by Melissa
Part 13. The
hidden garden.
As I slowly made
my system to my room to relaxation, silent wincing of distress at every step, I couldn’t serve
nonetheless wonder what used to be destructive with me? How would per chance well well I of direction feel such arousal when Sabrina
used to be belittling me and had pressured me to kiss her? May per chance per chance also she be precise about me?
Became when I precise a primitive submissive girl craving to be dominated? The conception snaked
its procedure by way of my thoughts, leaving a lag of ice in its wake. That couldn’t be
precise, I muttered inwardly, eager to advance to a suite of easy job. But the
seed of doubt had been sown, and I was now not fully determined of myself.
However, although I basically had submissive fantasies, one thing I was silent
reluctant to totally admit, that didn’t mean I was going to sacrifice my needs
and affords up my education. Regardless of the whole lot, now not all fantasies are supposed to advance precise.
In its place, I promised myself that I would issue Sabrina that I will be solid and
gallant.
But one other factor
alarmed me. May per chance per chance also Sabrina be precise about Elmwood Academy being a suite the put
the students were corrupted and altered into injurious people? I didn’t need to
give it some conception, nonetheless I was now not so confident in my outdated beliefs, especially
as I had witnessed again and again again the contempt with which the students had
treated me since I had place on the maid’s uniform. The articulate left me totally
bewildered. The entirety I knew felt the opposite way up, and doubt gnawed at the perimeters
of my obtain to the underside of. Yet, beneath the confusion, a spark of resolution flickered.
I would now not be swayed. My rightful save awaited, and I would now not relaxation till I
took it encourage.
I by some means reached
my room, a narrow save tucked away at the cease of the maid’s quarter. The exhausting
cot beckoned me, promising a unprecedented-wished relaxation. But earlier than collapsing onto the
sheets, I paused for a 2nd, my hand on the door address. There used to be one thing I
needed to attain first. I couldn’t shake the sensation that if I didn’t confront it now,
it would per chance well well most productive develop worse. With a deep breath, I opened the door and stepped
encourage into the hallway.
My coronary heart thudded
in my chest as I made my system to the reception desk, the put Agnès, the
receptionist, sat primly at the encourage of her ornate desk. The girl regarded up at me with
a groovy, disapproving search, her perfectly coiffed hair, sophisticated makeup
and beautiful uniform a spicy distinction to my dishevelled look. “Sure,
girl?” she said, her tone spicy. “What is it it’s best to have?”
I couldn’t serve
noticing that I was now not Omit Jones or even Melissa to Agnès, precise
“girl”. Taking a deep breath, I dropped a curtsy and pressured myself to
perceive into her eyes. “Please Omit Agnès, I… I wished to suppose regret for my
egocentric behaviour,” I stammered. “I must possess inquired about your
name, and I realize if I’ve made things more complicated for you. I’m
sorry.” My cheeks burned with embarrassment, nonetheless I pressured myself to
continue. “I precise… I have been feeling overwhelmed since my arrival, and I
didn’t possess asking about you. I must were more thoughtful.”
Agnès raised an
eyebrow, nonetheless she didn’t acknowledge without extend. In its place, she studied me closely,
taking in my reddened eyes and the procedure I winced with every step. “It is
evident that you’re in distress,” she said by some means. “What came about to
you? Were you by some means crushed the earlier day?”
I flinched at the
harsh note, nonetheless I steeled myself to perceive Agnès within the perceive. “No, nothing
delight in that,” I answered, “nonetheless I was punished for upsetting you. So that they
made me haul and take unending crates of wine within the cold, damp cellar. Even after
a night’s relaxation, it silent feels delight in I have been pummeled, and albeit, your
disapproval of me provides a bitter tang to the soreness.”
Agnès pursed her
lips, unconvinced. “Effectively, in all likelihood you should possess conception of that
earlier than you acted so recklessly,” she said coolly. “But I divulge it
serves you precise. As for your apology… I treasure the effort, nonetheless I’m now not
determined I’m prepared to forgive you precise but. I would per chance well well fail to see your disrespect
in direction of me, nonetheless how would per chance well well you betray Maria, your feeble maid, and let her be
wrongly accused of theft? You must need to show your self earlier than I’m in a position to possess
letting you encourage into my precise graces and serving to you to talk with Maria
again.”
