The Rise of @Cinderella

Cindy Lawson scrolled through her phone, fingers trembling as she tapped refresh. The influencer house was buzzing around her—ring lights glowing, filters smoothing, and influencers striking their best angles. But Cindy? She was stuck behind the camera, editing videos for EllaBelle, the glamorous rising star of the influencer world.

Not that EllaBelle ever gave her credit.

"Make sure my skin looks flawless," EllaBelle chirped, striking another impossibly perfect pose. "And don’t forget to boost the saturation. I need to glow."

Cindy bit her tongue. She had learned long ago that standing up for herself wouldn't get her anywhere. Her stepsisters—technically, they weren’t her sisters, just her father’s second wife’s daughters—ran the show now. They treated Cindy like their personal assistant, keeping her tucked away behind the screen while they enjoyed the spotlight.

Her father had once dreamed of helping her build a career in digital media, but after he passed, Cindy had been left with nothing but the remnants of his love for technology—and a household that saw her as nothing more than a tool.

Still, she couldn't shake the thought that maybe, just maybe, she had something worth showing the world, too.

When the invitation arrived for the Midnight Luxe Gala, Cindy barely glanced at it. An exclusive event for top-tier influencers? Not for her. She'd be home editing EllaBelle’s “Get Ready With Me” videos while her stepsisters partied with A-list content creators.

“Ugh, Cindy, help me choose an outfit,” whined Bree, one of her stepsisters, tossing designer dresses across the room. “This gala is going to be the event of the year.”

“You’re not actually thinking of going, are you?” sneered Liv, the other sister, barely looking up from her phone. “They don’t just let nobodies walk in.”

Cindy knew that. She knew that more than anyone. But she had spent years learning the tricks of the trade, absorbing everything about social media strategy, video editing, and personal branding. She was the mastermind behind EllaBelle’s success—wasn’t she good enough to be seen, too?

She sighed, picking up the discarded invitation and turning it over in her hands.

Not a chance.

Later that night, as she sulked in her tiny room, Cindy tapped open a message request.

@TechnoFairy: “Need a boost? 😉”

Her heart pounded. She had followed TechnoFairy for ages—an elusive hacker-slash-digital-genius known for changing people’s fortunes online.

“Who is this?” Cindy typed back, half-expecting a scam.

“Let’s just say I’m someone who believes in hidden potential. And I might have the perfect filter for you.”

A link appeared. Cindy hesitated, then clicked. A sleek, unlisted app loaded on her phone: TrueView.

The moment she activated it, her face on the screen transformed—not just into something airbrushed or enhanced, but better. It was still her, but radiant, confident, magnetic. The kind of person who could command a room.

A notification popped up:

"Your invitation to the Midnight Luxe Gala has been accepted."

Cindy gasped.

“No way.”

“Yes way,” TechnoFairy messaged. “This app doesn’t just change how you look. It changes how they see you. Be at the gala by 10. But fair warning—filters wear off at midnight. 👀”

The Rise of @Cinderella

At the gala, Cindy barely recognized herself. Her reflection shimmered under the golden chandeliers, her simple dress transformed into a gorgeous, glittering gown. She felt eyes on her—admiring, intrigued.

When she stepped onto the red carpet, a hush fell over the crowd. Cameras flashed. Someone whispered, "Who is she?"

Her phone buzzed. A new notification:

@Cinderella is trending.

She hadn’t even posted anything yet.

"Hey," a deep voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned to see a man dressed in an impeccable suit—none other than Prince Alexander, the billionaire CEO of ViralX, the biggest social media platform in the world.

"I don’t think we’ve met," he said, studying her. "And I know everyone."

Cindy swallowed hard. This was it. The moment she had always dreamed of.

"I'm Cindy," she said, testing the name that suddenly sounded so unfamiliar. "But... people call me Cinderella."

Alexander grinned. "Cinderella, huh? So, you just appeared out of nowhere?"

"Something like that."

They talked for what felt like hours, the room around them fading as Cindy basked in the moment of finally being seen.

Cindy barely noticed the time as she floated through the gala, collecting followers at an unimaginable speed. Influencers she had admired from afar now clamored to get selfies with her.

Even Prince Alexander seemed intrigued.

"You’re different," he said as they stepped onto the rooftop balcony. "Not like the usual crowd."

Cindy smiled. Maybe, for once, she wasn’t invisible.

Then—her phone vibrated.

11:59 PM.

Her heart seized.

"Hey, I should—" She turned, but the filter had already started glitching.

Her flawless skin pixelated. The subtle digital glow flickered. Her sparkling outfit reverted to her simple black dress.

And the worst part? Someone had noticed.

"Wait—who is she?"

Cindy panicked. If they realized she wasn’t a real influencer, everything would crash down. Her reputation, her chance to step into the light—gone.

She bolted, pushing past the crowd. Prince Alexander called after her, but she couldn’t stop. She barely made it outside before her phone screen went dark. TrueView had logged her out.

Her transformation was over.

The next morning, Cindy braced herself for disaster. Maybe she had been caught. Maybe someone had screenshotted her glitching filter, exposing her as a fraud.

Instead, the internet was on fire.

#FindCinderella was the number one trending topic.

Prince Alexander had posted a single story:

"I met someone unforgettable last night. But she disappeared before I could ask her more. If you know who @Cinderella is, DM me."

Cindy’s heart raced. Did she dare step forward? What if he found out she wasn’t a real influencer—just a behind-the-scenes nobody?

But then she saw the comments.

"She was amazing. Whoever she is, she deserves the spotlight."

"Cinderella, if you’re reading this, you were the highlight of the night."

"I want her confidence. I want her to teach me how to OWN it."

Cindy inhaled deeply.

Maybe she was more than just an editor, an assistant, an invisible nobody. Maybe she was someone worth being seen.

With shaking fingers, Cindy opened her phone and recorded a video.

"Hey, everyone. So... I guess I should introduce myself."

She paused, then smiled.

"I’m Cindy. But you can call me Cinderella."

Post.

Within seconds, the notifications flooded in.

And just like that, her story truly began.