Chapter 2

My words made Chloe’s face darken. She gritted her teeth.

“I get it now. You’re one of those cheap sluts, aren’t you? Making a scene just to seduce my man?”

She pulled her phone out of her Hermès bag and expertly opened Instagram.

“Everyone, look what I’m dealing with at my store today.” She aimed the camera at us, her voice sickeningly sweet. “A desperate gold-digger and her trashy-looking mom, trying to get freebies at my spa.”

“Oh, I see—you just wanted to use my high-end spa, take a few photos of your treatment, post them on social media, and hook a rich guy.

“Let me tell you something. My husband loves me. Trash like you? Dressed like you're going to a funeral? My husband wouldn't spit on you if you were on fire!”

Her voice was loud. It drew the attention of the other wealthy clients.

In front of everyone, she started an Instagram Live and kept yelling at me.

“Come on, everyone, look at this shameless woman!”

“She brought her frumpy mom to my high-end spa. Now she can’t pay and wants to offer her body instead!”

“But the second she saw me—the real lady of the house—she lost her nerve. She even said she’d wait for my husband to come ‘deal with her’ personally!”

“I’m putting her disgusting face on blast right now. So everyone can be careful. Don’t let this kind of trash seduce your husbands!”

On the phone screen, the viewer count was skyrocketing.

Comments flew across the screen.

OMG, that woman looks so cheap!

What is her mom wearing? Looks like it’s from a thrift store.

Chloe, call the cops! Don’t let people like that dirty up your spa!

The other clients started to gather around.

They whispered and pointed.

“How pathetic. She’ll do anything to trap a rich man.”

“Look at how they’re dressed. There’s no way they can afford $5,000.”

“These crazy women are getting out of control.”

“You… you…” Mary had never seen someone twist the truth like this. She was gasping for air, clutching her chest, unable to speak.

I held her, feeling her body shake.

The kind old woman had never been humiliated like this in her life.

“It’s okay, Mary,” I whispered. “Everything will be okay.”

I patted Mary’s back to calm her down, then pointed at the $9.90 Groupon receipt.

“We just came for a basic facial. She’s forcing us to buy a five-thousand-dollar package. This is extortion!”

I looked at Chloe, my voice cold.

“This is extortion! We're not paying. We have rights. If you can’t handle that, then get your man down here to talk to us!”

A murmur went through the crowd.

Some people started to look doubtful.

“Five thousand for a basic facial?”

“That’s insane.”

Chloe’s face changed.

She quickly moved the camera away from the receipt. “Don’t let them fool you! These professional scammers are experts at twisting the truth!”

“We’re not scammers.” My voice was quiet, but clear. “We’re just waiting for your man to handle this.”

Seeing me talk back, she gave her staff a signal.

Four or five employees immediately closed in, trapping us.

“Listen up, you clueless bitches.” Chloe’s voice turned venomous. “This is Chloe’s turf. I call the shots. I say how much you pay, and you pay it! Forget forcing you to buy something. I could make you lick the dirt off my shoes, and you'd still thank me for the privilege of paying!”

She paused, then yelled even louder.

“If you don’t get on your knees, apologize, and pay the $5,000 right now, neither of you is walking out of here alive!”