Chapter 684: The Scales of Wrath

Every metropolis, which seems to be a paradise in the eyes of ordinary people, has its dark corners akin to hell.

Manhattan is no exception.

The Glareff family, who have recently plummeted from the city's heights to its depths, have deeply experienced this contrast. Last month, Laura Glareff lost her restaurant job for attacking a customer. Following a subtle hint from Simon, the already impatient Grace evicted the mother and her two daughters from the apartment she had rented for them.

Now completely destitute, the trio experienced homelessness for the first time.

Truly homeless.

Aside from a few clothes thrown out by Grace, the three had less than $20 in cash—barely enough for one meal.

Laura Glareff tried calling some old acquaintances, hoping for help, but found the entire city of Manhattan avoiding them like the plague. In desperation, Laura called her three brothers in Georgia, seeing them as her last resort.

Though the calls connected, her eldest brother hung up angrily as soon as she spoke. He still resented her stinginess that had cost his child a chance to attend Brown University.

Her second and third brothers, while not hanging up immediately, refused her request to move back to Georgia with her daughters. They had heard about the Glareff family's troubles in New York and, being simple southern farmers, did not want to get involved.

Without her brothers' help, Laura couldn't even afford the trip back to Georgia with her daughters.

Night quickly fell on their first day.

They wandered Manhattan's brightly lit streets until late, finding no place to stay. Exhausted, they eventually settled in a park, huddling in a corner of the lawn, surrounded by the wary eyes of other homeless people who seemed to appear out of nowhere.

The next morning, Laura argued with her younger daughter over breakfast, the girl blaming her for angering Grace and causing their homelessness. Her elder daughter shared the sentiment.

Laura, not one for patience, slapped her younger daughter, blaming her children for her hardships and threatening them to leave if they wished, since there was no home to return to anyway.

Despite the arguments, they stayed together, knowing they had no choice.

Laura tried finding another job, but after three days of rejection from restaurants, stores, and small businesses, she realized no one would hire her. Some places seemed interested due to her looks but quickly turned her away after apparent warnings.

On the fourth night, a man driving by noticed the three women huddled in a corner of James Park in Greenwich Village. After learning they were a mother and daughters, he offered $1,000 for their company.

The once proud Laura Glareff, who had previously spent that much on a single cosmetic product, now found the offer tempting after days without a proper meal. The man, seeing her hesitation, raised the offer to $1,500.

Suddenly, the elder daughter, Cathy Glareff, lashed out, telling the man to leave. He patiently explained that the price was high, noting that even Manhattan's top escorts earned similar amounts, while ordinary street girls got only $50. He suggested Cathy didn't need to do anything, just accompany them.

As Cathy pulled her sister closer, the man compromised, saying the sisters could just watch.

Feeling a semblance of dignity, Laura asked if she could go alone, but the man's price dropped to $100 in response.

After much persuasion, the three got into the man's car.

Then, the police arrived.

In New York, certain actions are illegal.

The three women were jailed for the first time.

For five days.

Many people, unable to cope with life, commit crimes to get by in jail, but once inside, they never wish to return.

The Glareffs' crime was minor, but even hardened prison guards were disgusted by Laura involving her daughters in such acts, treating her harshly.

When asked if they had anyone to bail them out, Laura could only give Grace's number.

Just as the trio thought Grace had forgotten them, the agent appeared five days later, moving them into a basement apartment in East Village.

This was a communal dormitory provided by Elite for its early-career models.

The small room had four beds, with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities. Despite the cramped conditions, each bed cost $1,000 a month—enough to rent a studio apartment elsewhere. This was also a revenue stream for the modeling agency; those signed with Elite had to accept such arrangements to receive training and pursue their dreams of becoming supermodels.

After being relocated, the three received a $2,000 monthly stipend, split equally between Laura's daughters, as Grace stated she would continue grooming them.

Laura was assigned as her daughters' assistant, accompanying them to modeling courses and occasional jobs as fit models, though she never got any high-profile opportunities herself.

This mirrored the typical life of most fledgling models. With so many pretty faces in the world, standing out was far from easy.

Once settled, Grace seemed to forget about them again, leaving her assistant to handle any necessary communications.

After experiencing homelessness and jail, the Glareff family accepted their new reality. The lavish lifestyle of Manhattan's elite was now a distant memory, and they had become mere ants in the city.

A new day began.

Laura, not quite sure of the date but guessing it was late July, possibly a Friday, was woken by an argument. Her younger daughter, Victoria, stormed into their room in tears, followed by the sound of Cathy and another girl arguing outside.

Grumbling, Laura tried to ignore the noise, covering her head with a thin blanket.

She didn't want to deal with it, knowing she couldn't win any argument here.

Soon, Cathy also returned in tears, throwing a washbasin on the floor, scattering towels and toothbrushes. Seeing her mother ignore the mess, Cathy kicked the basin, breaking it.

Laura sat up, glaring at Cathy. "Do you think these things don't cost money?"

Cathy, eyes still brimming with tears, kicked the broken basin again. "The money is from me and Vicky. You're spending our money."

Laura, embarrassed and angry, retorted, "I'm your mother."

Cathy shot back, "I don't have a mother like you. If you hadn't angered Grace, we wouldn't be here. Grace was so kind to us, and it's all your fault."

As they argued, a tall, blonde girl named Angela Lindvall walked in, carrying her toiletries. Ignoring the mess, Angela put her things away and began applying makeup.

Angela, 15, from Kansas City, Missouri, had been sending her portfolio to modeling agencies in New York since last year. Initially signed with Spectrum Model Agency, she was noticed by Grace while poaching Daniela Pestova from the same agency, and Grace saw potential in Angela as well.

Temporarily housed in the dormitory, Angela had been warned by Grace to avoid the Glareffs and report any suspicious behavior. Grateful for Grace's support, Angela was diligent in following her advice.

Today, she was going to Isaac Mizrahi's studio as a fit model, possibly appearing in a documentary co-produced with Daenerys Entertainment's Highgate Films—an opportunity too valuable to miss. Ignoring the ongoing argument, Angela finished her preparations, put on a revealing outfit, and left without a word to the Glareffs.

Seeing Angela's vibrant departure, Cathy stopped arguing and began getting ready for her own work, skipping breakfast, as many models do.

Just as she finished applying foundation, Grace Splurt, looking more composed and assertive, entered the room. Dismissing Angela, Grace surveyed the mess with displeasure but merely told the Glareffs to get dressed and follow her.

On the way out, Cathy cautiously asked, "Ms. Grace, where are we going?"

Grace glanced at the cramped trio in the back seat but didn't respond, starting the car instead.

After half an hour navigating Manhattan's morning traffic, Grace brought the trio to a women's club on Lexington Avenue in the Upper East Side.

The entire morning felt like a return to their former lives for the Glareffs, with ten professional technicians attending to them for haircuts, eyebrow shaping, hair removal, skincare, manicures, massages, and more.

By noon, the once-disheveled Glareffs were transformed back into the polished women of the Upper East Side, even given racks of luxury brands to choose from—a level of pampering Laura hadn't experienced before.

Despite having blood samples taken and undergoing intimate checks during the morning treatments, the Glareffs didn't think much of it. They had nothing left to lose, and as long as they weren't back on the streets, they were willing to endure almost anything.

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