
Even from the results of her phone shots and recordings, which were quite far from the most sophisticated phone at that time to high-quality cameras, and the fact that she ended up having a crew and manager, it was a significant achievement for Luna.
She no longer works day and night to raise money and can only make money with her hobby and interest in art. She is widely known, her entire content is increasingly popular with many people, and her wealth is increasing. Then, she decided to attend college with an art department to add to her knowledge. Years of self-study in art have helped her immensely in her studies in college, allowing Luna to graduate faster than others.
Many people say that she is so lucky. Even her manager, Nicole, says that Luna has a great fortune. Only some people can be as fortunate as her. Luna responded positively to Nicole's words that everything she feels now results from her hard work for many years, breaking her bones, and letting go of the most important thing in her life: herself.
She doesn't have time to rest. After school, she works as a waitress; if her waitressing time is over, Luna will work for her next job. She only sleeps for four hours every day. On weekends, she'll be busy working extra jobs or creating content by going somewhere where access is easy and affordable. That's what she did in the past, the constant struggle.
Luna indeed only sometimes depended on her income as an influencer and content creator, so she decided to have a long discussion with her closest friend and manager. After a lengthy conversation, she decided to do business and create a cosmetic beauty brand and skincare line called 'The Angel.'
Due to Luna's reputation, intense promotion, the right target market segment, and affordable price, the brand is selling hard, increasing its wealth.
Luna is undoubtedly grateful for her achievements. Especially after her business, Luna earned the nickname 'the youngest female billionaire.' It's like she's on a cloud. Every day, she comes to elite parties. All marveled at her hard work, achievements, and beauty. Luna, an orphan raised in an orphanage, can show the world that a child like herself can also succeed and have the right to stand among the elites of her country.
Now, she is invited to an exclusive event, and only certain people will accept the invitation. The event was a fundraising event for treating children with Cancer and other chronic diseases organized by the Rozen family, a family of conglomerates known for its reputation and business empire centered on the property sector, such as Estate and the already well-known construction business in America and England.
The fundraising was carried out under the concept of auctioning antiques. In addition to art, Luna was recently also fond of antiques, which resulted from her visit to one of the museums in Beijing.
The museum she visited exhibited a collection of antiques worth millions of dollars dating back to the Ming Dynasty. Luna fell in love with the beauty and aesthetics of the displayed items, eventually becoming one of the antique enthusiasts.
After all, antiquities also have priceless art; even vases dating back to the Middle Ages have their artistic value, which is difficult to find in modern times.
So Luna, as a fan of art and antiques, when hearing about the event from Nicole, immediately decided to attend and postpone her trip to Egypt because she heard that the items to be auctioned at this event were rare and difficult to find anywhere. She can't wait to see what items will be auctioned at the event.
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"Are you sure this is Luna?" asked Nicole, sitting on another sofa in a simple black dress wrapped around her body. If Luna lets her brown hair down, Nicole ties her black hair up quickly. The glasses, which used to perch on Nicole's nose, are now being stored and changed to blue lens contacts.
"Your opponents are the ones whose wealth outweighs ours when combined."
"I know, but I'm a businessman, remember?"
"Huh! I know it, lady. You're arrogant." Nicole grunted irritably, making Luna laugh slowly. Luna was not offended because she knew Nicole wasn't serious about saying that sentence.
Then, their conversation came to a halt when the lounge area door was knocked on, and one of the event staff members said that the auction was about to begin. Of course, Luna immediately rushed out of the room, followed by Nicole to the hall where the event was.
The staff who were with the two women directed them to one of the central seating areas. After briefly explaining the event, the staff turned away, leaving Luna and Nicole in the chair with the other guests.
Luna inclines her body to Nicole's right side and whispers in her manager's ear, "I have a good feeling tonight. You'll see."
"What if your gut's wrong?" Nicole asked with a sour face.
Luna, who had focused her eyes forward where the stage was, inevitably turned her eyes to look at her manager and muttered, "Don't you believe me?" before returning her gaze towards the stage, instead towards the podium on the stage.
"I'm hungry, and we haven't eaten anything since noon. You know?" Luna muttered to change the subject.
Nicole opened her vibrating phone while answering, "Patience. I heard this auction was only about ten things, after which dinner was held together. You can eat all you want. Besides, you bought burgers and nuggets at McDonald's on our way to this hotel.
"That's different!"
"All right... "
The noisy sound of people talking instantly came to a standstill when a man in a tuxedo walked across the stage and stood behind the podium.
