To Color Your Life

"Catherine, I'm not sure this is a good idea," Emily made an effort to break free from the photographer's tenacious grip. "I don't even know how to take selfies. Not to mention posing for the camera! And my look is-"

"Your look is just awesome, dear," Miss Joyce beamed with excitement and anticipation. The unexpected decision to use Hayes for business appealed to her more and more. "It will be a sensation! I promise!"

More likely a disaster, Emily sighed. It was impossible to argue with the persistent blonde. She dragged the girl into one of the spacious rooms, where there were hangers with various outfits and several tables for makeup.

"Emy, I would like you to meet someone. This is Rami, our make-up artist. He will make you such a makeup that you will not recognize yourself. So relax and have fun," Catherine introduced a dark-skinned guy not tall with black curly hair.

If he was dressed in appropriate clothes, he would quite pass for a resident of ancient Egypt.

"Hello," Emily nodded.

The man did not answer, and instead, with scrupulous meticulousness, began to examine the girl's face, holding her chin and turning it to the right and then to the left. At the same time, he looked like a maniac who accidentally met his ideal victim.

"Awesome ... what a skin!" His eyes reflected surprise, mixed with admiration, "It's been a long time since I saw such beauty without a thick layer of foundation. What are you using, baby?"

"Uh, regular cream," Emily glanced at Catherine to tell her what to answer, but the blonde was focused on her camera.

Still, creative people sometimes are a little.... well you know, they are usually in their own world.

"Hmm, then you're a very lucky lady, my beauty," the man finally let go of her chin and signaled to sit in a chair.

"Remind me, what is your theme of the photoshoot?" he turned to Joyce.

"Crime and punishment," she replied.

"BDSM, then," Rami summed up.

Emily swallowed. Well, her judgment day has come. Maybe this is punishment for yesterday's frank outfit? The Universe thought it was in her taste, and decided to dilute workdays with another challenge?

"Rami, don't scare my girl. Can't you see, she's already shaking like a little jerboa," Catherine brushed Emily's hair off the girl's face and stroked her head as if she were a child before the first exam.

"Don't worry, my girl. Aunt Joyce and Uncle Rami will make you such a fatal beauty that the guys in the department will regret that they are not the reason of your pregnancy." She gave Emily a kiss on the cheek and winked playfully.

"But I'm not pregnant!" whispered Hayes and the obvious fact, "You know it!"

"But others don't need to know," Catherine murmured and chills ran down Emily's spine. How can men work with this stunning blonde calmly? If even inside her something goes pit-a-pat at such a look?

Joyce caught the embarrassed look of her colleague in the mirror and leaned into Emily's ear, "Oh, you like me, right? It's mutual, dear. Think of me during the photoshoot and everything will work out. Well, or think about the boss. He's also a great motivation."

Oh, she could do it just fine without Catherine's suggestion. Justin Evans had already dug into the brain so that only a lobotomy could save now. Or total amnesia.

"All right, girls! Stop whispering at my workplace! Kat, look at the suits I've picked up. In the meantime, I'll take care of our model. Wow, I can smell a hot session." Rami turned Emily away from the mirror.

If she did not know that they were going to do her makeup, she would have decided that the man was preparing for something perverted. She had never seen such anticipation in the person's eyes. On the other hand, this is Pharaoh. Anything is possible here.

Emily exhaled, relaxed her shoulders, and closed her eyes.

Toner, primer, base, powder, concealer, corrector, sculptor, blush, and bronzer - she had no idea that so much is required to make up a face. And when they moved on to the eyes!

A bunch of brushes, pencils, eyeliners, shadows. Application, shading. Application again.

When the hour passed, Emily thought this torture would never end. As soon as she sat with her eyes closed, she began to fall asleep. And when Emily was about to doze, Rami would immediately order to open her eyes and look either up or down.

When the work was completed, the man looked over every millimeter of her face with an appraising glance. "Damn me! Indeed I am a God!"

"Oh yes, you outdid yourself this time, Rami," Catherine Joyce nodded her head in full approval.

No, they are definitely taunting! I also want to see what happened! Emily fainted with curiosity, but the enthusiastic couple immediately dragged her from the mirror to the fitting room.

Seeing the outfits spread out in front of her, Hayes breathed a sigh of relief. Her assumptions were much less modest. And since when did she become a pervert?

Apparently, the air in Pharaoh had some kind of special pheromones. How else could one explain her perception of the world, which was changing more and more every day?

"Here, let's start with this," Catherine handed her a tight-fitting black skirt just below the knee and a white shirt. "Put this down. The underwear is new, so don't worry," the blonde put on her black underwear with a bunch of strange strings, stockings, a belt, and other trifles.

Emily had no idea how to put it on. Especially the underwear. After suffering for about five minutes, she gave up and called a colleague for help.

"Catherine, I don't know what to do with these ropes. Are they really needed here?"

