Chapter 2 - Pauper turns into a Princess

"You need to join the party tonight, Mr. Mercado. You must! You don't have a choice. This is a very good opportunity for a Mercado to be inside the Gonzalez mansion. The Gonzalez mansion was opened for people just for today. You should take this chance to know more about the history of Antonio Nataniel Gonzalez, your great grandfather's archenemy. He doesn't have any direct descendants because her only child and daughter went missing. And historians are claiming that his daughter died during the great revolution." Elise ended her phone call with her unbothered long speech.

Elise is definitely enjoying her power over me. She keeps on nagging me to attend events that I don't usually like. And now, she is asking me to attend a ball without even telling me the real reason. I know there is more about knowing the history of the Gonzalez.

I am the most sought-after model. Aside from being the great descendant of the country's hero, I am the Nation's Prince Charming. She should at least tell me the real reason why I should attend those events so I can prepare myself for interviews. Every word I speak will reflect my ancestry, and I cannot disappoint the people.

He told me that she will meet me but she chooses to stay in her boutique to meet her old friends. I am scammed. I thought that she will be there to answer all questions if ever reporters will flock at me. Now, I only have myself to save me.

I dressed up and drove my car in front of the Gonzalez' mansion where Elise said the ball will take place. I saw busy individuals coming in. Some of them are politicians that used to offer me to be their promotional endorser. I don't want to engage myself into politics so I firmly rejected them.

Flashes of lights from different cameras filled the entrance. Everyone was so busy taking photos. I am used to being the event's center of attention but I don't want to go there alone. How I wish I have someone I can make as a shield there so no one will dare to come at me. 

I parked my car meters away from the entrance and prepared myself for worst. I looked around to see if I have distant friends that I can go with but I was surprised to see a woman being dragged out from the mansion's entrance.

"I need to go there! You should give way for me. I am the..."

Two guards are holding the woman in both her arms. She kept on yelling at them like a crazy woman.

"Can you tell us who you are?" The guards asked her before laughing. "You are not allowed in this place. Look at you, you are not fitted in this place. You are a crazy woman, get away!"

She was lifted outside, barefoot and a mess. A woman should have some class and elegance and not someone to be thrown like that. She should be respected at least as a human but how can she be respected if she acts that way? I she really insane?

A few moments later, I saw the girl walking towards my car. I don't usually get scared but when she came in front, I feel some eerie air chilling my spines. She is like a haunted mannequin standing in front. Her messy hair covered her face and wait...her dress. Her gold dress was almost torn out. The picture of the girl who mysteriously entered our place came in to my mind. Is she that crazy woman?

"Almost everything I see is new to me. How can the world change like this? How long did it take me to escape from there? No one recognizes Yvette Veronica, daughter of the most prominent politician." I heard her talking to herself while watching herself in my car's rear-view mirror. She didn't notice that I am inside the car. She is indeed the crazy woman yesterday and it kind of made me happy knowing that I met her again.

"Do you need some help, my fairy?" I opened the car's window to see her. And at the sight of me she smiled. This is the first time I saw her smile but something is bothering me.

"Would you mind helping this damsel in distress?" She creepily smiled at me.

"No, I mean, yes." I stumbled upon seeing her creepy smile. "Yes, I will be much willing to help you but please don't smile like that. It's creeping me out," I told her before I went out of my car to open her a seat in the passenger's seat.

"I need to go there," she eagerly said as she points at the mansion while looking at me with puppy eyes. 

"Yes, my fairy, we will be there, but you must change first. Look at how you dress," I commented.

"So how will I change? No one knows me and I don't have anything with me," she sadly told me.

"Get on the car and I will show you how I can transform you into a beautiful fairy tonight." I winked at her but she remained unbothered.

"We are here!" I gladly told her as I opened the door for her.

We arrived at Elise's small boutique. I thought of making some hard job for Elise since she will not be accompanying me anyway. At least she can dress this crazy Yvette Veronica to look more human. I will make her as my shield.

 "Yvette Veronica is a long name, can I call you Yvee?" I asked her while we are walking inside. She was just silently following me while looking at the place with so much fascination.

"Hey, are you listening?" I tried to cover her vision with my hand to get her attention.

"Ah-yes, anything you are comfortable with," she said as she continued to looked around.

"Elise, please help me with her. Make her worthy to be my date for tonight," I told Elise as she welcomed us with very wide eye. She looks so surprised to see Yvee's state.

"Hey, Sandro. What did you do with her?!" Elise asked with so much curiosity. She was left dumfounded. "Did you..."

"Oh, common Elise, what do you think me? A pervert?!" I firmly said.

"How can this beautiful lady become like this?" Elise added.

"Better asked her. She didn't tell me either." I looked at Yvee who is now looking at herself on the vanity mirror. She looks so amazed.

"Let's get change, darling. I will be turning you into a princess." Elise softly grabbed Yvee to sit down while I went to the waiting lounge.

It's been an hour since they started to change. And I am getting bored already. 

"Can you make it faster! We are almost late now!" I shouted at the front door of the dressing room.

"She's done." Elise then opened the door. And as expected Yvee came out looking beautiful. She is wearing a pink off-shoulder dress full of sequences and glitters. Her earrings and necklace have small stars carved in it. She will definitely be a star beside me tonight.

"You are really the best, Elise! You turned a pauper into a princess." I tapped Elise's shoulder. I can't help but smile. Yvee is so beautiful tonight. "And you, my little fairy, let's hurry up. The cameras are waiting for us."

I grabbed Yvee's hand and walked outside.

"Just smile when everyone is looking at you. Don't talk so you could keep your peaceful life after this. You get it?" I turned to her while I was driving. She is still not talking to me after her transformation. "Is something making you uncomfortable?" I asked her.

"I just couldn't believe that the world changed so much," she said in a small voice.

"Are you from some unknown deserted island?" I laughed. "You are are funny, you know? You are really something."

"Can you stop laughing Mr. Ferdinand Alexander Mercado? It's not funny." She raised her eyebrows.

"Did you ask Elise about my name?" I asked and she nodded. "Okay, I'll stop teasing you but may I know your complete name? You already knew me but I don't know you."

"You don't need to," she cut me off.

"Just think of it as a way of paying me. I helped you. So can you please tell me your full name?" I looked at her to persuade her.

"I didn't imagine I would get to know a Mercado," she chuckled.

"It's a pleasure to see me up close. You know, I have millions of fans who wanted to be in your place. You should feel lucky," I cheekily told her.

"Yvette Veronica Gonzalez. That's my name."

"Gonzalez? Do you know Nataniel Gonzalez?"

"Of course," she answered.

"Your great grand-uncle?"

"Uhm, yes. My great grand-uncle," she said almost whispering.

"I'll call you Yvee from now on," I said as I took a glimpse of her.