Chapter 3

"Let her go," Olivia commanded. Brenda released Chloe's arm, shoving her onto her bed. Chloe cradled her throbbing wrist, a dark bruise already forming on her skin.

Olivia wasn't done. The shattered makeup wasn't enough. The twenty-dollar shakedown was just an appetizer. She wanted the main course.

"Give me your phone," Olivia said, her hand outstretched.

"No," Chloe whispered, clutching her phone tighter. It was her only link to the outside world, to her best friend Jessica, to anyone who could help.

"Don't make this harder than it needs to be," Olivia warned. Brenda took a threatening step forward, and Chloe flinched. The memory of the pain in her wrist was still fresh.

"This is robbery," Chloe said, trying to sound brave. "You can't just take my money. It's illegal."

Brenda slapped her. The sound echoed in the small room. Chloe's head snapped to the side, and her cheek burned with a hot, stinging pain.

"I don't want to hear another word about the law," Brenda growled, her face inches from Chloe's.

"Just give her the phone," Sarah said from the corner. Her voice was small, but the betrayal was huge. "Her PIN is her birthday. August fifteenth. 0815."

Chloe stared at Sarah, her heart sinking. She had trusted Sarah, confided in her. She had thought Sarah was just timid, a follower. But this was an active, willing betrayal.

A cruel smile spread across Olivia's face. "See? This is so much easier when we all cooperate."

Chloe, defeated, handed over her phone. Her hands were shaking too much to resist anyway. Olivia's fingers flew across the screen, typing in the PIN. She navigated to Chloe's banking app. Chloe watched helplessly as Olivia initiated a transfer.

"Let's see... you have about two thousand dollars in here," Olivia mused. "I'll just take fifteen hundred. A little payment for all the stress you've caused us."

The app pinged, confirming the transfer. Olivia had just stolen a month's worth of Chloe's living expenses in thirty seconds.

She tossed the phone back onto the bed. "There. All done."

They let her sit there for a moment, the physical and emotional pain washing over her. Her cheek stung. Her wrist ached. Her bank account was nearly empty. But the worst part was the chilling realization of what they were capable of.

But Olivia wasn't satisfied. Greed glittered in her eyes.

"This is a good start," she said, pocketing her own phone. "But it's not enough. This is just a one-time thing. We know your family is rich, Chloe. Don't lie."

"My father and I... we don't talk," Chloe stammered, the truth feeling like a weak excuse.

"We don't care," Olivia snapped. "You'll find a way. We think you should provide us with a monthly allowance. For our troubles. For putting up with you."

Chloe stared at her in disbelief. "An allowance?"

"Yes," Olivia said, as if it were the most reasonable request in the world. "Let's say... five thousand dollars a month. That sounds fair. You'll call your parents, you'll cry, you'll make up some story about needing it for a project or whatever. And you'll give it to us."

"I can't," Chloe pleaded. "He'll never agree to that."

Brenda stepped forward again, her shadow falling over Chloe. She cracked her knuckles, the sound loud and ominous in the silent room.

"You'll make him agree," Brenda said, her voice a low threat. "You're going to call him. Right now. Or I'll break more than just your wrist this time."