Cinderella Reimagined Read online

  Kayla nodded and retrieved the shoes.

  “Wow,” her stepsister breathed as the box was opened and the shoes revealed.

  “Yeah,” Kayla agreed with a smile.

  “They’re absolutely made for the dress you designed.” She turned to Kayla, smiling happily. “You’re going to be absolutely spectacular at the ball. And once everyone realises that these designs are yours,” she gestured to the designs in the corner, “we’ll start a branded line for you. Not even Amy will be able to fight that. Actually, I think she’ll warm up to the idea once she doesn’t have to make the decision herself.”

  “You really think that?” Kayla asked as she locked the shoes away.

  She wasn’t as sure as Danielle. Those two shared blood through their mother. All they shared with her was a surname.

  “Yes,” she said as she squeezed Kayla’s hands.

  “I should probably get your credit card…” Kayla said and pulled away, uncomfortable with Danielle’s sisterly actions.

  “No. You’ll need it for tomorrow.”

  “What?”

  “I’ve booked you a place at Malcolm’s Spa. You’ll get buffed and waxed and styled so you’ll look as lovely as your dress.”

  Kayla blushed. She’d been reminded of her unpolished appearance at the shoe boutique.

  “You work so hard, I’m sure you haven’t had time to pamper yourself in forever.”

  Kayla still hesitated. Malcolm’s was very exclusive. And very expensive.

  “Oh, come on. Everyone has the day off tomorrow. And you should do your design justice.”

  Kayla nodded reluctantly. Anything for the dress.

  “So, how are the seamstresses doing with the show’s designs?”

  “Oh, they’re on schedule…”

  Kayla woke up and stared at the cracked ceiling. She couldn’t really remember her dream, only a vague sense of happiness infusing whatever had happened.

  She sighed as the alarm clock yelled at her.

  In the corner of her room her dress for that evening hung in a garment bag against her closet. The new shoes stood in their box next to it.

  She went to shower, images of designing and making the wondrous dress filling her entire being. She remembered every decision, every moment of agonising over colour and texture.

  A knock at the front door pulled her out of the bathroom in only a robe.

  “Come now, you should be at the spa!” Danielle fussed as she pushed into the tiny apartment. “Antonio is taking the car around the block. Quick, throw something on and let’s go.”

  Kayla shook her head as her stepsister opened the closet door.

  “Really? Do you only own work clothes?”

  Kayla didn’t answer. It was quite obvious from the closet that it was the case.

  “Stay in the robe. Let’s go,” Danielle said and grabbed the dress and shoes.

  “But –”

  “You won’t need clothes for your day at the spa.”

  The spa was crowded for so early in the morning. Danielle hissed something about people not making bookings, but Kayla ignored her. All she could see was the richly dressed people gawking at her in her robe.

  Inside, bamboo and orchids thrived in natural planters. Between the plants, the stone floor and gurgling fountain, Kayla felt like she’d stepped into another world.

  And she had. She’d stepped into the world her stepfamily had always inhabited.

  “Ah, Danielle. So good to see you,” a man dressed in shades of green greeted and kissed Danielle on both cheeks.

  “You too, Malcolm.”

  “And this must be your baby sister. So cute. But –” He pulled his face as if in pain. “I see what you mean about her nails. Not to mention –” he vaguely gestured to all of Kayla. “But not to worry. We’ll have her looking like a princess before the ball tonight.”

  If someone were to ask Kayla what had happened at the spa, she wouldn’t have been able to answer honestly.

  The hours had gone by in a blur. She was thankful that she’d been in a robe when she’d arrived; it was the only way she was able to recognise herself. Between the waxing, massaging, lotions slathered all over her, and other strange happenings she was a little overwhelmed. She didn’t have to make any decisions: Danielle and Malcolm where in charge of her.

  As her nails were painted a glittering silver, Kayla felt a panic attack coming on. She wasn’t a princess. She wasn’t a superstar. And she wasn’t her stepsisters. She didn’t belong there.