Her words stung,
nonetheless I pressured myself to nod. “I realize,” I said softly. “I’m going to
strive to attain better, I promise.”
Agnès bit her
lips, fascinated with me. “Thoroughly,” she said by some means. “I’m now not
giving you any particular favours, you understand. But I will come up with one likelihood
to show your self. You must attain one thing basically selfless, one thing that reveals
you care more about the college and its students than you attain about your self. If
you would attain that, then in all likelihood I’m going to rethink my opinion of you
and transmit your
apology letter to Maria.”
I nodded, a spark
of resolution igniting inner me. “I realize, Omit Agnès” I
said. “I’m going to get a system to accept as true with things precise.” With a newfound sense
of cause, I dropped a curtsy and walked encourage to my little room within the maid’s
quarters. Though uncertain of the lag, my obtain to the underside of to satisfy Agnès’ expectations
burned shimmering. But for the 2nd, my eyelids felt heavy as lead. My muscular tissues,
silent protesting from the day outdated to this’s inconvenience, screamed for relaxation. With a
deep breath, I conceded defeat to exhaustion for the 2nd. Limping encourage to my
shrimp quarters inner the maid’s home, I knew sleep used to be the key to unlocking
a reply.
After a deep,
dreamless sleep, I awoke later on the unforgiving hardness of my cot of the
maid’s quarters, my muscular tissues silent protesting from my efforts of the outdated
day. But a newfound sense of effectively-being overshadowed the discomfort. A wave of
relief washed over me, changing the fatigue with a silent resolution to face
the relaxation of day, I stretched and yawned, my eyes silent heavy from the
exhaustion of the past week and day. The shrimp maid’s quarters at Elmwood
Academy were removed from luxurious, nonetheless they were mine for the relaxation of the day. I
had earned this relaxation, I told myself, as I curled up below the threadbare
blanket on my narrow, wretched mattress.
Time gave the impact to
stand silent as I drifted inner and out of consciousness, the arena beyond my door
fading into the background. It wasn’t till I heard the faint clatter of china
in opposition to metal that I sat up with a start up, my coronary heart racing. I peered over the
fringe of my mattress and saw a tray of meals had been left exterior my door, along with
a folded share of paper. My breath hitched as I known Sabrina’s precise
handwriting on the gift. My curiosity getting the upper of me, I picked up the
tray and opened the gift. It used to be a way, hand-drawn and intricately detailed,
main me to Elmwood Academy’s hidden garden. The garden, a suite of epic
and mystery, used to be said to be stuffed with uncommon and outlandish vegetation, as effectively as a
fountain that whispered secrets and techniques to individuals who dared to listen. The way even
integrated a key to serve my get my procedure by way of the twisting paths and hidden
passages.
I would per chance well well infrequently
take into consideration my eyes. It seemed now not possible that Sabrina, a in most cases stern and
unyielding faculty maid and my supervisor for the day, would per chance well well be allowing my
obtain admission to to this kind of treasure. But as I studied the way more closely, I realized a
few words scribbled within the nook: “For your exhausting work and dedication,
Melissa. Get pleasure from your time without work. -Sabrina.” A smile crept at some level of my face as I
realized that in all likelihood Sabrina wasn’t as cold-hearted as I had once conception.
Fortified by the
lunch Sabrina had so kindly prepared for me, I took a deep breath and shoved
start the door. A thrill of anticipation danced in my chest. Gathering my
braveness, I space out on my bolt. Slipping from the confines of the maid’s
quarters and after presenting my fingerprint to the biometric scanner, I
ventured into the secret realm of the hidden garden. The path forward unfurled
delight in a ribbon, beckoning me deeper with its twists and turns. Lush greenery
crowded in on either facet, and towering hedges, delight in watchful giants, veiled
the lag in a groovy, inexperienced hush. The air used to be thick with the scent of roses and
jasmine, and the sound of birdsong stuffed the air. The hidden garden used to be even
more glorious than I had imagined, with fountains and statues dotting the
panorama, their crisp white marble seeming to glow within the daytime. As I
wandered by way of the garden, I couldn’t serve nonetheless of direction feel a sense of dread and
wonder. I had consistently been livid about the tales that surrounded Elmwood
Academy, and now I was of direction exploring them for myself. I realized myself drawn
to a in particular ornate fountain within the centre of the garden, its water
cascading down into a crystal-determined pool.
