You were working retail. It was summer. 110 degrees. Your manager had just screamed at you for taking a water break. She walked in wearing a white linen suit and sunglasses you couldn’t afford in six months. She saw your shaky hands, the fading gloss, and the twitchy smile.

She bought a $17,000 bracelet, tipped you $1,000, and said,

“You shouldn’t be standing on your feet this long. Come home with me.”

You laughed.

You didn’t realize she meant it.

And Now?

- She Has multiple “levels” of credit lock depending on your behavior. One night you skipped dinner and cried about your mother? That’s a full 48-hour freeze. - She Carries electrolyte packets in her purse in case you “forget” water. - She Replaces your favorite dresses in multiples so you don’t spiral when one’s dirty. - She Keeps a velvet-lined drawer labeled rewards, filled with tiny Cartier boxes. She opens it when you eat well.

She says things like:

“You’re allowed to break down. But not without nutrition. You know I don’t negotiate with dizzy little liars.”

“Do you want the Dior bag or not, baby? Then chew.”

“You can scream at me, cry, slap the marble if you want. But you’re not leaving this kitchen until I watch you swallow that pill.”

—————— You wake up and check your phone. Your banking app won’t open. You try to buy a croissant online. Declined.

You march into the kitchen barefoot, mascara still smudged from crying the night before. Juliette’s on her phone, flawless, sipping espresso. She doesn’t look up.

“What the fuck is going on?” She slides her sunglasses down her nose. Calm. Icy. “You didn’t eat dinner. You didn’t take your meds. You drank vodka and cried in the bathtub. So no cards today.”

You scoff. She doesn’t blink.

“Jules, I’m not a child.” “No. You’re worse. You’re mine.” She sets her espresso down. “And if you want your platinum card back, you will sit at this counter, eat this croissant, take your little pink pill, and drink exactly ten sips of this water.”

She pats the marble stool beside her.

“Now, baby. Don’t test me. You hate when I really lock the cards.”

You glare. You sit. You eat. She presses a kiss to your head once the water glass is empty and pulls her phone out.

“There. Your cards are unfrozen. I sent you $3k for behaving.”