The Fidelity World: Shattered (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read online

  Karen

  I flipped the top of the envelope. Inside was another note, a few business cards, a prepaid credit card, and more cash. I didn’t even want to imagine how much this trip was costing or who paid for it all.

  Melissa,

  Appointments have been made on your behalf with each of the boutiques enclosed. Days and times are written on the back of the individual cards. Each shop has a list of the different attire required for your interview. Financial arrangements have been prearranged and will be billed to us directly by the boutiques and spa. Included is one thousand dollars prepaid credit for any nonessential items you may need. I have also enclosed additional cash for future tips. Tips are not required or expected at the boutiques. However, please be sure to tip each salon specialist at the spa. Tips for room service or another hotel chargeable should be added to the room.

  Karen

  Holy shit, I felt like I’d won the fucking lottery—without having to pick the actual numbers. The rest of the night I tossed and turned with little to no sleep, wondering if the entire week would be as overwhelming as today.

  Tuesday was occupied with boutiques and shopping. Instead of asking for transportation, I walked, believing it would be the only way I would see New York with all the appointments tightly scheduled.

  The first boutique I entered made me think of the scene from Pretty Woman. The saleswomen hovered over me just as when Edward took Vivian shopping. They brought crystal glasses of water for me to sip while they showed me outfits waiting for my approval or disapproval.

  I tried on each outfit that I liked until three appropriate business garments were selected. The next boutique was for formal wear. It was a repeat of the first store, but along with the water, little sandwiches were provided as a snack. All the stores were instructed to send selected items straight to Karen once I passed the interview part of the process. The final boutique sold lingerie. I spent just as many hours in search of it as I did the other items requested. I must have tried on every color before settling on matching bras and panties in red, black, and white.

  Though, I never knew intimate attire was part of a professional interview, I admitted, if only to myself, that wearing it made me feel sexy as hell. The saleslady said that I was to take this purchase with me because I needed to look confident during my interview.

  According to the saleslady, confidence came from within. The undergarments provided that. She said that I needed to feel worthy, and the best way to achieve that feeling was to look worthy.

  By the end of the day, I was exhausted. Instead of walking, I hailed a cab and made my way back to the hotel. My big plans to explore the city changed to a hot shower and dinner in bed.

  Dinner arrived about an hour after I returned to the room. Pulling the serving tray next to the bed, I ate. After dinner, I snuggled into the covers. The next thing I knew, I woke up to the sun shining outside my window.

  Wednesday was much the same as Tuesday, but instead of clothes shopping, I was pampered. I spent the entire day in the spa being treated like a princess—haircut, pedicure, manicure, and a full-body massage to help me relax. By the time they finished with me, it was again time for dinner. I debated on the downstairs restaurant, but at the last minute decided again on room service instead.

  My phone buzzed just after I opened the door to my room. It was a New York number, but it wasn’t the same one Karen had called from before.

  "Hello?" I asked as well as answered.

  "Miss Summers, this is Karen Flores."

  "Ms. Flores."

  "Melissa, your interview is set for nine tomorrow morning. I have talked to the boutiques and everything will be delivered to my office, assuming the interview goes as I hope.

  “I didn’t—”

  She cut me off. “James will pick you up at exactly eight-thirty. Melissa, this is a very long process and will take much of the day—don’t keep James waiting.” Ms. Flores never took a breath as she spoke to me.

  I wasn't sure if she always talked like that or if it was to ensure that I didn't have a chance to interrupt her.

  "Melissa,” she went on. “I know this sounds extensive, but we at our company pride ourselves in making sure that all of our applicants have the best chance of success. If the first benefactor chooses another candidate, your application will remain on file for a potential match to other clients. I’m sure you have questions, but please save it all until tomorrow."

  "Thank you, Ms. Flores. Is there anything else I need or should do before tomorrow?”

  In a stern voice, she went on. "Melissa, the most important thing is punctuality. Do not be late. It will reflect negatively on your application."

  "Karen—" I tried to continue, but she cut me off. Anything else I had to say was lost.

  "Tomorrow, Miss Summers." And then the line went dead.

  Chapter 7

  The Interview

  Melissa

  I woke up Thursday morning, showered, styled my hair, and applied my makeup, but everything after that was a blur. I wasn’t sure if I was more excited or scared. I followed the saleslady’s advice—you have to look worthy to feel worthy. Something told me it should probably be said the other way around. You needed to feel worthy to look worthy. Hell, I didn’t know anymore. I just knew I needed to look and act the part, so I found the new sexy and expensive bra and panties and put them on. After I did, I stood in front of the mirror and cried. I literally cried because no matter which way the saying went, I felt it—worthy. For the first time in longer than I could remember, I felt worthy. Yes, I was still nervous, but a sense of calm had magically fallen over me.

  I could do this.

  I would kick ass in the interview and finally be the girl who got her dream.