The man Luna knew as the host at this auction started by opening the event and explaining its purpose. Then, he continued with the series of events and the rules of the auction until finally, the auction began.
During the auction, Luna could not stop her awkward smile as she saw people racing to own the item no matter how much money was spent. Even Nicole dubbed the auction an elite war.
Luna fought for the antiques in the display several times but always lost. Her aggression was defeated by a woman or a man twice her age.
Luna and Nicole finally chose to be spectators, but Luna felt interested when the ninth-order item came out. It's a reasonably large mirror with frames made of gold carvings. "Is it real gold around the mirror?" Nicole muttered in amazement.
"I don't know." Luna kept quiet and listened to the auctioneer's description. The mirror is dated to the 19th century, Queen Victoria's era. A historian discovered it in a remote area of England, dusty in an old house.
The historian, tracing the traces of an English nobleman at the time, found an old abandoned house on the outskirts of town. Residents said that the house used to be owned by a young woman, but something happened, and suddenly, the woman disappeared, leaving the house just like that.
The surrounding residents, who were initially worried that the house was no longer inhabited, decided to forget its existence until finally, the historian arrived, found the mirror, and gave it to the Rozen family as a gift.
The price of the mirror opened at a nominal hundred thousand dollars. Then, some people started offering it at a higher price. The bidding price continued to rise until it hit five hundred thousand dollars. Still, after that, no one wanted to bid anymore. The cost of five hundred thousand dollars for antique mirrors is already costly, especially for some people. Mirrors are only used to decorate the room and do not have high value, like paintings or other antiques.
Luna can't stop lifting her number board and doesn't realize it when her lips open. She says, "A million dollars!"
Everyone immediately looked at her. Even the auctioneer looked at her chair with a suspicious look. After everyone woke up from surprise, whispers were heard. The auctioneer immediately counted one to three before knocking on the hammer, a sign that Luna was the winner, and bought an antique mirror for a million dollars.
After the mirror was reinserted, Luna was escorted to one of the rooms to make the payment. She didn't hesitate to swipe her American Express black card. After completing the transaction and the antique mirror was hers, Luna asked the auction organizers to send it to her Penthouse.
Then, she was led back to her seat, where Nicole had been waiting. "You're out of your mind, Luna!"
"No, I'm not. I'm in my right mind."
Nicole is tongue-tied. "Yeah, you're out of your mind! A million dollars for a mirror? I doubt I even bought a fifty-dollar mirror at the furniture store. Besides, you can offer it for five hundred fifty thousand or six hundred thousand dollars or anything beyond five hundred thousand dollars, but a million dollars? Maya will be surprised when she hears this."
Maya Madhiaz. The woman who earned the title of her closest friend, or perhaps best friend, is a famous model. They met by accident at one of the party events four years ago. Maya, who was spreading her wings as a model, collided with Luna, making Luna's dress filled with red wine. Maya certainly felt guilty and took Luna to a separate area from the party hall, buying Luna a new dress from the boutique around the building where the party event occurred.
Later, when Maya finds out that the woman she accidentally watered was Luna Alicia, she immediately goes into hysterics and says she is a big fan of Luna.
After that, they chatted, exchanged cell phone numbers, and often met for meals or vacations until they became close friends. Maya also knows Luna's past and vice versa. Every time they come to a show, they'll always be together, whether when Maya's with her boyfriend or alone. The organizers also invited Maya this time, but the woman could not attend because she was in the Asian region for a photo shoot.
Luna smiled and commented, "I don't think she'd be surprised. Maya must have thought I'd do something unreasonable."
"You're right."
Finally, the auction ended and closed with a dinner. Many people came to Luna and congratulated her on possessing the antique mirror. However, it can be seen that they were questioning her sanity.
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Nicole asked when they were already on their way home. "So what are you going to do with the mirror?"
"You couldn't have posted that mirror in the penthouse's living room. Do you know, I feel weird about it. Something scares me, and I want to stay away from it like it's inappropriate to be here. I think so, and the mirror seems to have a mystical aura," Nicole said while shimmying her body.
"Is that so? But I don't feel anything. Luna paused before continuing, "I intend to donate the mirror to a museum that has just opened in the Los Angeles area."
"Good. I agree. I don't want to live in a place where the antique mirror is on display."
"Did you forget that you just hitchhiked because your house is in the renovation stage? Nicole, please don't overdo it. Just think about your job. Ah yes! Aren't you going to protest because I canceled Mr Raj's appointment and postponed leaving for Egypt?"
"No, I'm still surprised at your stupidity by spending a million dollars on a mirror!"