  “Breathe, darling,” Malcolm said with a hand on Kayla’s shoulder.

  When the manicurist was done, Kayla sat down in another chair and placed her feet in a tub filled with warm, bubbling water scented with violets. She stared at the silver ovals on her hands. It was a little frivolous, but she knew that Danielle was right that it would look amazing with her shoes and dress.

  After that she allowed Malcolm to lead her anywhere he thought she needed to go. By the time her hair was done and the final touches of make-up were applied, Kayla felt like a true pampered princess.

  “Off you go,” Malcolm said after he’d swiped her credit card. “You’d better get dressed if you want to make it to the ball in time.”

  Kayla took the company card, hoping that it wouldn’t be flagged like Danielle’s and that Amy would still be blissfully unaware of what was going on.

  “You look amazing,” Danielle said as Kayla walked out of the changing room. One of the spa attendees had helped her to get dressed in the voluminous ball gown.

  “Thanks. You look wonderful,” she replied as she took in the ice blue dress she’d made for her sister.

  Stepsister, she corrected herself.

  The silk sheath hugged her lithe body while the gossamer cloak fastened at the back spread out like wings and floated behind her, making her look like a fairy-princess.

  “Thank you. Here,” she pulled out a jewellery box. “I got you a necklace and matching bracelet to complement the rest of your outfit.”

  “You’re much too kind,” she managed to say as she took in the myriad diamonds.

  “They’ll have to be returned to the jewellers,” Danielle replied. “I certainly don’t have the money to buy them. But to borrow? Easy,” she winked as she turned to fasten the choker. The pretty bracelet was already gleaming on Kayla’s wrist. “There. Now you look like a real Castillo. Ready?”

  Kayla caught her own reflection. She didn’t recognise the woman in the mirror. The layered purple, black and silver eye shadow made her look glamorous without it being overdone. She was tall and elegant. And she made the dress look incredible.

  The dark purple silk looked amazing as the ruffled skirt grazed her ankles only to regally pile on the floor behind her. The sleeveless top, the fabric twisted around her torso, made her look even taller than she was. And the shoes… All those crystals along with the loaned diamonds around her neck and wrist made her look like a fairy-tale princess.

  Yes, she was a true Castillo tonight. She was ready to go to the ball.

  Kayla could feel the stares as she descended the grand staircase, which was exactly what her stepsister had intended. This was her moment to shine.

  All the biggest names in the fashion world were gathered there along with those who could afford couture.

  The whispers followed her as she made her way to the centre of the room where Danielle waited for her with her fiancé, Colin.

  “You really look stunning, sis,” Colin said as he kissed her hand. “Your design is absolutely breath-taking.”

  “Thank you. Though I do wonder what lies behind all that charm of yours…”

  “A hard-nosed reporter,” he answered with a wink.

  Kayla looked around a little nervously.

  “Have a drink. It’ll relax you,” Danielle said as the waiter stopped next to them.

  “Why are all the drinks green?”

  “Green’s the new black,” her sister said with a mischievous smile. “Here, have a kiwi
margarita.”

  More people clucked around them. Everyone had questions about the dress, oohing and aahing as Danielle fussed over Kayla’s awesomeness.

  She was glad that her sister was taking control. She’d never been comfortable in crowds, especially not when they expected her to speak. Kayla kept her nervousness to herself. This was her one and only chance to show the world that her designs were amazing and that it wasn’t just a ‘company effort’ that created it. She needed to get recognition for her efforts for once in her life.

  Even if it meant that Amy was shooting venomous daggers at her with her eyes.

  Yeah, tomorrow there’ll be hell to pay.

  “You clean up nicely,” an almost familiar man’s voice said.

  Kayla turned. It was the man from the shoe store. His tawny hair glowed beneath the light of the chandeliers.

  “So do you.”

  “Dance?”

  She saw Danielle and Colin nod eagerly.

  “Sure.”

  The song playing sounded vaguely familiar, though Kayla couldn’t be sure. She wasn’t that great with instrument-only songs, even if they were warped versions of pop songs.

