Page 87 of Worth Fighting For

I step out of the changing room, and Mushu and Posy gasp.

“What do you think?” I say.

“You look like a goddess,” Mushu says.

“The wrathful kind,” Posy adds.

“Is that a good thing?”

“Yeah, who wants to be the merciful kind?” Mushu asks. “All the hot ones are villains.”

I turn to look in the mirror. The dress I have on is gold, with a dragon swirling around it in a darker shade of gold. Every time I move, the dress shimmers under the lights, making it look as though the dragon is moving. It’s long-sleeved and doesn’t show much skin, but it hugs my body in all the right ways and somehow makes me look, as Mushu and Posy said, dangerous in the most alluring way. It’s impossible to take my eyes off the dress. And I know beyond any doubt that this is the right dress for me. It’s both feminine and powerful at the same time. Exactly how I want to be from now on. No more alpha male façade. I want to be myself—both feminine and strong.

“Posy, you are a magician,” I say.

Posy bows.

Later, as we walk out, I marvel at our success: “I can’t believe we actually managed to find outfits for tomorrow.”

“See? All you had to do was trust me,” Mushu says.

The next afternoon, Mushu comes over and we get ready for the event together. When we’re done with our hair and makeup, I put on my dress and then survey my reflection in the mirror. I look stunning, quite literally; I am stunned whenever I catch a glimpse of myself. Who is this badass, beautiful woman who looks ready to take on the world? It’s me. And I have a company to save.

The Regency Court hotel is a luxury hotel in the heart of San Francisco. The awards ceremony is in the Grand Ballroom, and its name suits it perfectly. Seating five hundred guests comfortably, the already opulent space has been decked out to the nines for the event. There are spectacular flower arrangements everywhere, along with beautifully set tables and state-of-the-art lighting that makes the large space seem warm and intimate.

Mushu and I are greeted by Alicia Lopez as soon as we arrive. “Oh my god,” Alicia screams, “look at you two! You are a vision.”

“Thank you, you look amazing as well,” I say.

“Yeah, didn’t you just come back from mat leave?” Mushu says.

“Yes, that’s why my boobs look amazing.” Alicia leads us deeper into the ballroom. She instructed us to come early, so there are no guests yet. “The posters you sent arrived safely and we’ve got them set up at the bar.”

Sure enough, there are two big posters flanking the bar. The design is simple yet refreshing, showing a bottle of Wutai Gold whiskey with a feminine-looking hand next to it holding a whiskey glass filled with amber liquid.

“Hi,” the bartender says. “Are you Mushu and Mulan?”

“Susie the bartender,” Mushu breathes, her face lighting up. She turns to me and says, “See, I told you she’s hot.”

Susie laughs. “Thank you. And so are you. Come try the drinks. I’ve created two. This is the Wutai Gold punch. It’s a fun twist on an oldie. Milk, vanilla extract, and I added blended banoffee to it.”

“Banoffee?” I say.

“Banana toffee.”

I take a sip and close my eyes in ecstasy. “Oh my gosh, that is yummy. It tastes like a dessert.”

“I love it. It’s so rich and creamy but you can still taste the spice of the whiskey,” Mushu says.

I take another mouthful and let it linger on my tongue, savoring the comforting sweetness.

Susie smiles. “I’m glad you like it. The second cocktail is the Wellness Drink. It’s got freshly squeezed lemon, honey, ginger, and turmeric. All stuff that’s good for you. Aside from the whiskey, of course.” She winks as she slides the glasses over to us.

“Oh, this definitely tastes like something I would chug while doing yoga,” Mushu says.

We all laugh.

“This is so good,” I say. “I can’t decide which one I like more. They’re both brilliant, thank you, Susie. Everyone’s going to love them.”

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