  Karen had explained during a call that if I was chosen, I’d have specific responsibilities to maintain. At times I would have to attend social functions, and to that end, I needed to demonstrate my ability to appear professional and elegant. It was why the shopping spree was essential and necessary for the second part of the interview. All of the clients of Karen’s company enjoyed a high financial standing, and as such, they had an expected image to uphold.

  At precisely 8:25 in the morning, I walked out of the hotel and was greeted by the driver who picked me up from the airport. James held open the door to the backseat of a black limo.

  "Miss Summers," James said as he approached.

  "Yes."

  "I’ll be driving you to your interview this morning and bringing you back once you are finished.”

  I smiled and took a deep breath of the New York air that surrounded me—it felt different from home. One could smell the salt in the air in Myrtle Beach while here, the odors of the street filled the air.

  "Thank you." I lowered my head and entered the back seat of the limo. It wasn’t the same one that picked me up from the airport. Once again, this limo was fully stocked with alcohol. Whoever employed Karen had a shit-ton of money and had no problem spending on luxury. It was more than I ever imagined. I couldn't help but think that even if I didn't receive the scholarship, I experienced more in this trip than I would have in a lifetime.

  We drove for about twenty minutes before we pulled up to a tall building made of glass. James opened my door and escorted me into the building. We passed the receptionist and security guard to head to a bank of elevators without even stopping to check in. James pushed the up button and waited until the doors opened, and we both stepped in. I walked toward the back, and he went straight to a control panel and inserted a key under the numbers.

  He turned to me. "The elevator is programmed. Once the doors open, someone will greet you and take you to your interview.” He turned back around and left without another word.

  When the doors opened, I was greeted. "Miss Summers, I'm Hannah, please follow me."

  I didn't get a chance to respond before she turned and headed in the direction of a large oak desk with several chairs on the side.

  "Please, have a se
at. Ms. Flores will be with you in a few minutes."

  "Thank you."

  I laughed to myself when I thought about Ms. Flores's warning about not being late. Just as with a medical office, tardiness only applied to the person who had been requested, not the one who held the appointment. Apparently, her punctuality was not essential. I pulled my phone out to check my messages and waited.

  Someone approached and held out her hand. "Miss Summers, I’m Karen Flores."

  I accepted her hand and thanked her for the opportunity to interview for the position.

  "Please, come in and have a seat. I'll be in with you in just a minute." She held her door open for me to enter, and her secretary approached and handed her some papers.

  Ms. Flores shut the door and walked to her desk. "Melissa, nice to finally meet you."

  "Thank you for meeting with me, Ms. Flores."

  "Karen, call me Karen." She smiled. "I explained to you on the initial call and the invitation that our company holds a strict confidentiality policy. Anything said or done from this point forward is sensitive. The information you’re about to learn may not be divulged to anyone including your family or friends. Therefore, before we begin, you are required to sign a nondisclosure agreement. It is at your discretion, but if you do not wish to sign, your interview will end here. Your expenses will be paid and your account credited the five thousand dollars we agreed upon, but no other discussions will transpire." She handed me the NDA. "Melissa, I know this is a big decision; therefore, I’ll have Hannah escort you to a private room to review the paperwork in private. If you agree to sign, we can begin your interview today."

  I read the NDA as Karen suggested; the contract was basic. The terminology was above my head; the way lawyers wrote contracts was more complicated than necessary. Honestly, I didn't need to read the contract for the name itself explained it. Nondisclosure agreement. You can’t repeat anything you see, hear, or do, outside of those who are privy to the arrangement.

  Simple.

  After fifteen minutes, I went back to Hannah's desk and handed her the signed NDA. "I'm ready to talk to Karen."

  "Have a seat, and she'll be right with you."

  I waited for about fifteen minutes before Karen opened her door. "Melissa, please come back into my office."

  We both took our seats, Karen behind her desk and me in the leather chair in front of it. She shuffled some papers before she began.

  "You understand that from this moment on your NDA is in effect? Anything said is confidential and prohibited from being discussed outside of this office. If you breach the NDA, fines and other legal action can and will be taken against you."

  "Yes, ma’am."

  "Good, let us get started. I work for a company called Infidelity. We match clients with prospective employees. However, our clients do not hire the employees for their businesses but for companionship. Just as the word implies, you would spend time with the person who holds your agreement. As an employee of one of our clients, you may be required to attend social events. Time alone in private settings would be at their discretion."

  Karen took a breath and continued as if she didn't just say private setting. I had no response except shock and OMG wrapped up nicely to say WTF. She stopped to gauge my reaction before she began again.

  "I’m sure you have a lot of questions, but before you ask, please give me a chance to explain more about the service."

  Karen spent over an hour detailing the ins and outs of Infidelity. Wealthy clients paid a monthly allowance, college tuition, and all room and board expenses in return for companionship. Many clients were workaholics and didn't have time to date—they required a companion to accompany them to social events. Others were in relationships and when stressed needed a place to find comfort with no expectations.

