WHALE TURTLE ISLAND



#####The alarm clock rang loudly, its racket continuing for over an hour. Lex rolled lazily on her bed, stretching her hand to silence the alarm clock. Instead, she accidentally knocked it off the bedside table, and it fell to the floor with a crash.

"Ouch!" she groaned, massaging her behind as she stood up. Letting out a petite yawn, she stretched her arms, still feeling the remnants of sleep fogging her eyes. Despite a horrifying nightmare, she had managed to sleep deeply.

Finally silencing the buzzing alarm, Lex glanced at the clock and a frisson of fear ran down her spine. "I'm late!" she screamed, rushing out of her bedroom and carelessly discarding her clothing. She quickly took a shower and prepared to leave.

Just as she was about to leave, her phone began to ring. "Oh, come on!" she berated herself for forgetting her phone. She picked it up and answered the call.

"Hello, Rich Mama," Relie teased from the other end. "How's your second day at work?"

"It's terrible, Relie. I'm late," Lex replied, her voice filled with anxiety.

"You're what?!" Relie yelled. "Lex, you're acting foolishly again. You need to calm down".

Lex sighed as she hopped into the car her company had gifted her, starting the engine with a terrifying roar. "Don't worry, I'll call you later," she said hurriedly, ending the call to focus on the road.

*Skyrise Company

The elevator doors opened, revealing the administrative floor to Lex. She walked unsteadily, trying desperately to maintain her balance. One of her heels had broken off during her haste, and she was a complete mess. Her white hair was disheveled, with individual strands sticking out. She could hear near-silent whispers, realizing how terrible she looked.

"Alixie!" a man called out, his voice a unique blend of North English and Scandinavian accent. He had pitch-black eyes, and his scarlet-colored hair flowed down to his shoulders.

He was of average height, with voluminous pale lips. Lex could read his name from the tag pinned to his white T-shirt: Marco Garcia. "The council has been looking for you," he informed her.

"The... the council?" she stammered.

"Yes, they've been waiting for you in the boardroom," Marco said, turning to leave as his brightly lit hair swung gracefully, momentarily blinding Lex with reflected sunlight. Lex felt a sense of doom as she hesitantly made her way to the boardroom. Her lifelong dream was about to be shattered, and she wondered whom she could blame but herself.

She gently pushed open the huge boardroom door, which screeched loudly as it swung open. She was met with the stern gazes of prominent members of the company, and she could feel her heart pounding vigorously. It felt like her heart was about to burst out of her chest. She took a deep breath and walked to the center of the room, awaiting her fate.

"Sit down," Emelda roared, clasping her fingers together. She rolled her lips and smiled.

"You're so fake, all smoke and mirrors," Lex thought as she took her seat. The boardroom fell silent for a while before Mr. Baker, the company's head of human resources, broke the silence. He was a man well past his youth, with little to no hair on his head and greasy eyebrows.

"Miss Lex, you seem rather frazzled and not quite like a model," he criticized. "Didn't the company provide you with appropriate clothing?"

Lex looked around the boardroom, observing the serious faces that surrounded her. "That's not it, sir," Lex replied calmly. "I wasn't myself this morning."

"No matter," Mr. Baker dismissed. "That's not why we're here."

"It isn't?" Lex asked, disbelief evident in her voice.

"Yes, my dear," Mr. Baker added, pointing a remote control at the large screen hanging on the wall, displaying images.

"We're looking for the perfect magazine cover for our upcoming issue, and we think you could be the ideal model."

Lex paused, trying to digest what she had just heard. "Me? On a magazine cover?" she asked, pointing to her chest with wide eyes.

"That depends on whether you pass the test," Marco chimed in.

"What test?" Lex turned to Marco, seeking clarification.

Marcos cleared his throat, stood up, and gracefully walked to the front of the room, taking the remote from Mr. Baker. He began clicking the remote, displaying a series of images of past magazine covers graced by elegant models.

"There will be a competition starting tomorrow among our finest models. Lex has been selected because of her rather unusual appearance—the mystical white hair," Marcos said, his voice beaming with eloquence. "The winner of the contest will become our lead model for the photo shoot on Whale Turtle Island."

Whale Turtle Island, an utopia, Lex thought. Her heart now relaxed, she still couldn't believe how well the day had turned out.

"Any questions?" Marcos asked.

"I do," a woman a few seats away from Lex spoke up.

"Yes, Hareth," Marcos acknowledged, gesturing for her to speak.

Hareth was a woman in her early thirties, heavily made-up and elegantly dressed. Her slim but robust physique was crowned with a pretty face, and her short dark hair freely cascaded from her head, accentuating her dull brown eyes that shimmered in the dim light.

"I don't see the need to give a newbie such recognition just because she has that dirty white hair," Hareth responded, her voice dripping with malice.

Dirty? Who does she think she's calling dirty? Lex frowned inwardly, feeling a surge of anger.

"Now, now, don't be so cold, Hareth," a soothing voice intervened, its footsteps growing louder as the person approached the boardroom. It was Alex, his bright blue eyes piercing the room.

Hareth instantly fell silent. Did Alex hold so much power in the company? Lex wondered as she gazed at his elegant presence.

Alex winked sheepishly at Lex before turning his attention back to the rest of the board. "We should always help newbies achieve great heights, Hareth. Besides, you're also in the competition. The ball is in your court now, Hareth."

Hareth pursed her lips, displeasure evident on her face as she frowned ferociously. Lex scanned the room and noticed Emelda fuming, her face turning red as she emitted an aura of murderous intent. Lex became uneasy, and as Emelda stormed out of the room, the other members of the board followed suit. Alex also left but not before gesturing to Lex that he would call her later.

As Lex made her way to leave, she was confronted by Hareth, who looked intimidating due to her age and the malicious intent in her eyes.

"Who do you think you are, you dirty rat?" Hareth bullied.

"Excuse me!" Lex exclaimed, her anger flaring. Hareth grabbed a handful of Lex's hair and violently yanked on it.

"Ouch!" Lex groaned. "Let go!" she pleaded, but her pleas fell on deaf ears as Hareth continued to torment her.

Suddenly, a masculine hand wrapped around Hareth's waist, pulling her off Lex. Strands of white hair were left in Hareth's clenched fist.

"Let go!" Hareth yelled as she smacked her handbag against the man who had come to Lex's rescue.

"I'm not through with you," Hareth warned, pointing a finger at Lex. She left the room, slamming the door and cracking the glass.

"Don't let her get to you. She's always like this," the man said in a calm, tender voice. He had dark skin and a well-defined jawline, short groomed hair, amber-colored eyes, and an imposing height.

"The name is Audrey Pharaoh," he introduced himself, extending his hand for a handshake.

"My name is Alexis," Lex responded, accepting the handshake. They talked for a while before finally leaving the boardroom.

Back in her apartment, the sun had set, and darkness had enveloped the sky. Lex dared not sleep, fearing a repeat of yesterday's ordeal. She picked up her phone to call Relie, but there was no response. "She's probably asleep, that cheeky girl," Lex thought, chuckling childishly. She left her bed and made herself a cup of coffee, hoping the caffeine would help her stay awake. Lex then headed back to her bedroom, scrolling through the models' photos that Marcos had sent her. Inadvertently, her gaze fell upon the photo of the mysterious man, and her heart started to ache. "Will I ever meet you again?" Lex asked, her voice laced with sorrow, as a tear escaped her eyes. Slowly, she closed her eyes, hoping for a peaceful night's rest.