Summary Chapters 1- 8

Spencer works as the personal assistant of the hard-edged Ashley Davies, co-founder and chief creative officer of Venom Entertainment, as well as its top artist.  Ashley’s sister, Kyla, co-founded the company with her and is its CEO. Spencer has worked there for two years after a nasty divorce from her abusive ex-wife Carmen.  They have one daughter, Sammy, who suffers from lupus.  Carmen and Spencer still maintain a complicated relationship because of their daughter, though Spencer sometimes has to consent to a higher degree of intimacy than she would like in order to get money from Carmen to pay for Sammy’s medical bills.  Spencer has recently decided to quit Venom Entertainment and go back to college.  Ashley, who has treated her poorly over the years, agreed under the condition that Spencer finds a suitable replacement.  In the last chapter, Spencer spent part of her weekend at Ashley’s home sorting through resumes in search of that replacement.  Ashley also questioned her about bruises she’s seen on Spencer lately, courtesy of Carmen, but Spencer told her, in so many words, to mind her own business.  And the story continues…

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Just in time, Spencer looked up to see the red brake lights of the car in front of her.  She screeched to a halt.

“Mommy!” Sammy whined in the backseat as her juice box tumbled from her fingers.

Spencer reached back to pick it up from the floor and handed it to the little girl.  “I’m sorry, sweetheart.  Mommy should slow down, huh? ”  Her phone chimed as she stared impatiently at the red light.   She waited for it to finish ringing, then checked the missed call, even though she was already sure of who it was. Carmen had called her so many times this morning she’d lost count.  But answering would mean having to explain why she didn’t pick up the phone last night.  Spencer thought she’d delay that argument as long  as possible. 

She sighed as the cars ahead slowly pulled forward.  She was supposed to be at home right now, getting ready to meet Carmen at Chuck E. Cheese. But she and Sammy overslept at Ashley’s house.  Her boss had asked them to stay for breakfast, but even if she hadn’t already been running late Spencer would have still refused.  After the conversation they had last night, she thought it would be too awkward to sit face-to-face with Ashley over a plate of pancakes.