Oblivion Of The Heart

Chapter 53 - Debutante (1)

Chapter 53

"Call the designer here and tell her I want to change my debutante dress," Esperanza ordered, staring at the dress she had brought for her debut.

"Pardon? But may I dare ask, why....?" Avyana was surprised at the sudden inexplicable request.

"Just obey my order. And tell her to bring the dresses she had brought with her the previous time," Esperanza said with a smile. Avyana at this point realized that questioning was pointless, bowed, and left to carry out the orders.

Tomorrow was Esperanza's debut, a grand day everybody in the mansion had been anticipating in an agog manner. But for the longer time, Esperanza stared at the dress she had previously brought, the more she found its presence disturbing. She realized that the dress didn't truly belong to her, it wasn't a dress that would suit her. She had been trying to run away and change every detail of the past, and she realized that she was now trying to change herself.

But there was no need to change herself.

The attendant of the designer arrived a few hours later. The attendant was flabbergasted at the sudden summoning as well, but she quickly regained her composure and began showing Esperanza the dress. Finally, she came onto the dress Esperanza had been waiting for.

"I'll be taking this one," Esperanza smiled. She traced her hand across the dress and realized how familiar and comforting its texture was. This was the dress she had worn on her debut in her previous life. And she had loved this dress more than anything else. It was a dress she had chosen for the first time, all by herself. Her first choice.

Desperate to change everything of the past, she had tried to change the dress of her debut, hoping it wouldn't attract Lev again because honestly, she was not yet prepared to face him. She knows that there is a possibility she may break down once again. But what would changing a mere dress do? She was just trying to deceive herself. Now that she was here, she must face it.

Besides, the dress, Esperanza had to purchase the additional accessories. As she tried out the heels, she recalled a distant incident, the time when Qing Lin, being in her body, was poisoned by the attendant of the designer of this very shop. Although that attendant had been fired, and right now, there was another person in that position, still she made sure to take precautions by scrutinizing the heels. There was nothing, and it was pretty safe. Maybe it was the previous attendant who tried to poison her.

The following day.

Everybody scurried along the hall, the head maid commanding several instructions to a handful of other maids, assigning them with the particular make-up they were supposed to do while sending a few to arrange for the carriage to the Royal Palace. The maids followed the protocol of dressing up Esperanza, while Avyana, who had soon grown to be Esperanza's most favored maid, did the last few touches. Finally, the makeover was done. Esperanza looked in the mirror. She could see herself- her past self, just as she used to be. Only much stubborn and desperate, which made her stronger this time.

A beauty that would fade away?

She mocked Qing Lin's words. No, she'd never fade away. She was right here and will be here.

A/N: Some visuals representations of her dress and accessories.