An American Cinderella

“I can’t get them to you right now,” I replied. My hands gripped at the satin of my dress. “You’ll have to wait until at least the end of next week.”

“I thought you might say that.” She sat back down and crossed her legs, looking perfectly comfortable. “Because I am generous, you can get them to me Monday evening, but it will be all of them. Not just what you get through by Friday. Everything.”

“There’s over a week’s worth of files still to go,” I told her, my eyes going wide. “It’s not possible to get them all to you by then.”

“It is if you work through the weekend,” Audrey replied. She checked her fingernails as if the shiny French manicure had chipped. “And so that’s what you’re going to do.”

“No.” I shook my head. “I won’t do it.”

“Why? Because of a silly little dance?” Audrey sighed and shook her head. “You’re still new to politics and how things work, so I’ll explain this to you. I own you. You do what I say.”

“You don’t have anything on me,” I replied reflexively.

“I have a picture that I’m not supposed to have from your phone,” Audrey replied. “That’s more than enough to ruin you. Didn’t you see what happened to Congressman Smith? Your evidence is even more damning.”

I thought of the man she had ruined because he betrayed her.

“You stole that photo from me! You hacked my phone,” I hissed at her. “People will understand.”

“Doesn’t matter how I got it,” she said sweetly. “Fact is, if you want to play the ‘I’m so moral’ card, you never should have taken the photo in the first place. You have no leg to stand on. What you don’t seem to understand is that you have no bargaining chips. You’ll do what I say, when I say. And I say now.”

“I can’t make things happen without more time.” I was trying very hard to keep my voice calm and level, but panic tickled at the back of my throat.

Audrey sighed. “Let me make this very simple for you,” she said. “You will not be going to the ball. You will be scanning documents so that I don’t give your father’s photos to the press, or yours for that matter. You will also be working on research for Anastasia. You need to prioritize your work over your social life.”

“What do you mean ‘research for Anastasia?’” I asked. “I already did that. I gave it to you.”

“You did, and apparently did such a nice job that they want more.” Audrey put on an innocent expression. “Did I forget to tell you again? It’s also due Monday.”

“You can’t do that!”

Audrey laughed, sending shivers up my spine. “With what I have on you and your father, I can do anything I want. I thought I made that very clear to you.”

I stood there, still in the dress that I had had such high hopes for ten minutes ago, and felt it all slipping away again. I closed my eyes and tried not to get upset. That would only feed Audrey’s torture. What was I going to tell Henry? He had been so excited for me to go. It was important to him.

“I can’t get them to you Monday. Maybe Thursday. There’s just too much work,” I explained.

Audrey stood up and moved to stand in front of me. She put her hand on my chin, holding me in place.

“The buyers that I have lined up for this information are expecting it Tuesday morning at nine am. They are not forgiving people.” A glimmer of fear crossed her face and I had to wonder just who she had gotten into bed with. They had to be terrifying and powerful if Audrey was afraid of them. “I will not go down because of your incompetence. Those files will be in my hand Monday evening by dinner or I will make you wish you had never been born. Do you understand?”

I thought of the missing baby grand piano and the Jaguar at her house. How she said she had bills to pay and was down an informant. It hit me that she didn’t have money coming in. She’d sold the piano and the Jaguar to keep up appearances. I realized that she was desperate for this information. This was her big payday and I was screwing it up.