Chapter 1

The first time I went to my boyfriend Alex Walker's house for Christmas, the food had hit the table when his brother, Ryan Walker, stared at me with a smirk.

"Hey, Emily. Your voice sounds crazy familiar.

"Weren't you one of those WhisperChat girls? My buddy was obsessed with you. He said your voice was the hottest thing he'd ever heard."

I froze, stunned, about to refute him.

"Oh, babe, let's not drag up ancient history."

My best friend, Sophie Lane, who also happened to be Ryan's girlfriend, jumped in, cutting me off.

She covered her mouth with a light laugh, playfully swatting at Ryan.

"Everyone's got to make a living, right? Nothing to be ashamed of. It's not like she was selling anything but her voice. Emily's still a good girl underneath it all. Alex, honestly, don't overthink it."

The Walker family's expressions darkened instantly. All eyes were pinned on me.

I raised an eyebrow and gave Ryan a calm smile. "Think my voice is familiar? That makes sense, since I'm the one who handled your online consultation for that men's health specialist.

"Though, given your situation, I'd recommend booking an in-person visit. Maybe get the full STI panel done."

*****

My best friend and I were dating twin brothers, so when the holidays rolled around, we all headed to the Walker family estate together.

Sophie was a total charmer, sweet-talking the Walker family and making them all smile from ear to ear.

I'd never been the type for small talk, so I slipped into the kitchen to help with the dishes.

By the time I came out carrying a platter of roast ham, Sophie had already turned the spotlight on me.

"Mrs. Walker, you should see how hard Emily works!" Sophie beamed, her voice dripping with admiration. "She was working all through college, managed to save up a small fortune."

Mary's gaze settled on me, curious. "Is that so? What kind of work did you do?"

"Nothing glamorous," I said lightly. "Tutoring, odd jobs, some barista shifts, whatever paid the bills."

Sophie's smile sharpened at the edges. "Come on, don't forget the one that actually made you money."

I blinked, genuinely confused. Was she talking about my investments?

But bringing up stocks in a room full of relatives felt like lighting a fuse. Someone would inevitably want in, and when they lost money, guess who'd get the blame.

I was about to brush past it when Sophie suddenly slapped her forehead, all theatrical regret. "Sorry, Emily, that's not really dinner table talk."

The tone was off, but I shrugged it off.

It wasn't until we were all seated, forks clinking against fine china, that Ryan pinned me with that look again, the kind that made my skin crawl.

"You know, Emily," he drawled, "your voice is so familiar."

His words threw me for a loop, so I replied politely, "I talk to Sophie all the time. Maybe you've overheard us on speaker."

He shook his head slowly, then snapped his fingers like a game show host revealing the grand prize.

"Hold up. Weren't you one of those WhisperChat girls? My buddy was obsessed with you. He said your voice was the hottest thing he'd ever heard."

I sat there, frozen, my mind spinning out.

Alex's face went gray. The Walkers started exchanging looks, whispers rippling through the room like wind through dry leaves.

I opened my mouth to defend myself, but Sophie beat me to it.

I honestly thought she was about to have my back. Instead, she gave Ryan a playful smack on the arm, half scolding, half flirting. "Oh, babe, let's not drag up ancient history.

"Mr. and Mrs. Walker, Alex, please don't misunderstand. Emily was trying to get by. There's nothing shameful about surviving.

"It was only voice work. It's not like she was selling anything real. Emily's still a good girl deep down."

I stared at her, genuinely stunned. She was defending me, but somehow, every word out of her mouth was another nail in my coffin.

The Walker family's whispers grew into a full-on buzz.

"Jeez, she seemed so normal. Guess you never really know."

"Isn't that WhisperChat stuff basically phone sex?"

"Why would Alex bring someone like that home?"

Alex's face turned stormy. He grabbed my wrist so hard it hurt. "Did you do it? Were you on WhisperChat?"

"No!" I shook my head, my answer sharp. "I've never even heard of it."

Alex hesitated. For a second, my certainty threw him.

But Sophie pounced before he could recover. Her eyes went wide, hand flying to her mouth as if she'd walked in on something she shouldn't have seen.

"Wait, Alex, you didn't know?"

Her eyes went wide as she glanced between Alex and me, as if she'd stumbled onto some huge secret, her tone carrying a hint of accusation.

"Oh no. I thought Emily was too nervous to bring it up in front of the family. I didn't realize she'd been hiding it from you, too."