Emerging

Two months later…

Nervous energy percolated through Ella’s veins as she sat in the back of the limousine, trying not to wring her hands. This was it--the night she’d been waiting for ever since she’d returned to California. She may have snuck into the state in secret, but tonight, every eye would be on her, by design.
She’d never been one for the spotlight. She preferred using her graphic skills to highlight other famous people, rather than having everyone stare at her. Yet, sitting in the limo, dressed in a fabulous red, sparkly gown that reached the floors, save for the slit that went so high up her thigh it left little to the imagination, she was ready to make her grand entrance. If she was actually going to pull off the plan she and Fae had come up with, she had to launch herself into this project fearlessly, and that included walking into the gallery tonight the returning queen, the victor, not the frightened girl who had easily been tricked into staying in an attic rather than facing the world at large.
She was ready, too. Rome had been schooling her in the art of commanding a room, giving her acting lessons, helping her become Juliet Montague, the powerful art mogul who would bring Los Angeles and the rest of the world spectacular pieces unlike anything they’d ever seen before. They’d get a taste tonight at the grand opening of her new art studio, Montage, a name Fae had helped her settle on. Most of the pieces waiting to be unveiled were Fae’s long lost paintings, but they’d also worked together to find some promising new artists who were sure to catch the eyes of the collectors who’d be in attendance that night. No one would dare miss the return of Fae Ward to the art scene after all. Juliet had a few pieces of her own intermingled amongst the rare Wards and the up and coming finds, pieces she’d poured her heart into as Fae worked with her to hold her brush a certain way and bring the canvas to life in ways Ella had never imagined possible.
The car slowed for a red light, and Ella tried to calm her nervous fidgeting. Juliet wouldn’t be nervous. She’d be ready to part the crowd with her mere existence. The chances of her being recognized as Ella Sinders by anyone in attendance that evening were low, although she’d been sure to invite a special guest, one she was hoping to leave an impression on. Her hair was different. Her skin tone was different, thanks to many days spent on the beach. She had on colored contacts that transformed her eyes into a lavender shade that she would argue was her natural color should anyone be so bold as to ask, and she’d put on ten pounds of muscle over the last several weeks as well, making her body shape different from Lloyd Sinders’s frail daughter who never got a ray of sunlight on her pale face. More than anything, she was certain she could fool anyone who might ask the question through her change in persona. Ella Sinders had been timid and weak; Juliet Montague was bold and fierce.
It had been Fae who’d given her the ability to walk into that room and fool everyone. Like the fairy godmother she was named for, Fae had built up Ella’s confidence. If she hadn’t found those paintings, she might still be cowering in the corner somewhere. Now, she was willing to face her enemies head on.
It was too bad Fae wouldn’t be attending. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to; she said she would’ve loved to come. But at her age, crowds this large were potentially dangerous to her health, and the nursing home had regulations about how late their residents could stay out. Even for something like this, Fae didn’t ask for an exception. Rather, she said she’d watch the virtual show online. Ella would be livestreaming the event on her website, which was already seeing over two million visitors a day, thanks to her marketing campaign.
Montage was more than an art gallery--marketing was also a focus for the company, though Ella was playing that off for now, just to make sure there were no questions about her identity. When Rome had announced he was investing in the up and coming company, he’d said he’d found a graphic designer whose skill reminded him of his late wife, so he’d decided to invest in Montage, becoming a full partner. There were rumors about whether or not he was dating the artist in question, but no one even knew who Juliet Montague was at the moment. That would change as soon as she arrived at the show.
Through the tinted windows, it was difficult to see exactly where they were, but Ella had a feeling they were getting close. She took a few deep breaths, hoping to calm herself. Rome was already there, and she was looking forward to seeing him, but she’d have to remember they were just business associates. She didn’t want anyone to think that they were a couple, not only because it might make people suspicious of her true identity but also because there was someone else she planned to pull into her web of deceit. With any luck, he had already arrived at the event as well.
The car pulled to a stop, and a few seconds later, her door came open. This was it--her big moment. The red carpet reached the curb, so she’d be stepping directly onto it. Ella steeled herself and remembered she was Juliet Montague now, fearless and unflinching. She took the valet’s hand and let him help her stand up on her high stiletto, silver heels. A thousand flashbulbs went off in her face. People shouted her name. Ella lowered her dark glasses slightly to look over the top of them, but she didn’t respond. She didn’t have time for any of these foolish people. She had a show to attend, impressions to make, art to sell, hearts to steel, and a nation to fool. She did give a small wave in the direction of a cluster of younger people pushing to the front of the paparazzi, clearly fans wanting to get a look at her. That she would allow.
Ella kept her chin held high as she walked into the event, tucking her silver handbag under her arm, letting the lights catch her shimmering gown and all of the jewels she was wearing. She imagined she was a work of art herself, not a subtle seascape, but a beautiful, bejeweled mosaic.
The door was pulled open for her, and she walked into the gallery. Immediately, the crowd of three hundred invited guests, ones she’d taken great pains to select, erupted in applause. Ella tried to look demure while still staying confident as she waved and thanked them all, remembering the role Rome had ingrained in her brain. They’d practiced this, assuming the show would be a hit.
She was bombarded with people who wanted to speak to her, to get a word with her, to make an offer on a specific piece. Ella took her sunglasses off and placed them into her bag, waving off those who wanted a piece of her time. “Please, darling, you’ll have to speak to Tucker about that,” she said over and over again, gesturing at the assistant she’d hired a few weeks ago, a man in his mid-thirties who was well-versed in current trends in the art world. He’d come at a hefty price, but he was already proving himself worth it as he steered the crowd away from her. “Where’s my drink?” Ella shouted in the direction of her personal assistant, a woman named Kinsley who had also come highly recommended by one of Rome’s actor friends. She scurried off, and Ella surveyed the crowd. There weren’t too many people there that she actually did want to talk to--but she saw two of them.
Rome commanded the room, or at least he had, until she’d made her entrance. She could tell by the way the people were situated around him, all of their bodies facing toward him, only their heads turned in her direction. A pang of jealousy hit her in the stomach at the site of the blonde actress on his arm. It really wasn’t fair that Carry Carmichael had no idea Rome was still married and that his wife had just walked into the room. For all she knew, he’d asked her out because he was interested in her, not because she made a good diversion.