Lizzie Fuentes

When Lizzie was born, she was the cutest little baby I have ever seen. She was so small that Mom could carry her in one arm. She had a cute little button nose and tiny arms and feet.

Lizzie's hair had always been her crowning glory. She was born with a full head of hair and thick eyebrows that almost joined to form a single line. Her entire body was so hairy that I almost thought she was a werebaby the first time I saw her.

Growing up, I took the role of taking care of her as the older sister. By then, Claire was busy with college and after that, with working in the company. Mom and Dad may have separated, but Dad made sure to fulfill his duty as our father and provider, and that included employing Claire in the company to learn the ropes.

Lizzie quickly became the darling of the family. With Dad spending less time with us, Mom poured all of her attention to Lizzie. It even got to a point where she would sometimes forget about me and Claire. We didn't make a fuss out of it, though. We both understood that Mom was having a hard time accepting what happened, and that focusing on Lizzie was her way of coping through all that.

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Anya took Lizzie to the mall and dragged her inside a boutique. There she had her sit on a couch while she and Erica went around choosing clothes.

When Anya returned to where Lizzie sat, Erica was holding a large pile of clothes.

"Go with Erica to the fitting room."

Lizzie stared at her, not really comprehending what she said.

Anya smiled amusedly, then leaned forward to pat Lizzie's head. "I need you to try these clothes on, kiddo."

Lizzie was surprised. It was the second time Anya had patted her head that way. Confused, she stood up and walked dazedly into the fitting room with one hand on her head.

When Anya was satisfied with the clothes, she asked the attendant to pack them all up and charge it to her card. The store attendant's eyes bulged instantly upon seeing the black card Anya handed over.

After shopping for clothes, Anya brought Lizzie to a salon to get her hair treated. She had neglected it for a long time, and it became frizzy and filled with split ends.

"D-director, the salon, the clothes…" Lizzie began hesitantly as the salon attendant guided her to a chair.

"Are all for you," Anya replied with a smile.

Lizzie's eyes widened in surprise and horror. She shook her head almost in a panic. "I-I can't accept them. I can't afford such things."

Anya turned to the stylist who was preparing to work. "Can you give us a moment?" When she left, Anya stepped behind Lizzie and faced the mirror. "Don't worry about anything. Think of it as my investment."

"I-investment?"

"You see, Lizzie, for money to grow you have to plant some to act as seed. That's what we call an investment. And right now, I'm planting my investment on you."

"M-me? B-but why?"

"Because," Anya said, smiling brightly as she patted Lizzie's head. "You're my next superstar."

Lizzie's mouth dropped. "I-I can't. D-director, I think you have the wrong person."

"Why not?"

"B-because. I'm timid, and shy… I also s-stammer… a-and I don't have any talent!"

Her response surprised Anya. "What makes you think that?"

"B-because." Lizzie's eyes fell to the ground. "They told me so. The-the people at the agency. Th-they said I'm better off as an errand girl since I have n-no talent whatsoever."

Anya felt her blood boil and her hand gripped the chair's armrest tightly. She took a few seconds to calm herself before walking in front of Lizzie and squatting down to meet her eyes.

"Lizzie, look at me," she said patiently, lifting the girl's chin. "Have you forgotten? I'm Anya Delacroix. I turn talents into superstars."

"W-why are you so nice to me? H-have we met before? H-how come you knew my name?"

"Caitlin and I were close friends. She would always show me pictures of her cute little sister so I recognized you the moment I saw you."

Lizzie's expression dropped. "I-I knew it. Y-you probably wouldn't help me if not for my sister."

"If it was just because of your sister, then I would have just taken you under my wing and gave you a job. You think I would risk my reputation if I didn't see any potential in you?"

Lizzie remained silent.

"Do you trust me, Lizzie?"

She nodded.

Anya smiled then pinched Lizzie's cheek. "Then be a good girl and follow my lead, okay?"

Tears began to well in Lizzie's eyes as she nodded obediently. Not wanting to reveal any emotions, Anya quickly stood up and left her in the stylist's care.

Since Lizzie left her apartment with only her phone, a jewelry box, and the clothes on her back, Anya asked Erica to buy a few more necessities that she might need at home. Having covered everything she thought she might need, Anya sat on an armchair and opened a magazine to read while she waited.

The flatscreen TV that hung on the wall was showing a popular drama about a man reuniting with a close friend after being brought back from the dead and fighting against powerful martial artists to clear his name when the broadcast was interrupted by a news flash.

"A middle-aged woman was found missing from her home in west Alexandria this morning," an anchor announced as a picture of a woman was shown as an inset in the upper right corner. "Gertrude Moore, 52 years old, was last seen entering her two-story home at 10:30 last night in a recording that was taken by her own CCTV cameras. She was never seen again. The police are still looking for clues and are asking the public's help for any leads. If you have seen this woman, please contact Alexandria PD's hotline using the numbers shown on your screen. More on this tonight at the evening news."