  Karen never mentioned sex, which said more than if she had. A company wouldn't be able to sell sex legally, but companionship wasn't sex. Therefore, there was no law prohibiting it. Infidelity had a loophole within which to operate legally as long as the service provided was strictly companionship. If the client and employer chose to engage in sex—well, it wasn't part of the signed arrangement.

  After the interview with Karen, I was sent on to the second part of the interview, a lengthy evaluation with a psychologist. I was also required to have a medical exam to ensure my health. Infidelity needed to confirm my physical and mental health before I could be considered. I answered more questions about myself, sexual experiences, and topics that seemed entirely irrelevant.

  All of it took up the entire day. By the time I was done, I had no more energy for anything. As glamorous as this trip was, I wouldn’t see much of New York because every night since I arrived ended in exhaustion.

  Chapter 8

  The Agreement

  Melissa

  That night, I sat in the large hotel bed with the packet Karen had given me. The first document was the nondisclosure agreement I’d signed before the interview began. And behind it was a thick stack of forms I needed to review and complete.

  I placed the NDA on the bottom of the stack and proceeded to read the requirements to be an Infidelity employee. I would be required to provide one year of companionship to a client in exchange for a full scholarship with guaranteed admittance to Northwestern, housing, a monthly allowance, and a large sum of money at the end of the contract. My employer had the option to renew the agreement yearly, and I had the choice not to sign for an additional year. If I chose not to renew, I was still entitled to continue my education at Northwestern, but I would be required to pay for all my expenses, including tuition. In return, I agreed to all the terms and conditions that my employer requested. Faithfulness to your employer was mandated. Also, once I signed the agreement, the decision of who I worked for was out of my hands.

  My profile would be seen only by Karen until it was presented to those clients she deemed match-worthy. If the first benefactor chose another employee, my profile would remain open until Karen tried again with someone else.

  The only clause to void the contract was physical abuse. Once reported, Infidelity would then review and confirm that such abuse took place. Sexual acts agreed to could not be considered a violation or abuse if they fell within the bounds of the contract. If claims of abuse were proven, the employee was entitled to keep all compensation paid as well as unfulfilled months of the contract. If no proof of physical violence was found, the employee would be required to fulfill the contract or repay any funds previously paid and void the contract.

  The paper under the requirements was a detailed list of sexual and nonsexual limits. It was required to be completed and added to my profile, so Karen could match another possible employer. Karen never said sex was required, but the information would be pertinent in case a sexual relationship developed. It also lowered the risk of incompatibility. The four-page questionnaire asked about explicit and detailed sexual acts, including those of BDSM.

  I spent the next few hours with my phone in one hand and the document in the other and researched as I read. Some of it I’d never even heard before. I marked each one with yes, soft or hard. The difference between hard and soft limits was one of the many things I learned with my research. The hard limits were the most important because it would include things I refused to perform or have done to me. I always knew sex sold, but until now, I hadn’t grasped how much.

  I didn’t have enough sexual experience to know what I liked and didn’t like. One night with a study partner was the only reference I had. We’d stayed up all night studying for finals and decided we should celebrate the next day. We headed to the beach for relaxation and fun. It was too cold to swim in the ocean, but the sun was bright as waves crashed the shore. Our fingers interlinked, and we took off running when water sprayed up and splashed us. Our hands were the first thing that connected but not the last. Our bodies molded together into a hug. One hug led to a kiss, and one kiss led to us naked in the backseat of his car on a deserted part of the beach. We’d spent
so much time studying the last few weeks that I thought we both had feelings for one another. I was wrong. The only thing between us was the girlfriend he never mentioned. Heartbreak was just another hurdle I had learned to overcome.

  No matter how Infidelity dressed it up, they sold sex; it was just called companionship. There was no way someone paid the insane amount of money these clients paid without some additional benefits to companionship. I almost guaranteed sex was that additional benefit. I needed to decide how badly I wanted Northwestern and if I would sell my soul and my body to an unknown person for one year for that goal.

  I read all the documents, then read them again and again until I knew them by heart. I knew that without this opportunity I wouldn’t attend Northwestern.

  As I sat there in the big bed, reviewing and completing the documents, Karen called to tell me I passed the interview and the examinations. How she was able to get all the test results, including lab work, in just a few hours was beyond me. This too must have been the norm for Infidelity's clientele.

  She ended the conversation as usual: short and to the point. James would be at the hotel at eighty thirty in the morning to pick me up. The compensation for our meeting would be transferred to my account at that time. My decision would dictate if the interview progressed or not.

  My mind overran with possibilities and what-ifs. I needed some fresh air to clear my head. Throwing on the more casual clothes I’d worn from home, I decided to walk in Central Park and think.