Saturday morning came far too soon. I was still behind and needed to catch up and I was quickly running out of time. Once again, I hurried into the office as the sun came up.

“Good morning, Aria,” Gus greeted me.

“What are you doing here on a Saturday?” I asked him, surprised to see him in the office on the weekend.

He shrugged. “Overtime. It’s almost Jada’s tenth birthday and she wants this fancy computer thing.”

“You’re a good dad.”

“Pfft. I didn’t say I was working so I could get it for her.” He crossed his arms as he sat at the desk. “I’m here so I don’t have to listen to her ask for it thirty more times.”

I chuckled. I had a sneaking suspicion that Jada would have a shiny new computer on her birthday, simply because Gus loved his daughters with all his heart.

“I hear you have a party tonight,” Gus said, smiling and raising his eyebrows. “What are you doing here?”

“Just getting some last minute work done so I can really enjoy myself. You know me, I don’t like leaving things half done.”

Gus nodded. “You have a good time tonight. And remember, if you need a ride home, you just call me. I’ll come get you. Doesn’t matter where or what time.”

His words wrapped around me like a physical hug. He didn’t have to put his arms around me to know that he cared.

“Thank you, Gus.”

“Any dad would do the same,” he replied.

I ran around the counter and gave him an actual hug before hurrying up to my office to finish everything I could.

Jaqui’s assistance on Friday had nearly finished off the scanning work, so at least I was ahead there. It would be reported as done and my stepmother would have no reason to disbelieve it. The fact that I didn’t have what she wanted would be my problem later, but that was after the ball.

My email chimed after an hour of work with a forwarded email from Audrey. There were more updates to the work for Anastasia. The senator wanted more details and clarification on what I had sent the night before.

I emailed what I had, which wasn’t much. While I was able to do some of the research online, there were some things that needed to be done in person. I couldn’t go to the library or utilize the senator’s other staff. I wasn’t able to call the experts and ask questions, I could only go off of articles and things they’d published.

It wasn’t fair. I was working on a deadline with both my hands tied behind my back. I didn’t have the resources or the time to do this properly. I hated that I was having to work this way and I secretly suspected that my stepmother had done this on purpose. It was an impossible task.

She wanted me to fail, I realized. Not with the documents, but with the research. It was a way to drive me to the breaking point. It was one more way for her to destroy me.

I doubled down, working harder. I wasn’t going to let this stop me, not when I was so close.

Slowly, the boxes thinned as I worked through the last of them, trying to use the few minutes between pages to find the answers the senator was seeking.

I worked through breakfast. I worked through lunch.

With my stomach grumbling for food, I put the last document I needed for the weekend in the scanner. I had two more boxes left, but they could easily be done on Monday without anyone questioning it. I fell back in my chair and sat there for a moment, feeling a little of the weight lift from my shoulders.

One task down, another to go.

I decided just to stay at the office to work on Anastasia’s job. The less time I spent traveling around town, the better. I grabbed a fresh cup of coffee from the break room and buckled down to get this done. I was so close to being able to attend the ball.

But, then I stalled. I couldn’t find what I needed. With every passing hour, I felt the minutes slipping by with no results to speak of. I needed more time. I needed more resources.

I wasn’t going to make it.

I checked my watch. The dress place was supposed to call me when my dress was ready, but there was no message. It was past the time the saleswoman had said they would call. Dread washed over me like a cold shower. I called the dress shop.

“Hi, this is Aria Ritter. I was supposed to get a phone call when my dress was ready and I haven’t gotten one. I just wanted to check and make sure everything was okay,” I said to the woman who answered the store phone.

“Aria Ritter? It says that you returned your dress. We don’t have it anymore.”

My stomach lurched. “What do you mean you don’t have my dress?”

“You called last night and said you wouldn’t be needing it anymore,” the clerk explained. “We refunded your card.”

“I never called. That wasn’t me,” I told her, trying to keep the panic out of my voice.

“They used your name and knew your information,” the clerk replied. “On the phone, we don’t have any other way to verify. They had the correct card information and knew the color and cut of the dress.”

Audrey. It had to have been her. If she could hack my phone, figuring out my credit card numbers would be a cake walk for her. I should have known she would sabotage me somehow.

