Page 9 of The Tycoon's Pet

“Hello, Kayla,” Gabe says, stepping forward. He nods slightly, holding out a perfectly manicured hand. “Pleasure to meet you.”

I take his hand, shaking it with a weak smile. “Nice to meet you too, Mr. Howard.”

“Call me Gabe. Mr. Howard sounds so ancient,” he says, flashing me a big grin before turning to look at the woman beside him. “Meet Amanda, my assistant.”

“Hi, Amanda.”

“Hello, Miss Kayla,” Amanda responds with a warm smile.

I turn to look at Paul in confusion. “W-what's going on?”

“We're here to style you, Kayla” Gabe answers instead, his smile unwavering. “You just have to sit still while we create magic.”

Amanda unfolds one of the packages with her, which turns out to be a foldable makeup chair and I watch in amazement as expertly finds a convenient space and rapidly sets it up. It all happened so fast; one minute I was standing around cluelessly, and the next I was being hustled onto a chair. Somehow, Amanda has managed to create a setup that looks like a mini studio and I'm both in awe and at a loss for why this is happening.

I glance at Paul through the foldable makeup mirror that Amanda had set up in front of me. He's sitting calmly on the couch, his posture relaxed although he seems busy with his phone. I frown slightly, wondering why he seems so unaffected by everything going on around him when he's the one who suddenly brought chaos home and threw me right in the middle of it. I can't seem to understand what he's thinking…

What game is he playing?

“You have really beautiful hair,” Gabe says, his voice cutting through the haze in my mind. “I'll make it even more beautiful.”

"Thank you," I mutter, still undecided on how I feel about the whole situation. Despite my indecision, I still, my back rigidly straight as Gabby chops and clips away at my hair until it falls in soft, silky layers around my face. I watch in the mirror, mesmerized by how swiftly and skillfully he works.

Amanda, meanwhile, starts organizing various makeup products on the table, her movements precise and efficient. She catches my eyes and gives me a reassuring smile.

“Amanda will do your makeup,” Gabe says, stepping back to inspect my hair. “And then you can try on a few dresses and accessories.”

“Do I have to do all of that?” I ask, already dreading the prospect of changing into multiple outfits and trying on accessories. It all feels so overwhelming, especially considering how out of the blue this entire situation is.

Gabe chuckles, sensing my hesitation. “Don't worry, Kayla. I promise it'll be worth it in the end. Mr. Carlton paid millions of dollars to make this happen so just sit back and enjoy.”

“Did you say millions?” I ask, gaping at him.

“Of course,” Gabe replies with a dismissive wave of his hand. “My service fees alone run up to fifty thousand dollars and he had to pay extra for calling me up on such short notice. Also, Mr. Carlton was very particular about the brands of clothes and accessories that we picked out. He insisted on exclusives only.”

I glance over at Paul again, wishing he would look up and meet my eyes, but he's so focused on his phone that everyone else in the room might as well be invisible.

After two hours of sitting through a makeup session and a dozen trips to the changing room, Gabe finally announces that they are done.

“Girl, you look stunning,” Gabe says, looking at me like he didn't just oversee the whole styling process. “You like?”

I'm staring into the mirror, but I can't seem to recognize the woman staring back at me. My usually unruly red curls now fall in soft silky layers around my face. The makeup is flawless, with a soft glow that makes my skin look radiant and my eyes pop with a subtle smoky effect. The dress I finally settled on is a sleek floor-length emerald green dress with a slight dip neckline and a slit that stops just above my knees, which Amanda paired with a simple pearl necklace that comes with matching earrings.

“I look… amazing,” I say in response to Gabe's question when what I really wanted to say is that I look like a different person– No, I feel like a different person, like someone that who belongs in that glamorous world that I've always watched from the outside.

Suddenly, Paul looks up and our gazes clash through the mirror. Time seems to stand still. There's something in his eyes, a feral intensity that makes my mouth run dry. His eyes held me down, their piercing green depths filled with emotions that got my stomach tightening up in knots.

“Do you like her makeover, Mr. Carlton?” Gabe asks, his voice breaking the spell. I look away from his eyes, my cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

“Yes,” he replies simply, and the moment we shared just seconds ago disappears like it never happened.

“Fabulous!” Gabe exclaims with an excited clap. “I'm glad you both like it. We should take our leave now.”

Paul nods. “Thanks for your time.”

“Anytime, sir,” Gabe says with an exaggerated flair. “We're always at your service.”

Together, Gabe and Amanda pack up their equipment and within minutes, it's like they were never there.

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