"Honey, these things are the most important thing! Turn around." Catherine deftly unhooked the straps from the bra, twisted them, and put them back on. "So now turn to me, I will adjust the garter belt."

Emily obediently turned in the girl and stood motionless while she was sitting down next to her and fastening small strings on Hayes's hips.

"Kat, when will the shooting start?! I'm tired of waiting!" the dressing room door swung open and a man rushed into the room. He immediately froze, forgetting to close his mouth.

Emily was standing with her back to him, in her underwear. And in front of her was Catherine kneeling and fiddling with her stockings.

The situation was so unusual and unexpected that the girl did not even have time to figure out what was happening.

"Bradley, if you stay here another second, you can erase my phone number from your address book."

Whoa! Emily was as shocked as the guy.

Catherine Joyce, it turns out, can talk like that! Without knowing why, she was ready to ask for forgiveness for any sin, even the one that she did not commit.

Bradley looked as if he was ready to fall to his knees and beg not to fulfill the threat, even at the cost of his life.

"One," the blonde's calm voice broke the silence.

Bang!

The door slammed shut and the man was blown away.

"What an obedient puppy," Joyce chuckled, "By the way, you're shooting together with him. If he misbehaves, let me know. I will punish him."

And why do a whip and a collar appear at these words? Maybe Catherine decided to create the mood for the photoshoot like that?

"It's done. Put on the rest and let's go. Bradley is right, we have delayed the deadline, and there is still a lot of work."

Ten minutes later, Emily was following the graceful blonde down the hallway. She could not see herself in the mirror. But judging by Joyce's reaction, she was pleased with the final result.

They entered a spacious studio, where the necessary equipment was already ready. Light, background, flashes.

Emily felt like Alice falling down a rabbit hole. This environment was so unusual for her.

Oddly enough, the girl did not feel any embarrassment or excitement. Maybe the reason was a little experience of being on the set with her grandmother. But that was in early childhood, twenty years ago.

Now she felt like the hero of some movie, which she accidentally got into. As if what was happening was unreal.

Catherine stepped aside to discuss the shooting details with a guy named Bradley. Emily remembered that this was that very guy, Mr. I-bet-a-hundred, who was actively convincing everyone about Hayes's pregnancy.

What an idiot! To come up with such a thing?!

Ok, so I'll have to put up with his company for a while. Emily grunted and turned away.

In the reflection of the large mirror on the opposite wall, she saw the work team, Catherine, a man. An unfamiliar girl was standing not far from them. Maybe also from the models?

Hayes looked closely at her, but couldn't remember where she saw her. The face looked familiar. Maybe her photo flashed in one of the last issues of the Pharaoh?

Emily turned to see her live, but the girl was gone.

How did she disappear so quickly?

Hayes looked in the mirror again. Then turned around. Looked again.

W-what???

Common, it cannot be!!!

She, like a robot, went to the mirror and knocked on the glass.

"Saint Magdalene…," a sigh full of surprise flew from her lips.

"Isn't that Emily Hayes?" chuckled Catherine, coming up from behind. "I told you that you won't recognize yourself. Rami can do magic."

"Is that possible?"

"Trust me, if you wish, I'll show you quite something!" Joyce winked mysteriously, and Emily had no doubt that she was not lying.

"Am I bothering you?" Bradley broke into the conversation and gave Hayes a look as if she were his worst enemy.

What does he want? Actually, I should be looking at him that way!

"Catherine Joyce! If you keep ignoring my calls, you're fired!" a formidable roar burst into the hall before its master. Justin Evans flew into the shooting area. A murderous aura surrounded the man, forcing everyone to step aside.

He glanced at the blonde among the others and walked to her with a quick step.

"Where's she?"

Emily looked at her boss in surprise. Someone was clearly pissed off.

"Who?" Catherine tapped her eyelashes innocently and hung on Emily's arm as if they were inseparable friends.

"Miss Hayes! She is not at her workplace. The department said you took her. Listen here, if you need a model, find someone else!" Justin looked like a bull ready to pounce on a blonde as a conquistador. "For example, take even this one!" he jabbed a finger in the direction of Emily, which caused even more surprise in the latter.

The girls looked at the man, looked at each other. "Justin Evans, I didn't pull your tongue," Joyce laughed, "Come on, Emily. The boss told you to work. The boss's word is the law."

"M-Miss Hayes?!" Evans remained standing with his hand raised.

The inner dragon of Emily wagged its tail smugly. She could hardly restrain herself from laughing after the blonde. The expression on the boss's face at this moment was worth it to get involved in an adventure with photo shooting.

What did grandma say there? Is the main thing in the frame to enter the role? Well, why not take advantage of the guidance of an experienced granny and punish a couple of sassy boys for taking too much initiative?

"I'm ready," she nodded to Catherine.

"Excellent. Let's start shooting!" Joyce clapped her hands and picked up the camera.