As I stood earlier than
the fountain, I realized a tiny inscription carved into the stone: “To
those who dare to dream,” it learn. I knelt down out and touched the cool
water, feeling its power waft by way of me. In that 2nd, I knew that I
wouldn’t stop stuck as a college maid forever. I felt a burning desire to pursue
my needs, to alter into the person I was of direction supposed to be.
But then, my
reverie used to be with out warning interrupted. Out of the nook of my perceive, I caught a
search of one thing… or somebody. A blonde girl immaculately dressed as an
Elmwood Academy pupil. I rapidly stood up, grew to alter into spherical to face her and
dropped a curtsy, following the head maid’s strict instructions about how I was
supposed to greet students.
***
I, Melissa Jones,
silent fallacious for a privileged pupil, couldn’t serve nonetheless smirk as I gazed
spherical my opulent room at Elmwood Academy. The silk drapes billowed within the
tear, casting dancing shadows at some level of the intricately carved four-poster mattress.
The thick Persian rug cushioned my toes as I padded over to the ornate dresser,
running my fingers over the gentle mahogany surface. I paused for a 2nd,
inhaling deeply, taking within the scent of roses that stuffed the air. It used to be all
so surreal, previously eliminated from the dingy home I in most cases called home.
I presumed encourage to
the day earlier than, after I would per chance well been invited to the birthday occasion of Jessica, a
privileged pupil at the academy. Held within the enticing atmosphere of her
aristocratic fogeys’ fortress, the night had been a whirlwind of opulence.
Servants scurried with hors d’oeuvres whereas liveried footmen poured drinks. The
workers danced to the customer’s every whim. A raised eyebrow prompted a original pot
of tea, a dispute brought chilled champagne. No search data from used to be too inferior, no
desire left unfulfilled. It used to be an atmosphere of pure indulgence, the put consolation
and satisfaction were basically the most productive commandments. I had never felt so out of save,
but at the identical time, I would per chance well never felt more alive. The night used to be a whirlwind of
pure pleasure. My toes ached from dancing, my cheeks were sore from laughter, and a
beautiful buzz warmed my insides from the forbidden sip of beautiful wine. It
used to be a night to be etched in reminiscence, a ideal blend of packed with life motion,
joyous connection, and a hint of youthful insurrection.
And as if the
occasion itself wasn’t adequate, Olivia, one other privileged pupil at the academy,
had also invited me to an weird and wonderful sort issue the following day. The match used to be
invitation-most productive, and I felt honoured to were integrated. The runway used to be
stuffed with designs from basically the most sought-after designers within the arena, and the
gadgets strutted down the catwalk in outfits that would per chance well well most productive be described as
works of artwork. I would per chance well never viewed so many fantastic people in one save, and for a
quick 2nd, I allowed myself to take into consideration what it would per chance well well be delight in to be one of
them. All by way of a spoil between reveals, Olivia approached me and asked if I would per chance well delight in
to take a search at on most certainly the most important garments from the issue. I couldn’t take into consideration my ears. This
used to be a once-in-a-lifetime different, and I eagerly permitted. As I slipped on a
glorious emerald robe, I felt delight in a princess in a fairytale. The costume hugged
my curves within the whole precise areas, and the emerald inexperienced color brought out the
flecks of inexperienced in my blue eyes. I caught a search of myself within the beefy-length
take into consideration and almost didn’t search myself.
Feeling confident
and beautiful after these two events, I determined to crawl away my opulent room in
search of original air. But earlier than going out, I determined to examine one thing I had
get out about: the college’s money dispenser.
The chrome of the
automatic money dispenser gleamed below the sterile lights of Elmwood Academy’s
foyer. I approached it hesitantly. The college’s intellectual brochure had promised
fingerprint obtain admission to and quick allowance recordsdata – a characteristic I realized unsettlingly
helpful. No swipe cards, no PINs, precise a contact and… effectively, what precisely?
Taking a deep breath, I scanned my thumb. A holographic gift flickered to
lifestyles: “Fingerprints known and id as pupil Melissa Jones
verified and authenticated. Entry to pupil Melissa Jones’ financial epic
fully granted with out a restrictions whatsoever.”
