My Mother Paid 100,000 For A Makeup Artist, He Sent Her To His Sister Chapter 02

My Mother Paid 100,000 For A Makeup Artist, He Sent Her To His Sister Chapter 02

“What kind of nonsense is this?” my aunt demanded. “I’ve been to more weddings than I can count, and I’ve never seen anyone steal the bride’s makeup artist before. What an entitled little brat!”

The clock on the wall kept ticking. Nolan and the groom’s party were due at the house in two and a half hours for the first look and the trip to the venue.

The videographer spoke carefully, his camera still in his hands. “We need to get the makeup started soon, or there won’t be enough time for the bridal-party getting-ready photo session.”

The photographer asked just as cautiously, “Do you still want us to keep shooting?”

I was so furious that I laughed. Digging my nails into my palm, I said, “Yes. Keep filming me. I’m calling Nolan again right now.”

The call connected, and I poured out everything in a rush, my voice thick with anger and hurt.

“Nolan Pierce, my mother paid $15,000 to book this makeup artist. She called in every favor she could and booked her a year in advance.”

“This is my wedding, the most important day of my life. I should be the most beautiful woman here today. You know how much this wedding means to me.”

“Do you know Lila is keeping Susan there and refusing to let her come over? Tell them to send Susan over now, and this wedding can still go ahead.”

My mother and I had begun planning the wedding a year and a half earlier. My gown was a custom design that had taken six months to make by hand, and I had hired a sought-after wedding photography team with a huge online following to document the day. I had even ordered ten different versions of the wedding favors before choosing the final one.

Nolan tried to soothe me. “Okay, okay. Baby, don’t get upset. I’ll tell Lila to hurry up, all right?”

My voice trembled with tears. “No! I said now. Susan needs to come here right now. Do you understand me? Don’t waste another minute.”

Nolan sighed. “Baby, be reasonable. She’s almost finished over there. I’ll get Susan to you as soon as I can, okay?”

A crushing sense of helplessness came over me, as if no matter what I said, I could never get through to him.

I ended the call. Tears fell in heavy drops onto the back of my hand.

Nolan always said Lila was like a younger sister and should be indulged, so I was always expected to give way to her. When we went out to eat, I had to let her order first. When we went somewhere for fun, she had to choose what we did first. Now, even on what was supposed to be the only wedding day of my life, I was still expected to give up my makeup artist for her.

After seven years together, the man I had chosen to marry had humiliated me in front of my best friends and family on the most important day of my life and trampled all over my dignity.

I finally broke down, clung to Hannah, and sobbed into her shoulder.

Brooke and Hannah began to cry too. They held me close and tried to comfort me, telling me a bride wasn’t supposed to cry on her wedding day.

My father, who hadn’t slept all night, heard me sobbing. He set down the white floral wreath he had been hanging and hurried into the room.

“Ruby, don’t cry. Dad’s here. No one gets to hurt you.”

Just then, my mother’s phone rang.

Susan’s confused voice came through the speaker. “I’ve finished Lila’s makeup, but they won’t let me leave.”

“They said that since I’m already here, they want me to do her mother’s makeup too.”

“You’re the client who booked me, and your package includes makeup for only one mother of the bride. Do you want me to use that slot on her?”

“No!” my mother blurted out.

“Susan, please come to the address I sent you earlier as quickly as you can. Don’t do makeup for anyone who has nothing to do with us.”

“All right. Understood.”

Susan gave a brief reply but didn’t end the call. Her phone was still on speaker.

A commotion broke out on the other end, and then I heard Lila’s soft voice.

“Nolan, I’m fine. Susan can go do Ruby’s makeup first.”

“But my mother has known you since you were a little boy. She cares a lot about your wedding too and just wants to look presentable.”

She seemed to be speaking to Nolan on the phone.

Before I could say anything, the line went dead on Susan’s end.