Chapter 4

"Chloe! Oh my god, your spa card is literally a lifesaver!"

"Peter's mom said she feels ten years younger after that anti-aging treatment!"

"Oh, by the way, can you ask them if they have any kid-friendly facials? Lily said her skin feels a bit dry lately, so I want to bring her in for a full package too."

The voice note was only forty seconds long, but every word hammered against my skull.

Not a single ounce of guilt. Just bragging and demanding more.

She truly believed she was entitled to all of this.

I took a deep breath, locked my phone, and looked up at the manager. My voice was deadly calm.

"I want a copy of all security footage of her visits, along with a detailed itemized receipt for every single charge."

"Right now."

The manager didn't dare hesitate and rushed to get it done.

Half an hour later, I walked out of the clinic holding a USB drive and a thick stack of invoices.

The sun was bright, but I felt freezing cold.

The next day, I went to work as usual.

When Vivian saw me, she ran over enthusiastically.

"Chloe! Where were you yesterday? I texted you but you didn't reply!"

I looked up at her face, which was looking radiant thanks to my money, and said calmly,

"Vivian, my spa card was charged over twelve hundred dollars last month. Was that you?"

I kept my voice low, but the coworkers nearby, who already had their ears perked up, heard me.

Vivian’s smile froze, and then she let out an exaggerated gasp.

"Oh, that! I thought you knew!"

"You're the one who told me to go."

"I mean, you have so much money sitting in that account anyway. I was just helping you use it before it expires!"

She spoke loudly, making it sound like I was the one being cheap and dramatic.

"My membership is pre-paid. It never expires," I said, enunciating every word.

"Oh, what does it matter!" She grabbed my arm, pretending we were best friends.

"Come on, we're practically sisters! What's yours is mine!"

"Besides, I brought my family to test out their services for you! Now you know which treatments actually work!"

Her twisted logic was truly mind-blowing.

I shook her hand off and stared at her coldly. "So, you have no intention of paying me back?"

Vivian’s face finally darkened. She dropped the act, her voice turning sharp.

"Chloe, are you serious right now? You're going to ruin our friendship over a petty thousand dollars?"

"I really misjudged you! It's just a few hundred bucks here and there. Is it that big of a deal?"

"Think about how much you make a month. This is pocket change to you!"

Her outburst gathered a crowd of onlookers in the office.

People started whispering, casting strange looks at me.

To them, I probably looked like a wealthy, heartless bully who was picking a fight with a friend over pennies.

Looking at her self-righteous, victimized face, I suddenly smiled.

I realized there was no point in arguing with someone this delusional.

Without another word, I turned back to my desk.

Vivian continued her loud complaints behind my back about how "stingy" I was.

I ignored her, plugged the USB drive into my computer, and opened the files.

On the screen, high-definition footage of Vivian and her family walking into the spa over and over again played perfectly.

Since you threw away your dignity, don't blame me for what comes next.