llow cab finally stopped for her. She collapsed into the backseat, her teeth chatte

l paid the driver with her last twenty-dollar bill. She grabbed her we

is it?" Clara Bowen'

ed, her voice breaking

ed the heavy glass door open and dragged he

d pajamas. When she saw Christal's mud-stained coa

adbolt. She grabbed a thick towel and st

emanded, her eyes wide with pan

oke down. Between violent, gasping sobs, she told Clara everything. The fake audition, the

ily to hell. When she heard what Ethan said, she marc

al to change, then pushed her onto a chair right next to the clanking

staring into the brown liquid. "I need money

d violently on the table. The screen li

, reaching out to

he hit the speaker button, ready

orporate. "I'm calling to inform you that your contrac

stopped b

yelled. "You c

nformed us of your moral scandal. Every brand deal and audition you had lined up is canceled.

ne wen

fingers. It shattered on the floor, h

stematically cutting off her oxygen. He was

w them. I work backstage at the Broadway theater. I can get you a

ightly. She swore to herself she would work un

constant fear. By day, she hauled heavy wooden set pieces in the dark theater backstage, her muscles

econd email would arrive hours later, canceling it. An

of the month, Christal walked out the

fr

f the alley was a s

ing in the shadows. She watched as Ethan's assistant steppe

white envelope. The manager peeked insi

ed her, claiming they were "overstaffed." When she asked for her week

She looked at her reflection in a shop window. Dar

sitting at the kitchen table, staring at h

oze all of them. They said it's for suspicious activity, bu

's heart

only person who helped her. He was going to make

t crushing her chest. She coul

out her phone and unblocked Ethan's number. Her

d on the f

wo more days," Ethan's low, arrogant

ide of her cheek unt

d, her voice dead. "I'll go to the

g laugh echoed

clock. Wear the dress I send. And Chris