  “If it weren’t for the shoes, I wouldn’t have recognised you.”

  Kayla merely smiled.

  “I’m Kieran, by the way.”

  “Kayla.”

  Her heart was fluttering and she felt a little lightheaded.

  It’s not like you’ve never danced with an attractive man before, she scolded herself.

  But it didn’t help. There was something about Kieran that caused her to melt. Perhaps it was his expensive cologne? It was citrusy and woodsy all at once. Intoxicating.

  The song came to an end and she was loathe to let go. But dancing two songs in a row would cause people to gossip. And she needed them to only talk about her designs.

  “That was fun,” Kieran said as he led her to the side of the dance floor.

  “It was, thank you.”

  A crowd of admirers flocked around her and she lost sight of her handsome dance partner. There were a few couples still dancing, but most of the guests were gathered in little groups watching everyone else and what they were wearing.

  Her stomach growled, but there was no sight of food. So she took another of the strange green cocktails that circulated the ballroom.

  Kayla felt empty and cold now that she stood among strangers. Though the song couldn’t have lasted more than four minutes, it had been the safest she’d felt all night.

  The chandeliers reflected light off the gem-coloured ball gowns of the others there. They all looked pretty. Even the ones wearing white. But she knew that her dress was superior to them all. It made her feel a little better as she had to listen to the inane babbling of the people around her obsessed with who-was-wearing-what.

  Kayla saw him make his way through the crowd. For the first time she noticed that his suit had a slight purple tinge beneath the light of the chandeliers. It made him look roguish in his otherwise ordinary black evening wear. Her heart sped up.

  You’re too old to freak out over a guy like this, she scolded herself.

  Kieran smiled and extended his hand. Kayla smiled and took it gratefully. She felt like she was being suffocated by the airheads who could only talk about fashion.

  He led her out to the middle of the dance floor. A new song started and everything else faded away.

  “I hear this is your own design?”

  Surprised, Kayla nodded. She easily spoke to him about her designs, her hopes, and her dreams.

  Kieran listened and asked questions that startled and delighted in equal measure.

  One song led to the next and still they danced. After a while they fell into a comfortable silence.

  The whole thing felt very surreal. Mostly because she felt like she was someone else. She felt for the first time what it could be to really be Kayla Castillo. And it was liberating.

  She could’ve stayed in Kieran’s arms forever. Though they didn’t talk, it felt to Kayla like their eyes were having a conversation all their own.

  “Want to get out of here?” Kieran asked.

  Her mouth suddenly became dry. Something in his eyes compelled her to want to say yes. She looked around. The crowd had thinned, but the party was still going strong.

  The sensible part of her wanted to say no. But the other Kayla, the one intoxicated by Kieran and the feelings he evoked, nodded.

  Kayla woke up in the grey light of dawn. She stretched contentedly. Kieran lay next to her, handsome even in sleep. The bedside lamps were still on and competed with the soft light coming in through the curtains.

  She looked away before her staring woke him up. Most of her was freaking out over what she’d done. She wasn’t ready to face him – or herself – in the light of day.

  Scrambling out of bed, she searched for her dress and shoes scattered among the clothes in the room. She blushed as she remembered her uninhibited behaviour of a few hours earlier.

  She caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror. Kayla barely recognised the woman wearing jewels and nothing else. A robe lay over a silver upholstered chair and she grabbed it. She could feel time slipping away as she searched for her belongings.

  Purple silk peeked out from behind a sofa. Her dress was crumpled. And there was no way that she’d be able to fasten it herself. Sighing, she draped it over the back of the sofa and searched for her tiny clutch and shoes.

  One shoe lay next to the door. Her clutch was inside Kieran’s jacket. But no matter where she looked, she couldn’t find the other shoe.

  Sunlight was piercing the curtains and the silver-and-white room lit up prettily.

  Kayla pulled her cell phone from her clutch and quickly dialled the programmed number.

