Shay's POV
The day of the beauty show interview finally arrived. I called my hairdresser and makeup artist to come over and help me get ready. After I took a shower and slipped into a bathrobe, they started working on my hair and makeup.
Ryrie, my hairdresser, styled my hair into a high ponytail and curled the edges. Kylie did my makeup, making sure it wasn't too light or too darkâit was just the right amount to make me look pretty for today.
After my makeup and hair were ready, I put on my outfit: a dark blue bodycon dress with thin straps that hugged my body like a second skin. I paired the dress with black stilettos and a silver clutch.
I left the house and drove downtown to the studio. As soon as I arrived, a girl rushed outside with a clipboard in her hand and a walkie-talkie on the other. She greeted me with a smile.
"Thank you so much for making it on time, Miss Falcon. Please follow me inside. Would you like a quick touch-up?"
I quickly shook my head while following her inside the huge studio.
"No, I'm okay. Thank you." She marked something off on her clipboard and nodded.
The hallway was a little dark, and people with camera equipment and light wires were rushing around, talking all at once. The atmosphere in the room made me feel a little nervous. She led me down the dimly lit hallway until we reached the backstage area, where the makeup room was.
That's when I saw Selina, the host of the show. She's a beautiful, tall brunette in her late twenties with a heart-shaped face and clear green eyes, elegantly dressed in a sleeveless white dress. She was sitting in front of the mirror with her eyes closed while getting her makeup done.
The girl who brought me inside whispered something in Selina's ear, causing her to open her eyes and look at me through the mirror.
I smiled and waved. She grinned back and mouthed, "Thank you for coming," at me in the mirror. I nodded, and the girl led me to another area where we could see the stage. People were starting to fill in the empty seats in front of the huge stage while the crew continued to set up.
The girl grabbed my hand and led me to the stage, telling me to sit in the soft armchair in the middle. Selina followed and took the seat in front of me. She smiled again and read the script in her hand, while the girl walked over to her to fix her hair. I swallowed the nervous lump in my throat and stared at the huge audience across the room.
This was my first time attending a live show, let alone a beauty show program. I hoped my nervousness wasn't too obvious.
"On three!" a manly voice shouted from the back of the room. Selina gave a thumbs-up before handing her script to the girl, who quickly left the stage.
The audience fell silent, and Selina plastered a bright smile on her face. I did the same.
"One... two... three. Cue!" The man yelled from the back of the room, and that's when I knew we were going live.
"And we're back, ladies and gentlemen! On today's Selina Beauty Show, we have a special guest with us. Let's give a warm round of applause to Miss Shay Falcon, everybody! A.K.A San Francisco's Golden Girl!"
The crowd erupted into applause, and I flashed a smile at the camera rolling nearby.
"Welcome, Shay! How are you feeling?" Selina asked with a smile.
"I'm good, thank you for having me."
"Of course! Now, everybody knows Shay, but for those of you who don't, Shay-Lina Falcon is the youngest daughter of Shaden Falcon. Yes, you heard that right, folks. The Shaden Falconâone of the top successful billionaires in the world. Her family is the most well-known, wealthiest family in San Francisco, and probably around the whole world, too. She's also known as our Golden Girl because Shay here is rated as one of the most beautiful and richest daughters of a billionaire in many popular magazines all over the world. Tell us, how do you feel about that?" she directly asked me.
"Um, well... it's overwhelming sometimes, and I'm not really the type to easily get used to having that kind of title. But I've learned to accept it and just go along with it."
She beamed and relaxed back in her seat while staring at me.
"Well, of course, you'd get used to it at some point, having had that title ever since you were little. So, Shay, you're working at your father's company now, right?" I nodded enthusiastically.
"I am. As the team leader for the Foreign Affairs department." The audience let out an 'ooh' in unison, and so did Selina.
"That's pretty cool. Anyway, we've all seen the advertisement about Falcon Cosmetics, and I must say, it's really amazing! It's incredible that those same cosmetic products are everywhere in China! That's pretty cool, right?" The audience murmured in agreement.
"Yes, our main branch is in China, and thanks to our products being advertised all around Shanghai and Beijing, we've received great feedback from our clients all over China."
"Awesome, congrats on that big achievement. Now let's talk about the main thing here because everyone is really curious about this. Tell us about your cosmetics."
I shifted in my chair, feeling the tension loosen as I was about to talk about the thing I've proudly worked on since I started at the company.
