**(Amanda's POV)**
I sighed in frustration. "Do you think he will find me attractive in this dress?" I asked my mother, who was sitting behind me on my well-decorated cushion inside my room.
"Why not? You are your mother's daughter, and you are just as beautiful as I am. Who wouldn't find you attractive?" she replied with a wide smile on her face.
"Not just anyone, Mum. I'm talking about Reuben. I need him to notice me," I said, frowning because she wasn't giving me the answer I was seeking.
"Reuben again? Don't you think it's time to give up on this one-sided attraction, Amanda? I don't want to see you in pain. You're my only child, and even though we're close to his family, that doesn't mean you have to marry him. He has shown many times that he isn't attracted to you. You've known him for ten years now, and during that time, he has been dating and having scandals while you've just been waiting," my mum told me as she got up to help me comb my hair.
"I don't want to hear that, Mum. It's not that no one is right for him except me; it's just that he hasn't realized it yet. He only sees me as a business partner. I need you to help me win him and his parents' hearts. That's all I ask of you," I said tearfully, staring at my reflection in the window.
"If he is truly the one you want, I will help you get him. But I don't want to see you sad, Amanda. I'm trying to protect your heart. I don't want you to go through the same situation I faced with your father, who never loved us," my mum said quietly.
"Can you please stop bringing up a man who is dead? Reuben is not Dad, and he is going to treat me right; I just know it. He just hasn't noticed me yet. I'm going to start making a change today," I said confidently while admiring my beautiful face in the mirror.
My mum exhaled. "You need to look incredibly beautiful to attract him. You already have the knowledge, wealth, and intelligence—everything a man wants. You just need a little touch-up on how to woo him," she said with a grin.
I took my mum's hand. "I know you always have my back. I love you, Mum," I said.
"You're almost late for your meeting. You should hurry. You mentioned that Reuben would be coming to check out his new designer clothes," my mum reminded me.
"Exactly, Mum," I replied, reaching out my hand to give her a hug.
***
**(BERRY BEAUTY COMPANY)**
"Call for Aliya," the stylist secretary ordered one of her team members.
"Yes, ma'am," she responded as she left to get Aliya.
A few minutes later, Aliya entered.
"You called for me, Miss Felicia?" Aliya asked.
"Yes, I did. How are you handling your new team?" she inquired.
"Thanks to you, I am managing it well," Aliya responded.
"You should be. You need to surpass Debra's performance if you want to win favor with our CEO, Amanda. Don't repeat her mistakes; otherwise, we might have to filter out your entire team of stylists," she warned Aliya.
"Yes, ma'am," Aliya replied, wondering what dreadful actions Debra must have committed to end up on the company's blacklist.
"We will have one of our top and most important VIPs coming to the company to try out our new designer clothes. Emily will brief you about him, so make sure everything is perfect. The CEO herself will be present at his shoot," Miss Felicia stated.
"Noted, ma'am," Aliya assured her.
"And also, make sure all his dressers are male except for his makeup artist. We don't want anyone sexually harassing him," Miss Felicia added, handing Aliya the portfolio on her desk.
"Yes, ma'am," she replied as she took the portfolio and wondered what was so special about this VIP.