“I’ll just come and pick it up as is,” I said. I would figure out something with the hem. I could duct tape the hem up. I’d done it before for pants. A dress wouldn’t be too much different. It would work.

“I’m really sorry, miss, but the dress is sold. Someone bought it this morning. We don’t have it anymore,” she explained.

“My dress is gone? Do you have another? Maybe in a different color?”

“I’m very sorry, but no. We don’t have another. Maybe you can find another dress...”

I thought of how long it took me to find that dress. How I had matched my mask to the purple of the dress. I was out of luck.

“Thank you for your time.” I clicked off the phone and stared at it in my hands.

Not only did I not have the research finished, but I didn’t have a dress anymore. My plan for an evening of freedom was quickly spiraling away. My dress was gone and I didn’t have time to find a new one. A tear trickled down my cheek and I angrily wiped at it. I didn’t want to cry. I was so much stronger than this.

But I didn’t know what to do. I’d finished the document scanning, but didn’t have anything to give to Audrey for it. I had some research, but not enough to make her happy.

I didn’t have a dress. If I tried to shop for one now, I wouldn’t have time to finish the research.

I put my head in my hands. I found myself wishing for my father. He would know what to do. He would have helped me pick up the pieces to my life. I needed him right now.

“So this is where you’ve been hiding out.”

I nearly knocked over my chair in surprise as I turned to look at the door. Standing in the doorway was Senator Glenn. She was probably old enough to be my grandmother with short white hair and bright pale blue eyes.

“Senator Glenn... what are you doing here?” I asked, moving away from my desk.

“I came to check on you,” she replied. She stepped into the room, her eyes traveling to the various boxes before resting on my computer. “I assume that’s the research you’re working on for me.”

I wasn’t sure what the deal between the senator and my stepmother was when Anastasia took my place, so I didn’t say anything.

“I thought so,” Senator Glenn said with a shake of her head. “I should have known better than to trust Audrey Verna.”

She sat down on one of the boxes and looked at me. She wore a pale blue pant suit that complimented her features nicely.

“What are you doing here?” I asked again, still unsure why my former employer was in this office.

“You emailed me the research instead of sending it through your stepsister. I have to think it was as simple as hitting reply-all instead of just reply. I can’t tell you how many emails I get where it happens,” Senator Glenn explained.

“Oh.” I swallowed hard. I was usually really careful about checking the to: section of an email, but with everything going on in my life, I must have not double checked like usual.

“I rather suspected it was you and not Anastasia. The work was too good. When you emailed me, it just confirmed it.”

“So you’re here because of the research? I’m doing my best. I just got it and-”

The senator held up her hand to stop me. “I’m here because you shouldn’t be doing it. I was promised that Anastasia was as good as you. That was why I agreed to the switch. It was a way to make Audrey Verna happy and possibly get another qualified aide. I never thought she’d make you do her daughter’s work.”

I shrugged. “Never put anything past Audrey.”

Senator Glenn nodded. “If I had known that she was going to drop you here, I never would have agreed to it. She promised me that it would further your career. That this was something you wanted.”

I couldn’t keep the bitter laugh contained. “That’s what she told you?”

Senator Glenn grimaced. “Looking back, it’s rather obvious. I’m sorry, Aria. I never would have agreed to it if I had known what she was actually planning. I really thought she had your best interests in mind.”

My anger rose, hot and searing, but then died just as quickly, leaving me empty. The senator had been taken in by Audrey’s charm just like so many others had. Even I had believed my stepmother at times. Audrey Verna was a professional liar and manipulator. The senator was simply her latest mark.

“Well, I’m still working on that research for you,” I said, sitting back down in my chair in front of my laptop. “There’s still a lot to do.”

“You will stop immediately,” Senator Glenn replied sharply. She stood up and closed the laptop.

“What? I thought you needed it as soon as possible.”

“I needed it from Anastasia, not you. I will not have you working for nothing.” Her blue eyes flashed. “It’s unacceptable that you haven’t received payment nor recognition for your work. I won’t accept any more of it.”

“You mean, I’m done?” I held my breath. If I was done, I could go to the ball. Well, if I could find a dress, and then go to the ball.

