question, and then they should respond only in short form. If the courting leads to marriage, then natural conversation will come easily to the newlyweds.
—The Registry Guide for Girls
M ia looked straight at the mirror and was surprised by the person looking back at her. She had so much makeup on that her skin looked flawless. Her mother had attached fake lashes, which made it difficult to open her pale blue eyes but accentuated them. Her hair was stick straight, teased a mile high and clipped in the back, not a single strand out of place. Mia reminded herself over and over to ignore how beautiful she felt and focus on the article’s words. Girls grow up thinking beauty is the only thing that matters. They are dressed up and auctioned off to the highest bidder.
“Here’s your dress.” Her mother hung a long gown outside the closet. Mia’s eyes lit up and her mother smiled with delight. “I’ve been working on it for months; it’s the most important dress you’ll ever wear.”
Mia’s stomach churned. She scolded herself for getting excited about the dress, but she couldn’t help herself; it was stunning.
The dress was jet-black, the skirt straight with a slit so high it would hit Mia’s waist, and a belt of black diamonds adorned the hips. From there the top was two strips, leaving Mia’s navel exposed but still covering her small bust. The strips were long enough to wrap around her neck and still hang some fabric down her otherwise fully exposed back.
“Well, what do you think?” her mother asked, wide-eyed and smiling.
Mia didn’t want to get so dolled up for anyone, let alone for a man she’d never met before, but she felt herself smile.
“Speechless, just like I thought,” her mother said, pulling the dress off the hanger and handing it to her daughter.
Mia felt elegant slipping into the garment.
“Perfect, you look just perfect,” her mother said, and turned Mia around to the mirror. “What man could say no to you?”
Mia’s mind went to the article she’d found. The picture showed a woman in a white dress, but Mia’s was black. She started to think the article was a lie; there was no way such a beautiful gown could be the basis for something so evil. She snapped her mind back to reality and scowled. The words were more important than the picture, and she had proof it wasn’t a lie; Corinna had lost her life to make sure Mia knew that.
“I know you’re nervous, but he is going to love you.” Her mother sat on the bed and smiled at Mia. She was obviously mistaking her daughter’s unhappiness for anxiety. “He is quite a catch, too. You couldn’t ask for a better husband.”
After this meet-and-greet, there was no way Mr. Grant Marsden, whoever he was, would be interested in marrying Mia.
“He made it clear he will pay your full price if he decides to marry you.” She pulled a pair of six-inch black diamond–encrusted heels out for Mia to wear. “You are lucky. Almost nobody gets their full appraisal amount. You’ll go for more than all your sisters combined.”
Mia hated it when her mother brought up her sisters. She knew her mother cared little for them and didn’t think she had the right to call herself a parent. Corinna had been so hurt over giving up her child; Mia wondered if her mother related at all.
“Did you ever have a boy?” Mia asked.
Her mother looked shocked and uneasy at the question. Mia didn’t want to draw more unwanted attention from her.
“I mean, what if this man is actually my brother?”
“No. I was lucky, all beautiful girls. Especially you.” Laura walked around Mia. “Besides, you know that’s why they do the blood test; if there was a relative out there he wouldn’t even get access to your page.”
Mia believed her mother, but even if she did have a son it was doubtful she had cared about him. Particularly after the way she reacted to Corinna’s death.
“You look so beautiful, but remember the rules. Sit up straight, and if he
—The Registry Guide for Girls
M ia looked straight at the mirror and was surprised by the person looking back at her. She had so much makeup on that her skin looked flawless. Her mother had attached fake lashes, which made it difficult to open her pale blue eyes but accentuated them. Her hair was stick straight, teased a mile high and clipped in the back, not a single strand out of place. Mia reminded herself over and over to ignore how beautiful she felt and focus on the article’s words. Girls grow up thinking beauty is the only thing that matters. They are dressed up and auctioned off to the highest bidder.
“Here’s your dress.” Her mother hung a long gown outside the closet. Mia’s eyes lit up and her mother smiled with delight. “I’ve been working on it for months; it’s the most important dress you’ll ever wear.”
Mia’s stomach churned. She scolded herself for getting excited about the dress, but she couldn’t help herself; it was stunning.
The dress was jet-black, the skirt straight with a slit so high it would hit Mia’s waist, and a belt of black diamonds adorned the hips. From there the top was two strips, leaving Mia’s navel exposed but still covering her small bust. The strips were long enough to wrap around her neck and still hang some fabric down her otherwise fully exposed back.
“Well, what do you think?” her mother asked, wide-eyed and smiling.
Mia didn’t want to get so dolled up for anyone, let alone for a man she’d never met before, but she felt herself smile.
“Speechless, just like I thought,” her mother said, pulling the dress off the hanger and handing it to her daughter.
Mia felt elegant slipping into the garment.
“Perfect, you look just perfect,” her mother said, and turned Mia around to the mirror. “What man could say no to you?”
Mia’s mind went to the article she’d found. The picture showed a woman in a white dress, but Mia’s was black. She started to think the article was a lie; there was no way such a beautiful gown could be the basis for something so evil. She snapped her mind back to reality and scowled. The words were more important than the picture, and she had proof it wasn’t a lie; Corinna had lost her life to make sure Mia knew that.
“I know you’re nervous, but he is going to love you.” Her mother sat on the bed and smiled at Mia. She was obviously mistaking her daughter’s unhappiness for anxiety. “He is quite a catch, too. You couldn’t ask for a better husband.”
After this meet-and-greet, there was no way Mr. Grant Marsden, whoever he was, would be interested in marrying Mia.
“He made it clear he will pay your full price if he decides to marry you.” She pulled a pair of six-inch black diamond–encrusted heels out for Mia to wear. “You are lucky. Almost nobody gets their full appraisal amount. You’ll go for more than all your sisters combined.”
Mia hated it when her mother brought up her sisters. She knew her mother cared little for them and didn’t think she had the right to call herself a parent. Corinna had been so hurt over giving up her child; Mia wondered if her mother related at all.
“Did you ever have a boy?” Mia asked.
Her mother looked shocked and uneasy at the question. Mia didn’t want to draw more unwanted attention from her.
“I mean, what if this man is actually my brother?”
“No. I was lucky, all beautiful girls. Especially you.” Laura walked around Mia. “Besides, you know that’s why they do the blood test; if there was a relative out there he wouldn’t even get access to your page.”
Mia believed her mother, but even if she did have a son it was doubtful she had cared about him. Particularly after the way she reacted to Corinna’s death.
“You look so beautiful, but remember the rules. Sit up straight, and if he
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