Chapter 4

The harassment and threats soon spread from the internet into my real-life work.

Someone found the law firm where I worked and began flooding it with malicious online reviews.

[Attorney Lauren Reed at this firm is a hostess. Everyone stay away from her or you’ll get scammed!]

[What professional ethics can someone who sells her body possibly have? Any case she wins must be through disgraceful means!]

[Reported. Her law license should be revoked!]

The firm’s managing partner called me in for a talk. Although he chose his words carefully, his meaning was clear: my “personal affairs” were seriously damaging the firm’s reputation.

He gave me an extended leave of absence and told me to “take care of my personal problems” before returning.

I walked out of the firm carrying my things, only to find a bright-red sports car stopped in front of me.

The window rolled down, revealing Chloe and Ethan.

Chloe wore sunglasses, and a victorious smile curved her lips.

“Well, if it isn’t Attorney Lauren Reed. Leaving work so early—did you already get a client?”

I ignored her and turned to leave.

“Don’t go!” She opened the car door and ran after me, carrying a pink gift bag.

She shoved it into my arms.

“Lauren, Ethan and I picked this out especially for you. Congratulations!”

Inside was a huge, grotesque-looking sex toy.

“Do you like it? I know you haven’t had any business lately. You must be really desperate, right?”

“A small one probably isn’t enough for you, so I picked out the biggest one they had. It should satisfy you.”

Chloe laughed so hard her whole body shook.

“But don’t worry. Lots of our friends have been calling to ask for your ‘contact information.’ They said your price was negotiable. See? I’m helping you get your name out there. Shouldn’t you thank me?”

She leaned close to my ear and whispered, “Lauren, what do you think you can use to fight me? Did you think getting an education would let you rise above everyone else? Let me tell you something. All it takes is a few words from me to knock you from the sky straight into the mud.”

Ethan got out of the car and walked over to us.

I looked at the man I had once been attracted to, hoping he would say something fair.

He did speak.

“Lauren, Chloe just has a childish temper. She didn’t mean anything by it.” He frowned, impatience flickering in his voice.

“It’s all over now, so stop making a big deal out of it. For the sake of all the years we’ve known each other, do me a favor and apologize to her. Then we’ll consider this settled, okay?”

“Do you a favor?” I repeated, finding his words absurd and laughable.

“Exactly.” Chloe hugged Ethan’s arm and looked at me provocatively.

“You’re already known as a slut. What are you still pretending for?”

“Get on your knees and beg me now, and I’ll have Ethan find you a job serving drinks.”

“That has to be better than keeping your legs clamped together while begging strangers to sleep with you, right?”

Listening to Chloe’s vicious words and Ethan’s hypocritical advice, the last bit of affection I had for them was crushed completely.

I took out my phone. Chloe assumed I was calling someone to plead for help, and her smile grew wider.

I spoke calmly into the phone.

“Hello. My name is Lauren Reed, and I’m a lawyer.”

“I’d like to report a crime.”