I Made a Deal with the Devil

CHAPTER 17

The doorbell echoed right after he said that.
Before Eva could respond and move to open it, Gage had already walked past her and opened the door without even checking who it was that was behind it. Eva wanted to shout out to him that it might be some of those sneaky reporters creeping around on the outside of her unit.

However, just as she stretched out her hand to call him back, a woman emerged from the door with a few shopping bags dangling over her arms. She had marched in confidently, smiling at the shocked Eva and greeted her with a bright smile and a nod.

"This is Eloise. She's a good make-up artist." He did not waste any moment and introduced the woman to her. As Eva was trying to catch up to what was happening, the woman named Eloise was already walking up to her.

What? Who? Make-up artist?

"Hi, Miss. Nice to meet you." The woman greeted Eva with the same bright smile.

"Eva." Eva smiled back at Eloise reflexively, her professionalism as a top businesswoman evident in her quick reflexes. She then glanced quickly at Gage, raising a brow at him.

"She'll dress you up, Eva." Gage told her before he nodded at Eloise. He even opened the door of Eva's walk-in closet at the same time as he explained to Eva.

Eva looked like she wanted to argue but Eloise's smile made her bite down on her lips and she could just lead the woman inside.

…

Time passed and Eloise finally emerged from behind the closed doors. "The make-up's done, sir. She'll just need to put on the dress." She reported.

Gage gave her a slight nod of acknowledgement. "Okay, you may go. Thanks for the good job." He thanked her even without seeing Eva yet. That just showed how much he knew the quality of this woman's work and the woman politely bowed her head at her boss before leaving the apartment, her shoes clicking crisply on the hardwood floors as she exited.

The apartment then became quiet after the doors closed behind Eloise. Gage was tapping his long and elegant fingers on top of the couch as he waited for Eva to come out. But minutes ticked by, yet no Eva came out. Gage looked at his watch and thought that no matter how complicated a woman's dress was, it should not take this long to get into it.

He stood and knocked on the door. "You are taking too long, Eva." He called out to Eva.

"Well, err… I don't think this dress is…" Her voice came out a little wavery and was heavily tinged with doubts. Gage arched a perfectly shaped brow before raising his hand.

"I'm opening the door." He gave Eva a warning before turning the door handle.

"Wait!" Eva called out nervously.

After a few seconds, the door opened. He waited for a moment before he stepped inside when he did not see anyone stepping out. The instant he saw her, he stilled in his steps.

Eva turned away, as if to hide her face. He could see her ears turning red and a smile flashed over his handsome face.

"I'll get changed." Eva moved away when Gage caught her wrist.

"No. You want to hide, don't you?" He pulled her and stood her before the full-length mirror. "Take a look at yourself, Eva." His voice was nearly a whisper as he leaned over from behind her.

Looking at the mirror, Eva swallowed thickly. The woman in the mirror looked… so different. She was sophisticated, alluring and… sexy.

Her eyes stared at her own face that looked so unfamiliar to her right now, then down to her tastefully exposed cleavage and her legs – legs which had somehow grown so long and enthralling. The red dress clung tightly against her as thought it was a second skin. This was the first time she had ever worn something this revealing!

"This is how you hide in plain sight, Eva. Of course, this will only work because nobody has seen you like this before." He educated her, smiling at her through his reflection in the mirror. Then he carefully put on an elegant pair of black glasses on her. And with just that, it completed her all-new look.

He was right. Even she could barely recognize herself in this outfit! She had never put her hair down whenever she was in front of the media or even when attending formal events representing the company. Only when she was in her own home did she take off those old fashioned, thick glasses of hers and let her hair down. Even she was so used to her usual look of being all prim and proper, the average office lady look, that this new guise she had on right now made her speechless. She could not help but stand there and gawk at her own reflection. It was hard to believe that the elegant and yet seductive vixen looking back at her from the mirror was actually herself!

And now that she was wearing her black glasses, Eva was not seeing the proper and strictly formal business lady anymore. She could not help but be amazed at the power of make-up and the right style of clothes on a person.

"Hold onto my arm." Gage said as they stepped out of her apartment, and she complied with his wishes. He had told her he would send someone to pick up her luggage. So all Eva was holding onto was her luxurious and tiny clutch.

"Ready?" he asked in a low whisper and Eva nodded decisively. This was making her a little nervous but at the same time, an unfamiliar thrill zinged through her body. "Just walk confidently. Heads up, chest forward. Treat the reporters like they're some irrelevant bystanders or even better, think of them as insignificant ants by the roadside."

Eva laughed softly as she heard how he described those people who were as vicious as a pack of wild dogs.

"Let them come! I'm not scared of them. I'm just nervous that I might trip. I don't wear high heels that often…" Eva replied as they walked down along the corridor. "Furthermore, I have never worn heels this high before." She gave a small nervous laugh and her hands clutched Gage's arm a little tighter.