The holographic
gift pulsed with a inexperienced glow, showing a sum a long way exceeding what a younger
lady ought to need. The redhead’s fogeys clearly hadn’t skimped on their
monthly allowance. Too immoral for them, I was the one registered as their daughter
within the system in save of her. Enraged by the prospect of being in a suite to withdraw
precise money from her epic, I checked out the brochure again to make sure I
wasn’t fallacious. Per the information, accessing the money used to be supposed to be a
tear – all it took used to be typing the sum I wished and scanning my fingerprint
again. Intrigued and although I didn’t of direction would really like to seize money from the
redhead on top of stealing her privileged lifestyles, I couldn’t wait to query if it
of direction worked as marketed. So I stuffed in a tiny quantity and positioned my finger
on the scanner with a determined press. A whirring sound stuffed the air, then
silence. Appropriate as I began to doubt, crisp banknotes emerged from the dispenser.
It had of direction worked! Support and satisfaction flooded by way of me as I tucked
the banknotes safely into my pocket. With a newfound lightness in my step, I
grew to alter into and left.
Then I stepped out
of the most main constructing and sought refuge in Elmwood Academy’s hidden garden.
Tucked away from the clamour of pupil lifestyles, it used to be a secret haven – a
calm oasis amidst the organized chaos. Sweet rose fragrance hung within the air,
and the solar, a light-weight caress, warmed my skin as I ambled down the garden’s
winding path.
As I rounded a
nook, I stumbled on a mountainous fountain within the centre of the garden, its waters
cascading down into a crystal-determined pool. Kneeling at the foot of the fountain,
used to be a college maid. She used to be dressed in a long, straightforward costume, her white apron
tied neatly spherical her waist. She regarded to be deep in conception, misplaced in her dangle
world as she watched the water dance earlier than her. Something about the girl
struck a chord with me. There used to be an air of familiarity about her, as if I had
met her earlier than. When she grew to alter into spherical to face me and dropped a curtsy, it
with out warning hit me: she used to be the redhead, the girl whose id I had stolen, the
a host of Melissa Jones, the girl who must were the one occupying my opulent
room and attending my courses. I felt a pang of guilt wash over me, intellectual
that I was living the lifestyles she ought to be living, whereas she used to be stuck having to
work as a community service girl. And I had even stolen money from her epic
at the money dispenser – a tiny sum, admittedly.
But at the identical
time, I was delighted that the charade would cease the following day, when Mrs.
Williams expected the impossibly complicated main project I had been
given just a few days earlier. My incapability to post the work would per chance well well be a needless
giveaway, shattering the seems to be I would per chance well so barely constructed. At that 2nd,
I was about to expose the redhead I’d be realized out the following day and to present her
encourage her money from the money dispenser, nonetheless I determined to tease her first a minute.
***
The blonde girl
dressed in a pristine Elmwood Academy schoolgirl uniform strutted confidently
in direction of me. “Effectively, effectively, effectively,” she drawled. “Look for who now we possess
right here. If it’s miles now not the community service girl herself? The maid’s uniform of direction
suits you, would now not it?” My coronary heart raced, I couldn’t give it some conception. This used to be
the girl I had met at the prepare put and who had stolen my id. My
delinquent namesake, the a host of Melissa Jones. This girl used to be sporting my
schoolgirl uniform, even acting delight in me. The shock of seeing her despatched a shiver
down my backbone.
“You know,
I have been that system to thank you,” the blonde girl continued, a malicious
glint in her perceive. “You must possess got made my lifestyles so unprecedented more uncomplicated.”
“You’ve no
precise to attain this,” I exclaimed, my state trembling with emotion.
“Give me encourage my id!”
But the delinquent
Melissa merely laughed, her laughter echoing by way of the extensive garden. “Why
would I attain that?” she asked, her state dripping with sarcasm. “I’m
by some means living a lifestyles I deserve. No longer equivalent to you, born with a silver spoon in your
mouth and no opinion what it’s delight in to fight.”
I felt a surge of
indignation. “But it completely’s now not gleaming!” I protested. “You must well be taking
good thing about this combination-up to stay out your fantasies of a privileged lifestyles.
You must well be stealing from me!”
The delinquent
Melissa shrugged nonchalantly. “Life is now not gleaming,” she retorted.
“You must possess got had the whole lot handed to you on a silver platter, whereas I’ve had
to fight for the whole lot I’ve ever gotten. Now it’s my turn to journey the fruits
of your privilege.”
