Chapter 4

I stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror of my apartment, barely recognizing the woman looking back at me. Dark circles shadowed my eyes, and my skin had taken on a sickly pallor after days of barely eating or sleeping. But today would be different. Today I would start rebuilding.

The interview at Lancaster & Reed, one of Manhattan's top financial firms, was my ticket out of this nightmare. Jessica Vance, their hiring manager, had a reputation for valuing merit over connections. If anyone would look past the campus scandal and see my actual qualifications, it would be her.