Chapter 4 - The Transformation
By eight o'clock the following morning, Ava’s world had completely inverted.
She awoke in a massive plush bed inside the master guest suite of Alexander Sterling’s duplex penthouse overlooking Central Park. The room was larger than her entire apartment in Brooklyn, bathed in warm morning light streaming through floor-to-ceiling glass walls.
A soft knock sounded at her door.
A team of four personal stylists, a makeup artist, and an executive tailor stepped into the room, pushing racks filled with haute couture gowns, cashmere sweaters, and diamond jewelry.
"Good morning, Miss Knox," the lead stylist said with a crisp French accent. "Mr. Sterling requested we prepare you for your lunch meeting with the board of directors' wives at eleven."
For three hours, Ava was pamper-styled, her hair blown into soft, luxurious waves, her face highlighted with natural, glowing makeup. They fitted her into a tailored cream-colored wool dress that hugged her slender waist perfectly, pairing it with a simple, breathtaking diamond necklace.
When she walked down the floating marble staircase into the main living room, Alexander was standing by the fireplace, reading the Wall Street Journal while sipping black coffee.
He looked up as her heels clicked on the stone floor. For a fraction of a second, the usually stoic, unreadable billionaire lost his breath.
"Does it look okay?" Ava asked nervously, smoothing the front of the skirt. "It’s... very different from my usual clothes."
Alexander set his coffee cup down on the glass table, stepping toward her. He looked at her with an intensity that made her pulse race.
"You look stunning, Ava," he murmured.
He reached into his inner jacket pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box. He flipped it open.
Inside rested a magnificent ten-carat flawless blue diamond ring, surrounded by a halo of micro-pave diamonds that glittered like starlight under the chandeliers.
Ava took a sharp breath. "Alexander... that's too much."
"It belonged to my grandmother," Alexander said softly, lifting the heavy ring from its velvet cushion. "If we are going to convince the wolves on Fifth Avenue, we have to make sure the trap looks real."
He took her left hand. His touch was warm, surprisingly gentle for a man who ruled Wall Street with an iron fist. He slid the cool platinum band over her ring finger. It was a perfect fit.
"From this moment on, Ava," Alexander said, looking deep into her brown eyes, "no one will ever pour champagne on you again. No one will ever make you feel small. Do you understand me?"
Ava looked at the glittering diamond on her hand, then up at his steady, handsome face. A wave of unexpected warmth spread through her chest.
"I understand," she whispered.
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Just then, his secretary stepped into the foyer holding a tablet. "Mr. Sterling, the morning financial news is out. Damian Cross has just arrived at the office, and he’s demanding an emergency meeting with human resources."
Alexander’s lips curled into a cold, dangerous smile. "Let him wait. His nightmare is just beginning."