"Falcon Cosmetics, branded as 'FC,' is a line of products that aims to enhance the looks of women, men, and girls, making them appear more attractive in the eyes of others. The manipulation of contrast with the eyes and lips against skin tone is the main focus of our products. Our cosmetics bring out the feminine self and help boost your self-confidence. Because I know, that's the beauty of beautyâit's not a tattoo. Makeup is not a mask that covers up your body; it's like a weapon that helps you express who you really are inside."
Selina beamed and turned to the audience, who started clapping and cheering after I finished talking.
"Impressive! Well, we're a beauty show, and embracing our beauty inside and out is mostly our main topic here. But anyway, that's really great, and I'm curious about these unique cosmetics that you've produced. What's the public's reaction to them? What kind of reviews do you usually get?"
I clasped my hands together and smiled before answering her question.
"Well, we care about what people use our cosmetics for. Consumer satisfaction is at its highest when our products help strengthen positive emotions. So far, we've received a lot of positive feedback, and FC is slowly becoming a bigger, more popular brand."
"Wow, I can't wait to check it out. In fact, straight after the show, I'll head to the mall and get myself the whole FC package." I chuckled, and the audience did too.
"So, what are some of the great benefits of your cosmetics that people have experienced after using your products?"
I quickly racked my brain, looking for the perfect way to answer her question because this is what people want to know before buying our cosmetics.
"Our cosmetics are made from chemical compounds derived either from natural sources or synthetically created ones. They're designed for personal and skincare, helping to cleanse or protect the body and skin."
Selina leaned forward with excitement in her eyes, a mischievous twinkle shining in them.
"Really? Do you think I can use it to make my skin glow? Like, really flawless?" The audience chuckled.
"Um, yeah. But you don't need to, because you're already flawless." She grinned and flipped her hair to the side.
"Aw, thanks, girl! So, tell me, what makeup is really popular in the market right now?"
"The FC Poreless Liquid Foundation helps you get a better complexion even after washing it off. The FC Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner is perfect for highlighting your eye color. We also have the FC Glossier Haloscope, which is the JAM for glowy, dewy skin. The FC Highlighter is very popular, too, and very versatile for getting an understated glow on all areas of the face. Our special FC Balm Dotcom is the perfect choice for high cheekbones."
"Well, there you have it, folks! FC is the most popular makeup in the market, so go get it before it's all gone! But hey, save some for me, alright? We're going to take a short break, and you and I will talk about the hot topic that has been circulating for a while now. People are dying to know everything. Since you're here now, we're not letting you go until you spill the tea. We'll be right back!"
Oh no, please tell me it's not what I think it is.
The break on set started, and two girls immediately rushed on stage to do a retouch on our makeup. Selina tilted her head to the side and smiled at me.
"I can't wait to buy FC. I've seen it on the internet and how people have been using it and how great it is. I just want to try it out." I nodded, feeling glad.
"You should. You'll love it."
Five minutes later, we were back rolling, and Selina greeted the audience again with a bright smile on her face. She turned to face me with a small smirk, and I did a double-take.
"So, tell us, Shay, who is the most attractive in your family?"
I released a low sigh of relief, glad she didn't ask the questions I was dreading.
"Who do you think it is?" I replied back with a little sass, and her jaw dropped.
"I'd say you, of course!" I casually shrugged with a pleased smile.
"Do you use FC, too, or is there any other makeup brand you like?"
"I've used FC, but I'm more of a Coco Chanel type of girl."
The audience 'wowed' at my response, and I chuckled before facing Selina again.
"Ooh, okay. Now, look at the screen."
I glanced at the screen, and a picture of Jason suddenly popped up on both the small screen in front of us and the big screen behind us for the audience to see. Oh, crap! I knew it. I knew she'd bring this up. The audience reacted excitedly to the picture, and I nervously smiled while glancing behind me.
"Tell us about him," Selina urged, curiosity in her eyes.
"That's Jason. We went out for a while, but we broke up two weeks ago."
"Well, that was short. We all heard about your breakup, but tell us more about him. He's such a hottie, isn't he?" She asked the crowd, and they mumbled in agreement.
Okay, that's it. How do I get myself out of this?
"He's the COO of C&E Holdings. He's very kind, sweet, and caring. That's all I can say about him now."
She pursed her lips and turned to the audience again, a look of disappointment in her eyes at my answer. I was telling the truth about how I feel about Jason now. Thanks to him, my project is going well, and we're working well together, but that doesn't mean my feelings for him have changed.
"Okay, I get it. You still feel awkward talking about your ex, but we're so happy to have you here, Shay. Thank you for coming." I nodded appreciatively.
"Thank you for having me."
She continued saying a few more lines to the audience until the show ended. I stood up, and she came over to thank me again. I was expecting to be nervous throughout the whole show, but it was actually okay. I could totally get used to this.