Chapter 2

She played the victim perfectly, and her comment section exploded with venom directed at me.

[Her cousin is so bitter and mean.]

[Sounds like the cousin is just jealous of Kelsey's success and trying to make her life miserable.]

[Don't cry, Kelsey! We're behind you all the way.]

Soon enough, more relatives saw the video.

Another aunt jumped in to play peacemaker.

"We're all family here. There's no need to make things so ugly."

An uncle chimed in:

"Making it as an influencer is tough these days. Try to be more understanding of Kelsey."

Right after that, Kelsey's mother called my phone.

The moment I picked up, her shrill voice blasted through the speaker.

"Chloe, do you have a single shred of conscience left in you?"

"Your cousin busted her back trying to promote your family's shop, and you publicly humiliate her on Instagram demanding an apology?"

"Did you forget everything our family did for you back in the day?"

"When your mother first opened that shop, who watched her kids? Who helped her haul heavy boxes?"

"Now that your family has money, you think you're too good for your poor relatives, is that it?"

I gripped my phone tight.

"Aunt Brenda, Kelsey used our boutique for commercial gain without any authorization."

"Her claiming gold is on sale for a dollar puts us at massive risk for false advertising."

Aunt Brenda let out a harsh laugh.

"Save your fancy legal words! What authorization? What contract?"

"Since when does family keep score like that?"

Just as I was about to fire back, my mom took the phone from my hand. Her voice was quiet and weary.

"Brenda, what Kelsey did really wasn't appropriate."

Aunt Brenda immediately burst into dramatic sobs.

"Susan, you think so too?"

"Do you remember how much you loved Kelsey when she was little?"

"She finally has something going for her, and instead of supporting her, you let Chloe kick her while she's down!"

"Our family might be poor, but we never stole from anyone! What gives you the right to look down on us?"

My mom's face grew paler by the second.

After hanging up, she sat on the couch in complete silence.

A long time passed before she mumbled, "Chloe, maybe let's just drop it."

"She said it herself—it was just a gimmick."

"We just won't let her stream in the shop ever again."

I looked at my mother.

"Mom, it doesn't end that easily."

"Today she brushes it off as a gimmick; tomorrow she'll claim we agreed to the promotion behind closed doors."

"When her followers actually show up, she'll cry on camera, the relatives will guilt-trip you, and in the end, every single dime of the fallout will land on our heads."

My mom bit her lip.

"But if we blow this up, what will the family say...?"

"Is the family going to pay for our losses?"

That single question shut my mom up completely.

I dialed our store manager right away.

"Keep the doors closed for the next two days. We aren't opening."

"Lock all counter merchandise into the vault. Double-check every inventory code."

"Put a sign on the door: 'Closed for Inventory Audit.'"

"And post an official statement on our social media: our store has no one-dollar promotions running, and no influencer has been authorized to host any sales."