A Beauty With Multiple Masks

Chapter 20

Inside Arielle’s room.

Arielle felt neither unhappy nor unsettled in any way as she surveyed the modestly decorated interior of the hotel room.

Never mind that she had temporarily fallen out of favor with Henrick, her very presence had already thrown this family into disarray, and amidst the ensuing chaos, she reckoned that she would surely find the truth which she sought!

The ceremony would begin in half-an-hour.

Before leaving the room behind, Arielle went before the mirror to straighten out her disheveled hair.

The girl staring back at her in the reflection looked unbelievably fetching, coltish and acquiescent, but only she herself knew this to be a mere facade.

A wolf masquerading in sheep skin bit faster, more incisively and viciously, and left no chances for its enemies.

The venue for the ceremony was extravagantly luxurious, with the aroma of coffee from the sampling stations of the various sponsoring roasters saturating the air inside.

Shandie picked up a cuppa the moment she entered and took a whiff from it before tilting her head toward Henrick. “This is pretty good, smells full-bodied. And judging from its form, I reckon that it should be from… Corleon.”

The sponsor at the side approached appreciatively when he incidentally overheard her. “You’ve a good eye, Miss. Our beans are indeed sourced from Corleon.”

The man’s effusive praise for Shandie made Henrick’s heart swell with joy as he looked proudly at her.

While Shandie was basking in her moment of glory, she lifted her head to see that sponsor looking absolutely mesmerized by Arielle.

Shandie had no doubt that the man would start drooling were he to carry on ogling, and that irked her to no end.

Although Shandie was a little over twenty just as Arielle was, the former still came across as a young lass who had yet to shake off her own girlishness.

In a few more years, there would be no telling whether Shandie herself would even be fit enough to be a complementary leaf to the ravishing rose that Arielle could become.

The very thought of that had Shandie gnashing her teeth and wishing for Arielle to disappear.

She thought that a country girl like Arielle should not show up and mess up her life like this!

Shandie took two steps to her left to block off the man’s line of sight, and harbored deviousness in her eyes when she picked up a cup of coffee in the same motion.

She shoved the beverage into Arielle’s hands and said, “Have a taste of their coffee too, Arielle. I thought it’s rather decent.”

Before Arielle could respond, Shandie pressed a hand to her own mouth as if she had hit upon a realization. “I forgot that you’ve always stayed in the countryside… so you must not have taken coffee before, haven’t you?”

her. He was looking for an ambassador for his company and had thought

she was from the countryside and had

even undesirable, as a brand ambassador since such

little heed toward Shandie’s comments and

drew a frown from

acrid to the taste buds and apart from the bitterness, there was little complexity

made it

snatched the cup back from Arielle, adamant in the view

country bumpkin like her

pleased her. The latter then turned to the sponsor apologetically. “I’m sorry, mister. It’s not that your coffee isn’t good, but my

did not understand his product at all,

a

at Shandie before

watched the man depart, believing his younger daughter to be far more capable than his elder

Why did you have to let your sister drink coffee

quite indignant. “It just

but Arielle, how could you tell the sponsor in his face that his coffee was bitter? You‘ve really embarrassed me

bowed, Arielle lowered her gaze apologetically. “I’m sorry, Dad. Don’t

so you should go prepare yourself backstage. Dad and Mom would be waiting out there for you to receive

Shandie smiled pleasantly and waved to Cindy before she took her pass backstage, while

by a Henrick who looked like he was trying to keep his distance

that was her dad. A good father who would happily

darkened in wistfulness, albeit for a second, but she kept her own emotions in check and continued

commenced shortly after they were

day was more than usual, primarily because of the presence of Vinson Nightshire as one of the

a slot at the event

starting with one of the founders of Crown Coffee Academy; followed by a renowned barista in the industry; and then Rain Evans, who Arielle ran into

“Please put your hands together for the CEO of Nightshire

ignited went far to illustrate that

video cameras were promptly directed toward the door leading backstage. At the end of the ceremony, the technicians would edit the footage and post it onto Crown

of the ceremony each year would receive extra attention largely because of Vinson’s expected

strolled unhurriedly to the front of the stage to greet the audience, he suddenly caught sight

Is that… Arielle?

awhile before

the people gathered in the seats. “Hello everyone,

the audience