AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Mom’s eyes bulge out of her skull. “Ciara, as if your sister would ever consider that as an option to get out of the mess that imbécil put her in. Wash your mouth out with soap,” she reprimands. “No daughter of mine would go down that road.”
Hold my martini.
“Honestly, sometimes what comes out of your mouth is disturbing.” It’s Dad’s turn to come down on Ciara.
“Why are you two attacking me?” My sister sits up straight in her chair. “You,” she points at Dad, “made it sound like she was a prostitute instead of being a translator—”
“I’m both.” Adrenaline propel the words out of my mouth.
Mom and Dad’s eyebrow hit their foreheads at the same time.
Ciara does a double take.
“You’re both, what?” Dad asks in a measured tone.
“I’m… um…” I take in a shaky breath. “I wasn’t honest with you guys. It’s way, way worse than I let you believe it was. I owe a staggering amount of money—”
“I offered to help. Many times,” Ciara says. “We all did. You said you had it under control—”
“You shouldn’t pay for my mistake,” I say.
“I’m sorry, but can we go back to that statement?” Dad’s cold stare drills into my eyes. “You’re both, what?”
I lower my gaze.
“I’m a translator… and… err…” I swallow hard and meet my family’s eyes. My gaze bounces to each of them. “After Brad, my reputation in the real estate industry was shot because my name was associated with his in so many articles online—”
“They state you didn’t defraud anyone,” Mom says.
“Many do, but not all. And most of those statements were buried way down in the article, well below the sensationalist exposé. Not to mention, as a real estate agent, I’m not guaranteed consistent cash flow. Creditors don’t give a damn about that.” My eyes bounce from one family member to the other. “I had to think on my feet.”
My father crosses his arms over his chest. “What does that mean? You mind spelling it out for us?”
Kill me. Just kill me now, God.
“I became an escort,” I mumble in a little voice.
“Clearly, my hearing is deteriorating, because I swear, I heard my oldest daughter say she became an escort.” Lines of distress mar Mom’s face.
“Julia, we must be suffering from the same affliction, because I heard the same thing.” My father’s stone face gives me chills.
“Bryce was your John?” Ciara asks. “That’s how you met him? He was paying you for sex?”
I’m too petrified to answer.
I dug my nails into my thigh so hard, I’m certain, I’ve not only drawn blood, I’ll have scars.
She soldiers on. “What about that other client you said you’re working with? Did you sleep with him as well and now you’re doing his translations?”
“I never slept with that client. I accompanied him to South America.”
“What about Bryce?” Dad’s voice drops. “Did he have sex with you?” His dark brown eyes are wild.
It’s like the man is about to have a coronary attack.
“Dad—”
He bangs a hand on the table.
