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The rest of the video cut back and forth between their almost identical stories. Clip after clip described how Isabelle and Erin had been operating for years.

‘They moved me into the pool house.’

‘I lived in the pool house.’

‘They said my friends wouldn’t get it.’

‘I wasn’t sure, but they said it could only work if I lived with them.’

‘It was really important that I not tell anyone.’

‘And then they kicked me out.’

‘They trashed me to everyone.’

‘I was homeless after that.’

‘They said if I said anything, I’d be sued for breaking the non-disclosure agreement.’

‘They threatened to sue if I broke the non-disclosure agreement.’

‘I signed the agreement when I was a maid, but then it seemed like it applied to our relationship, too.’

‘Isabelle was mean, and Erin seemed nicer. At first.’

‘But toward the end, Erin seemed like the scarier one. She smashed my phone in front of me because I didn’t answer a text quickly enough.’

‘I wasn’t allowed to leave the house toward the end. They made it clear that if I did, I wouldn’t get back in. And by then, I had nowhere else to go.’

And on it went.

Alex wasn’t watching the video. She was watching Isabelle, who was frozen in sheer horror while her mistreatment was described by every smartphone-owning former maid who had agreed to shoot their story. None of them had known about the ones who came before or after, but that was all it took for the house of cards to come down. Simply knowing it wasn’t just them. They were willing to break their silence—and the terrifying contract—to protect each other, not to mention future maids.

‘Did youdothis?’ Isabelle muttered furiously to Alex.

‘Yeah,’ Alex said, proud. ‘You like it? I mean, I didn’t have long to slap it together, but I think it came out well.’

Isabelle looked at Alex with the devil in her eyes. ‘I’llendyou.’

‘If you must,’ Alex said. ‘But you might be a bit busy. Look around you.’

Isabelle turned and saw that, slowly but surely, everyone in the audience had raised their camera phones. Some were pointed at the screen. Plenty were pointed at Isabelle for a reaction. Or Erin.

‘I think you’re about to have a PR problem,’ Alex explained. ‘And I’m sorry, but I’m tendering my resignation with immediate effect.’

‘I’m taking you with me,’ Isabelle vowed.

‘That slap? Tell the world. I think they’ll understand it now.’

Isabelle stood up and looked down at Alex with pure rage. But the cameras were still on her, so there was nothing more she could do except leave—which she did.

‘Bye, Isabelle!’ Alex called after her.

Next up on her feet was Erin. She stormed up the aisle. ‘You!’

Alex stood to meet her, clapping her hands together in delight. ‘Hey, did you see? Isabelle wasreallyupset. That’s what you wanted tonight, wasn’t it?’

Erin’s eyes flashed with rage. She didn’t care that she was being filmed. ‘I’ll kill you!’ she screamed. She pulled her arm back, and Alex was about to duck when she realised someone had tackled her to the floor.