Page 12 of The Rebel Billionaire

ME:

All good. Meeting Sophia this morning.

CALEB:

Glad you have someone there. Let me know if there’s anything we can do. April sends her love.

ME:

I’ll be okay. Just getting settled. Love you guys.

CALEB:

We love you too. Take care and remember we are here for you.

I wonder how much they know. Are they aware that The Seamstress came to see me? No one has said anything, so I’ve kept it to myself. The last thing I need is Mum going into a full-blown panic and demanding I come home.

Before I know it, Benjamin pulls through the gates of Sophia’s home.

“Good morning, Brooke,” Sophia says, greeting me at the front door. “Follow me, and I’ll introduce you to Harvey.”

She leads me through the house to a room where a man in his fifties is waiting.

“Harvey, let me introduce you to your new project, Brooke.” She turns and smiles at me. “Brooke, this is Harvey.”

“Lovely to meet you, Brooke,” he says, stepping forward, reaching for my blond wig. He tuts, reminding me of Sophia the day before. It’s not like the wig is cheap. It’s real human hair.

“No, no, this won’t do,” he says. “Completely the wrong colour for such beautiful skin.”

I can’t say I disagree. The platinum blond is garish against my olive skin. Even with makeup, it still looks out of place. That alone draws attention.

He lifts it from my head and removes the netting holding my natural hair in place.

He taps his finger against his lips and looks at Sophia.

She shakes her head.

“No,” she says, more sharply than I think she intends. “The natural can’t stay.”

I cringe, although I’m not sure why. I’ve dyed my hair every colour of the rainbow over the past few years, but since returning to my natural colour, I’ve felt more myself, less like I’m wearing a mask. But who am I kidding? I’m going to be wearing a far bigger mask for the foreseeable future. Brooke is not who I am, just who I must be until this nightmare ends.

Harvey turns me around, removing the pins holding up my hair. It cascades down my back to my waist. He runs his fingers through my hair several times, picking it up, before letting it fall.

“Burgundy,” he says, spinning me back to face him. He grips my chin, tilting my head. “Yes, perfect.”

I glance over at Sophia, who’s smiling broadly. “I told you,” she says, although I’m not sure which of us, she’s talking to. “Harvey, I’ve set you up in the guest room.”

He claps his hands and I jump.

“To new beginnings. When I’ve finished with you, beautiful girl, all the men you meet will be falling over themselves.”

I smile, although I’m sure it’s more of a grimace.

My heart pounds, and I shoot Sophia a panicked look. I’ve never shied away from publicity or the spotlight. I’ve always been bold and outgoing, but right now, I’m supposed to be incognito, not turning myself into a man magnet.

“Um…”

Sophia holds up a hand and shakes her head. “Harvey’s right. Your beauty will look strange if it’s dampened. You need to own the change but curb your actions.”