Chapter 4

Back home, my phone lights up.

Chelsea's added me and Grayson to a group chat. She's already dropped a novel.

The gist was simple:

"Nora, what you said today really hurt. But I forgive you."

"Also, I looked up that Kingsley Black Card of yours. You can buy fakes online for twenty bucks. Super convincing."

"We've been friends for years. I really don't want to see you go down a bad road. Drop the vanity thing and just work hard, okay?"

Attached was a referral form.

Grayson chimes in.

"Nora, Chelsea called in a lot of favors for you. Fill it out."

I misclick and open the doc. Read the job title.

I laugh.

"Wow. So even Titan's janitor spots need favors now?"

Chelsea fires back instantly.

"What did you expect me to do?"

Her tone drips fake sympathy.

"I wanted to hook you up with an office job, I swear. But you've got a three-year gap on your résumé, zero experience. If you want to work at Titan with us, janitor is all I can pull."

Before I can respond, Grayson sends a sighing sticker.

"Nora, I was buying into your whole 'glow-up' act."

He drops three photos into the chat.

They're photos of "me." Sprawled on a couch, gaming, empty takeout boxes all over the floor.

Grayson: "Chelsea's friend is your landlord. Otherwise I actually would've thought you changed."

"Even that little run-in today? Staged. You set it all up so I'd think you'd made it."

"Tomorrow. Eight a.m. Interview. Don't be late."

I put it together in about two seconds.

Almost start laughing.

"Two pieces of advice for you both. One, see a therapist. Stop projecting your garbage onto other people's lives. Two, book an eye exam. And maybe a brain scan while you're at it."

I send it. Leave the group. Block. Block.

It was the best night of sleep I'd had in years.

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