I pleaded with
her, my state stuffed with desperation. “Please,” I begged, “give
me encourage my lifestyles. You don’t belong right here. You do now not know what it system to be a
segment of this world.”
But the delinquent
Melissa precise stared at me, her eyes cold and unyielding. “Why would I attain
that?” she repeated, her state echoing in my ears. “What’s in it for
me?”
“Please,”
I implored, my state laced with urgency, “I came right here to search. How will I
total my education if I work as a maid the whole time and am now not allowed to
search?”
I watched as a
flicker of amusement crossed her face, her lips curving into a sardonic smile.
“Education?” she scoffed, her words laced with disdain. “You
came right here to journey a lifetime of privilege, now not to slave away over books.”
I shook my head
vehemently, my resolution unwavering. “No,” I insisted, my state
trembling with conviction. “I came right here to learn, to amplify my horizons,
to accept as true with one thing of myself.”
The delinquent
Melissa regarded me with a calculating perceive, her expression unreadable.
***
Appropriate a 2nd ago,
I would per chance well been on the verge of confessing the whole lot to the redhead, of blurting out
how my failure at handing within the following day’s main project to Mrs. Williams
would expose my precise id. But, as I listened to the girl’s passionate speech
about eager to search, an opinion began to provide in my thoughts. What if I equipped to
lend her my direction notes in substitute for her writing the project for me? I
hesitated for a 2nd, weighing the professionals and cons of my opinion. In the cease, I
had nothing to lose, so I determined to take a risk.
“Very
effectively,” I told the redhead, my state laced with a hint of amusement,
“I would per chance well well most certainly be persuaded to let you search. But you need to must produce it.”
The redhead’s
response caught me off guard. I would per chance well braced myself for a chortle, a scoff maybe,
anything else nonetheless the sincerity in her eyes. In its place, she equipped a smile brimming
with gratitude, thanking me as if I would per chance well presented her with a golden imprint.
“Thanks!” she exclaimed, her state, effectively to place with valid
appreciation, as if I was doing her a favour.
“Develop now not thank
me but,” I interjected, my tone curt. “I’m stuck on a complex
project due the following day! It is procedure over my head. I’m going to dig out all my direction
notes for you to perceive by way of, and you would write the project according to that
and affords it to me the following day morning earlier than my first lesson. Right here is the deal: if
you space up to snag a passing grade, I’m going to continue lending you my direction notes
so you would search at night and write a host of assignments for me.”
Of direction, it used to be
a long shot, and I didn’t search data from her to conform to my search data from. But although she
did and managed to total the project in a final-minute budge, success
seemed removed from assured. Unfortunately, now not attending the lessons left her
at a important downside. Crafting a effectively-structured, effectively-argued share requires
a solid foundation within the key concepts and frameworks covered at faculty.
Without that data, her arguments would likely lack depth and her
group would per chance well well most certainly be haphazard. This will considerably impact the final
effectiveness of her writing. I knew my proposal used to be a Hail Mary, a moonshot of
a search data from with a cease to-zero likelihood of success. But I was cornered, with out a a host of
system to escape the fact bomb ready to blow up the following day.
The redhead didn’t
reply without extend. The silence stretched, punctuated most productive by the light sound
of the water running within the fountain. I watched the girl browfurrow in
focus, a strand of fiery hair escaping the braid at the encourage of her ear. It used to be
determined my proposal had struck a chord, and he or she used to be barely weighing its
implications earlier than offering a reply.
***
I wavered, caught
in a psychological tug-of-battle. On one hand, it felt determined the blonde girl used to be precise
attempting to utilize me. Yet, on the a host of hand, there used to be a nagging conception that,
maybe, lending a hand at the side of her schoolwork often is the selfless act Agnès had
emphasized. The inner battle left me uncertain of how one can proceed. But then, I
realized that if I didn’t serve the delinquent girl with the project, she
would per chance well well be given a immoral impress. But this kind of immoral impress wouldn’t precise land on her, it
would unfairly taint my file too. This impersonation mess wasn’t precise about
her grades, it used to be about holding my dangle tutorial standing. Serving to her now,
as crooked as it seemed, used to be basically the most productive system to prevent her from dragging me down
at the side of her. And likewise, if I framed serving to my namesake as a selfless act to Agnès,
she’d by some means possess sending my apology letter. That letter, the one begging
forgiveness from Maria, our feeble maid, would per chance well precise be the key to clearing my
name. It all hinged on Maria’s intervention, on her vouching for my precise id
and enabling me to reclaim my rightful save. So by doing the girl’s project
– in fact my dangle project – I presumed I’d be one step nearer to ending my
ordeal. And by doing the homework, I would also preserve away from falling at the encourage of in my
analysis.
