Chapter 1I Demanded to Be a Star

The bride wanted me to make her look like Anne Hathaway.

I tried to gently dissuade her. "Replicating a celebrity's entire face for your wedding isn't usually recommended."

She took it as a challenge. "I'm paying, so I get what I want. What, you can't do it?"

As the top SFX makeup artist in my field, of course I could do it.

A tight, humorless smile stretched across my face. "Oh, I can do it. Let's get started."

* * *

I'm a makeup artist.

I had just wrapped up a special effects project overseas, a grueling marathon of four consecutive all-nighters. The moment my plane touched down, a text from my colleague, Sarah, buzzed on my phone. She was practically crying through the screen, saying her kid had a fever and if she took another day off, she’d lose her entire performance bonus. She was begging me to cover her shift.

I was reluctant. "Sarah, I do special effects. Bridal makeup isn't really my thing."

She wouldn't take no for an answer. "Yes, it is! You know how to do it. It's that standard package we all learned when we first started at the studio." Her texts became more frantic. "Just do the first look. My mother-in-law will be here soon, and then I can come in."

I sighed. Fine, I'd do her a favor.

The moment I stepped into the makeup suite, one of the bridesmaids sidled up to me.

"You know, our Chloe is a pretty big influencer," she said, her voice conspiratorial. "Lots of followers. Do you think we could get this session for free, you know, for the exposure?"

The bride, Chloe, tilted her chin up with a smug little smile.

I shook my head instinctively. "I'm just the artist. I don't handle the pricing."

Besides, they were already here for the pre-wedding photoshoot. Hadn't they paid already?

Chloe’s face fell instantly, her lips pressing into a thin, unhappy line.

When I presented her with the portfolio of bridal looks, she shoved it aside.

"I don't need to choose. Make me look like this."

She held up her phone, displaying a photo of Anne Hathaway clutching a bouquet of flowers, her smile radiant and luminous.

This was a problem.

The woman in the mirror had sharp, demanding eyes and a condescending tone. Her skin was sallow, framed by massive dark circles under her eyes. But the biggest issue was her face shape—a soft square.

For a face like hers, the key was to create dimension and contour, shifting the focus away from her strong jawline and up toward her eyes and brows. It was the best way to highlight her features and minimize the rest.

"Ma'am," I suggested gently, "your features would be stunning with a classic, sultry Hollywood look. A warm, earthy eyeshadow palette and some soft waves would really bring out your natural glamour."

She shot me a glare. "Are you making a crack about my teeth?"

I froze. A dozen diplomatic responses flashed through my mind, but the furious clench of her brow told me none of them would work. I swallowed them back down.

"Not at all, ma'am," I said, my voice carefully neutral. "We'll proceed with whatever you'd like."

She wasn't satisfied. "What's with the attitude? Are you trying to be sarcastic?"

"No, ma'am."

She let out a sharp huff. "Cut the crap. I paid for a service, and I expect to get exactly what I want." Then, she shifted gears. "I'm thirsty. I want... what's it called? That fancy cloud water."

Her bridesmaid chimed in instantly, "Evian. It's called Evian."

I pursed my lips. "We don't have that in the studio, I'm afraid. Would Perrier be alright?"

She waved a dismissive hand. "Another generic brand." She glanced down at my chest, her nails—a tacky explosion of pink rhinestones—flicking my work ID. "Vivi, is it? I'm not a fan of your attitude. Are you trying to get a formal complaint filed against you?"

This was Sarah’s client. Even though I was just covering, a complaint would still hit her record and dock her pay. That didn't seem fair. But seven days of travel and no sleep had drained me of the energy required to even feel angry. I just wanted to get this done and go home to collapse.

"One moment," I told the bride. I turned and asked an assistant to run across the street and buy a bottle of Evian.