Chapter 22. Finding Out the Truth

Alicia’s POV

Beauty is alluring.Beauty is elegance.Beauty is a woman subjected to all sorts of body manipulations.Who am I kidding?Beauty is pain.

My head feels like it’s going to split into two with the tight chignon Tanya has my long hair in. Let’s not get started on my face and the stuff she’s put on it.

“Stand still. Let me put the finishing touches on your makeup. You’re sweating like it’s going out of fashion,” she says to me with a voice full of exasperation.

“I’m trying, but you know I’m not used to wearing all this heavy stuff.” She has put a ton of powder on my face already, and it’s beginning to feel numb; plus, I’m sweating buckets, and it’s so uncomfortable. “I’m only going for lunch, not a beauty pageant.”

“That’s the point, though; you need to look your best,” she says, fiddling with my lashes.

“Ouch!” That stings. “And now I can’t see well. What did you do?”

She sighs exasperatingly once more. “That’s 'cause you’ve refused to