Chapter 3

A few days later, I used some of the SwiftLend money to throw a small get-together in my dorm. Pizza, cheap soda.

Brittany and her cronies showed up, mostly to sneer, I figured.

They sat in a corner, whispering and laughing, occasionally glancing my way.

I heard snippets. "So naive." "She actually thinks Brittany's her friend." "That loan is gonna crush her."

Let them think I was a fool. It was part of the plan.

I waited for a moment when Brittany was slightly apart from her group, refilling her cup.

I approached her, feigning a new kind of anxiety.

"Brittany, can I ask you something?" I kept my voice low, conspiratorial.

"Sure, Kayla. What's up?" She looked bored, but a little curious.

"That SwiftLend thing... it was so easy," I began, "and you got that little bonus from me."

I paused, then leaned in. "Do they, like, offer actual commissions? For referrals, I mean? If I tell other people about it?"

A new kind of light sparked in Brittany' s eyes. Greed.

This was the moment.

She thought she was so smart, so manipulative. She couldn't resist the chance to exploit more people, especially if she could get a cut.

"Commissions?" She pretended to think for a second. "Hmm, I don't know if they do officially, but..."

She gave me a sly look. "Tell you what. If you bring in anyone who takes out a loan, say, over $3,000... I can make sure you get a little something. And I' ll take a finder' s fee too, for connecting you to the idea, you know?"

She was already spinning it to her advantage.

"How much?" I asked, trying to sound eager.

"Let's say... I give you $150 for every person you sign up for over three grand. How does that sound?" she offered, as if doing me a huge favor.

She'd pocket the rest of whatever she could skim.

"Wow, really? That would be amazing," I said, widening my eyes. "I know so many people back in Havenwood who are struggling. This could really help them."

And help me ensnare you, Brittany.

"Exactly!" she said, patting my arm. "You're helping them, you're helping yourself. It's win-win."

Win-win for her, she thought.

She had no idea how big this was going to get.

No idea that I wasn't just thinking about a few referrals.

I was thinking about an entire town.

My town. Havenwood.

And they wouldn't be victims. Not this time.

They'd be the army that brought SwiftLend down.

Brittany walked back to her friends, a smug look on her face.

I watched her go, a cold smile playing on my own lips, hidden from view.

The trap was baited. Now it was time to spring it.