  “Antonio, can you please pick me up from the hotel?”

  When the driver said that he could be there in ten minutes, she sighed in relief. At least she wouldn’t have an audience when she left the hotel in only a bathrobe.

  She quickly searched the room again, but to no avail. The other shoe was gone.

  Kayla grabbed her dress, her matching clutch and the one shoe then slipped out of the room before Kieran could wake up. Her heart was beating in her ears and she felt a strange sense of loss as she closed the door behind her.

  “So, was the night everything you’d hoped it would be?” Danielle asked not long after Kayla got home. She’d barely had time to shower and get dressed.

  “Why are you here so early?”

  “The jewellery. And this,” she did something on her tablet and sat down next to Kayla nursing a cup of coffee.

  She showed her an article on a popular fashion blog.

  “Isn’t this great? People are talking about your dress. Not even your, ah, accessories could detract from it.”

  Kayla couldn’t look away from the photos of her and Kieran dancing beneath glistening chandeliers. She could still hear that first song playing in her head. She felt herself smiling goofily and hid it behind her cup.

  “Wait until you see the rest…”

  More pictures of the ball, most only featuring Kayla’s dress, filled the screen. They were captioned with words like ‘Delightful!’; ‘Sensational!’; ‘Inspired!’ and ‘Trend-setting’.

  Kayla’s head reeled. She’d hoped for a positive response. But this…

  “I’ll leave you to absorb all this. Where are the jewels?”

  She vaguely gestured to her bedroom; her eyes fixed on the photo of her and Kieran captioned: ‘Kayla Castillo reveals extraordinary talent and exceptional taste.’

  She swallowed heavily. Her heart was beating madly as she stared at the photo and relived the previous night’s wonder.

  An angry knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts. Danielle was still searching for the jewellery.

  ‘‘Nightstand,” Kayla said as she made her way to the door.

  “Found it!”

  Kayla grinned as she looked through the peephole. Her go
od mood quickly evaporated.

  “May I come in?” Amy asked stiffly.

  Kayla stood to the side and the other woman walked in.

  “How dare you?” she hissed as she turned on Kayla. “Our family had given you everything, took you in as one of our own after your father died. And this is how you repay us?” She threw a newspaper on the floor; most of its top page was covered with a photo of Kayla at the ball.

  “It’s her design. It’s time we give her credit where credit is due,” Danielle said softly as she walked out of the bedroom.

  “Of course you’re in on this. You’ve been out to destroy the company ever since Mother died.”

  Pain flashed across Danielle’s face.

  “Enough!” Kayla snapped. “You both loved your mother. And somewhere deep down you love each other.”

  “Oh, boo-hoo and no-one loves you?”

  “I’m sure someone does,” she answered Amy stiffly. “But that’s not the point. The designs are mine. We share a family name – my father’s name. And he founded the company.”

  “And you think that entitles you to something? Our mother made the company what it is.”

  “All I want is recognition for my work.” She definitely didn’t want anything to do with her stepmother’s legacy.

  “You do it on company time which makes it company property.”

  “Oh, enough. Both of you. We’re sisters. Mom might not have liked it, but we are,” Danielle said as she threw her handbag on the sofa.

  The jewellery spilled out. Kayla looked away. The diamonds looked out of place on the worn material. Much like she did next to her stepsisters.

  “Oh, enough with your pity-party already! Why you feel you need to live out here…” Danielle threw her hands into the air.

  “I know why,” Amy said as she walked closer to Kayla, arms still crossed. ‘She wants everyone to feel sorry for her. Poor orphan Kayla. Well, newsflash: we’re all orphans,” she ended softly.

  Kayla’s head snapped up. She’d never considered that.

  “You could’ve moved back home after your stint in university housing. But you chose this. Can you imagine how we felt? Even Mother was hurt.”

  Kayla hugged herself. She’d just wanted freedom. She’d blamed her stepfamily for all the bad things in her life. But what if she’d brought some of it on herself? Like the dreadful apartment…