“I will inform your stepmother that the work was finished in a timely and efficient manner. And then I’m going to fire her daughter,” Senator Glenn replied. “So I don’t want you wasting another moment of your time on this.”

I let out a sigh of relief that almost came out as a laugh. “Now I just need a dress.”

Senator Glenn frowned slightly, her head tilting to the side. “What do you need a dress for?”

“I’ve been invited to the Paradisian Masquerade Ball,” I explained. “But, my dress... my dress is gone.”

“The Paradisian Masquerade Ball? How wonderful!” A slow smile crept across the Senator’s face. “I think I might be able to help you.”

I frowned, not following. The senator and I were nowhere near close to the same size to where we could share a dress. I was almost a foot taller than her, and hadn’t had three boy children.

“What do you mean?”

“Are you still living at your mom’s place? The apartment by the train station?”

“Yeah. How do you know about it?” I asked, wondering how she knew it was my mother’s place. It wasn’t like I put that the apartment was my mother’s on any forms.

Senator Glenn smiled. “I knew your mother. I actually was the one who introduced her to your father.” She smiled at the memory. “Your mother was a paralegal in my firm. I picked up many files from her at that apartment. You have her brains and beauty. She’d be very proud of you.”

The world froze for a moment as I remembered the woman with dark hair and a beautiful smile that I could only seem to remember in dreams.

“I didn’t know that you knew them both,” I said softly. I knew the senator had worked with my father, but I never suspected she knew my mother as well. It was so rare to hear anyone speak of my mother. She’d died when I was just a child, and there weren’t very many people left in the world that remembered her.

“I tried to keep them apart. Your father was all fire and trouble back then. I didn’t want him corrupting Sarah.” The senator laughed. “But George loved her as soon as he saw her, and really, who could blame him? Your mother was wonderful.”

I cupped my chin in my hands, my elbows on my desk, and drank in her words. It had been a long time since anyone had spoken about my parents. Their names were magic words to my mind of a happier and simpler time. A time of love.

Senator Glenn’s eyes softened and came back from the past to focus on me. “I’d like to do something for you. In honor of them, and because I feel terrible about this job situation.”

“Senator Glenn-”

She held up her hands to stop me. “I’m not going to take no for an answer,” she informed me. “You will be going to the ball in style. I just need to call in a few favors. You need a dress, correct?”

I nodded. “I have a mask. It’s purple.”

“Then you need a mask, hair, makeup, shoes...” The senator pulled out her phone and began typing as she said the words.

“I don’t need all that,” I quickly interjected. “Just a dress. I can make do with everything else.”

The senator slowly lowered her phone and put the full weight of her piercing gaze on me. I suddenly understood why they called her a shark.

“Sarah and George’s daughter will not make do,” she informed me. “Not when I have the opportunity to do right by them. Understand?”

“Yes, ma’am.” I had the strange desire to curtsy.

“Good. Now stand over here and spin,” she told me.

I frowned, but did as she asked. “What is this for?”

She held up her phone and took a video.

“So they can bring the correct dress size,” she replied. She tapped a few things more on her phone before putting it away and smiling at me. “What are you doing just standing there? You need to get home and get ready for your ball. You don’t have much time.”

“What about Audrey?”

“You let me worry about her,” she replied. Her eyes hardened. “She has crossed the line this time. You go to the ball, and don’t give her a second thought. She’s going to have to deal with me this evening.”

I couldn’t stop the smile that filled my face. Audrey needed someone to put her in her place, plus, if the senator was keeping her busy, I didn’t need to worry about getting caught going to the ball. Audrey would be too busy to ruin my night.

“Thank you, Senator Glenn. I don’t know what you have planned for me, but I really appreciate it.”

She chuckled. “Call me Faye when we’re not in the office,” she replied, taking my hands in hers and squeezing. There was a magic to her that instantly gave me hope for the rest of the night. “You really do look like your mother.”

I smiled and hugged her. She chuckled and hugged me back before giving me a gentle push.

“Now get out of here. I don’t want you to be late for the ball!”

With a grin, I grabbed my things, thanked her one last time, and hurried to my apartment to see what Faye had in store for me.