So, by some means, I
nodded eagerly, my coronary heart pounding with anticipation. “Of direction,” I
agreed, my state stuffed with obtain to the underside of. “I’m going to write down that project. I’m going to attain
whatever I possess to attain to continue my analysis.”
The delinquent
Melissa’s eyes narrowed, her expression unreadable. “Support on a minute,
I’m going to be precise encourage with my direction notes,” she muttered, turning away
all of sudden.
I watched as she
strode away, a sense of resolution settling in my coronary heart. I would now not let
this likelihood tear away. I would work exhausting, search diligently, and show to
the delinquent Melissa, and to myself, that my desire for education used to be
valid.
***
As I rapidly left
to bring the redhead my direction notes, I couldn’t take into consideration that she had agreed to
write the paper for me. How would per chance well well she be so naive? Didn’t she realise that it
would serve me to continue impersonating her? Generally I couldn’t stand privileged
girls delight in her, nonetheless in this case I felt a minute sorry for her. No longer most productive used to be she
pressured to help out the humiliating community service I had been sentenced to,
nonetheless she used to be also going to attain my homework so that I would per chance well well continue to journey the
privileges that ought to were hers.
Frankly, taking
good thing about the redhead made me of direction feel a minute responsible, because she regarded to be a
nice girl. But hello, charity begins at home and he or she used to be a stranger to me.
Honestly although, I would possess prefered to take into consideration that she deserved that used to be
occurring to her. Rather than that, her greatest flaw used to be most certainly precise to be too
nice and too accommodating for her dangle precise, especially in a suite delight in Elmwood
Academy the put unbridled ambition is promoted and impressed, a suite the put the
cease justifies the procedure and, therefore, a suite the put nice girls delight in her
consistently attain last. Elmwood students were taught to be bullies, nonetheless the redhead
seemed more delight in the more or less girl who tends to be bullied. She would per chance well well most certainly be from an
higher class family, nonetheless I began to wonder if she basically belonged in a college
delight in this and the way in which she would cope at faculty with a trainer as ruthless as Mrs
Williams. The academy used to be a viper’s nest, a suite the put kindness used to be a
liability. Right here, students clawed their system to the tip, leaving naivety and
decency within the mud. The redhead, at the side of her trusting nature, used to be in particular
weak. Left by myself amongst these gallant classmates, she’d be straightforward
pickings, swallowed total by the cutthroat competition.
Armed with my
direction notes, I retraced my steps encourage to the hidden garden, its entrance
veiled by overgrown greenery. The redhead, her hair catching the dappled
sunlight filtering by way of the leaves, stood patiently the put I would per chance well left her.
Support washed over her face as I prolonged the notes, and a hint of a smile
played on her lips. She promised to tear the project into my locker the following
morning earlier than the most main bell and without extend began to dove into my notes,
browfurrowed in focus. No longer like me, she gave the impact to take the self-discipline of the
project with an almost upsetting ease. Her focus used to be laser spicy,
oblivious to the arena spherical her, at the side of me.
As I walked away,
doubt gnawed at me. Would the redhead of direction apply by way of at the side of her promise?
Despite the fact that she did, a knot of fret tightened in my abdomen. May per chance per chance also her work
most certainly meet Mrs. Williams’ exacting requirements? The uncertainty hung heavy,
leaving me with a combination of apprehension and a flicker of hope.
Coming into the
plush confines of my room, a pang of guilt hit me. I would per chance well entirely forgotten to
return the redhead’s substitute from the money dispenser. A part of me wished to
retrace my steps, nonetheless the sum used to be insignificant, and most certainly now not one thing she
wished precise away. A sly grin tugged at my lips. An extraordinary better reply
presented itself: tuck the money away and use it to present her a tiny tip after
she’d handed over the project, turning our settlement into a subtle power
play in which she would of direction feel obliged to me although she would per chance well well be the one
being exploited. There used to be also a crooked pleasure, an straightforward satisfaction, a
perverted glee within the irony of the use of her dangle money, a paltry sum at that, to
reward her for serving to me to continue to impersonate her.