"Shh... Don't scream, and you're disturbing my driving concentration." Luna said as she focused her eyes on the highway.
A few minutes later, she turned the steering wheel to the right and entered the courtyard of the residential building where her penthouse was located. The car she was driving entered the underground parking area and parked in a parking lot specifically for her.
After ensuring no items were left behind, she exited the car. She was followed by Nicole, who was still commenting on Luna's crazy decision. The manager is very chatty, but that's one of the good things for Luna because sometimes she needs a crowded atmosphere.
She hates silence. The silence reminded her of her lonely past, even in an orphanage.
The silence depressed her and caused insomnia, making her remember what people said about her, people who laughed and laughed at her. Her coworkers, schoolmates, and even comments from prospective parents who want to adopt a child when they see her.
"You're ugly..."
"You're skinny. Are you malnourished?"
"You're embarrassing me!"
"You're like a tree trunk."
"Do you want to eat pizza? You can't afford food, hahaha..."
"You don't deserve..."
"You stupid son of a bitch!"
"You're just a kid your parents threw away. Maybe you got dumped because you're ugly..."
"Wrench..."
"You'd rather be a ghost with your pale complexion."
"You poor thing."
"I'm Sorry, but you don't deserve to be our son. You don't look like a healthy kid."
"What good are you here for? You're an unwanted child."
"You're useless!"
"You're too weak. How can you work properly?"
And there are many other abusive words. Make her feel uncomfortable in an orphanage and choose to leave or quit her job because she doesn't want to be insulted like that. Although all that made Luna a strong woman, her heart was hurt, and she was traumatized, making her have to go to a psychiatrist and take tranquilizers so she could sleep well.
But now, Luna's dark days are over, and she can move forward without fear of her past shadows. She can show those who criticize her that she is not the same skinny kid she used to be. She's Luna Alicia, a successful and independent woman.
Luna and Nicole finally arrived at the penthouse. A few minutes after their arrival, the antique mirror of the auction results arrived with two couriers.
When the mirror arrived, she and Nicole argued about its placement because Nicole did not want to look at it. Eventually, the debate ended, and the decision was made-the mirror was placed in Luna's bedroom.
"Okay, I'll get cleaned up, and then we can watch a movie together."
Nicole nodded in agreement. "I'll call Dawson and the others."
"Yes, you do. Make sure they get to Egypt and rest. When I get there, we'll start filming."
"All right."
Luna walks to her room while Nicole walks to the balcony with a cell phone in her ear, contacting the crew who had already gone to Egypt. Luna closes the room door and notices a mirror covered with white cloth. She walks up to the mirror and reaches out to pull out the white cloth that covers it, but her movements soon stop, and a speck of hesitation comes to her.
Nicole's words suddenly came to her head, making her heart beat fast. However, Luna immediately dismissed Nicole's doubts and words that revolved around her head.
"Nicole was just bragging..." she muttered to herself. With that in mind, she pulled out the white cloth that worked as a wrapper and looked at the antique mirror she had bought for a million dollars.
"The mirror, you're making me have to work even more..." Luna jokes slowly.
Her hand touched the mirror frame, and she was finally able to answer Nicole's question at the auction.
"The frame is only painted in gold and made of wood." Luna noticed an upper carving that was like forming a symbol and the lower part of the frame that formed like a wolf.
"I wonder why this mirror is so neglected..." Luna rubbed the upper frame of the mirror and accidentally cut her hand to the point of bleeding from a very sharp, carved wooden tip.
Luna immediately hissed and kept her hand away. She noticed the wound on her hand before turning around because she heard her phone ring.
She approached his clutch on the bed, pulled out her phone, and looked at the screen. With a smile, she saw Maya's name on the screen. Luna picked up the call and talked to Maya over the phone. Nicole had reported what happened, and Maya served as the mother who scolded Luna.
A bright light suddenly appeared in the middle of her conversation with Maya. As she turned around to see where the light came from, Luna gasped when the mirror, which had previously shown the room's reflection, turned into a strange place. It was like a forest with a beautiful night sky; the moon and millions of stars decorated it. "Maya, I'm hanging up."
"Wait, Luna... I'm still going... Luna? Luna! Lu-"Luna disconnects the phone and walks near the mirror. She glued his eyes and briefly gouged her eyes, fearing that what she saw was hallucinations.
"Wow... What's this? Magic?" she whispered, so amazed and confused. Without her noticing, Luna reached out, touching the mirror surface.
And then the last thing she remembered was herself in the mirror.
...