At 19, Valerie stands slender and poised in an opulent cerulean ball gown reminiscent of moonlit waves, its corseted bodice sculpting her graceful hourglass silhouette and framed by lace-trimmed, off-the-shoulder sleeves. The voluminous skirt sweeps in gentle swags, whispering of hidden seafoam-green petticoats beneath. Her ebony skin glows with golden undertones beneath the ballroom’s light. Her hair, a cold jet-black tide, is half-gathered into soft, tumbling waves pinned into an intricate knot at the crown; jeweled floral and pearl pins glint among caramel-dipped tips as the rest cascades past her waist. She wears elbow-length white gloves, a lace fan poised in one hand, emerald eyes framed by minx lashes, plump lips set in a thin line. See more