Page 33 of Reverse Perspective

“Yeah,” Stacy says carefully.

“Fuck,” Mason says with a sigh. “Sadie, come here, sweetie.”

“That was a camera… Wasn’t it?” I ask quietly. I am on the verge of a complete meltdown. Mason pulls me closer and he holds the phone out for me to take. I hesitate but take Todd’s phone. Dean, Lance, and Mason nearly surround me as I hit play.

My mouth falls open and I shove the phone back into Mason’s hand when I see myself getting railed by them on camera. I pull away from everyone so I can think.

“My parents are going to see that. Everyone I know… All of our employees. What if this hurts the company? This could ruin everything we’ve worked for. Just gone. All because of a hidden camera. Who the fuck would do this? Angela. She threatened me. This is what she meant. How did she know to place the camera? She didn’t look surprised when I was at the auction.” I am rambling and pacing. Dean suddenly stops me by holding onto my shoulders.

“Did you hear me?” he asks and I shake my head.

“We need to get you home. Okay?” he says.

“Why?”

“Because we own one of the largest tech companies in the country and we all just had a sex tape leaked. They know we are at this hotel,” he says bluntly. “There is press outside and they’ve been trying to get up here to talk to you.”

“Why me?”

“Because you are the only woman who owns a tech company of this size in the United States,” Jake says. “They are fucking sexist.”

“Oh God. They’re saying awful things, aren’t they?” I ask and he nods. “What are they saying”

“Most of it is crude comments that are slut shaming you. Some are mean comments about your body. Then there are the religious people who are saying you’re going to Hell,” Stacy says honestly. “A uh… A few of those religious ones are death threats.”

“There are a handful of people going after the guys,” Todd says.

“Why?” I ask.

“Well… The video is named ‘Executives take advantage of a virgin church girl.’ People I guess don’t realize you are an owner so they think it’s not consensual,” Del says.

“I’m going to fucking kill her,” I snap.

“Who?” Billy asks.

“Fucking Angela. That stupid cunt did this,” I say, almost yelling. “She sat down there yesterday and told me to watch my back because I never knew who’d be watching. She did this.”

“Oh fuck,” Stacy says. “She could have easily paid a housekeeper or something to let her in here.”

I turn and grab my bag and set it beside our one piece of luggage before putting everything into the bag and zipping itshut. No one says anything. It won’t take too much to melt down entirely, so I focus on just getting our stuff together so I can go down and talk to the hotel manager.

“I’ve got it,” Mason says, taking the bag from me when I pick it up. Dean gets my dress that’s hanging up in the bag that Stacy brought.

“What are you doing?” Todd asks.

“I’m going to go talk to the hotel manager,” I say. “Then I’m calling the police. That’s a felony.”

“I’ve already called. I got permission to take the camera down because you all were still in here with it. When you guys leave, they’ll come in and get it,” Todd says. “Don’t yell at the manager, please. Give them a chance to resolve it before you get too angry at them. Okay?”

“How in the fuck can they resolve it? Their lack of security measures allowed someone to put a goddamn camera in our room.” I say.

“Just… don’t scream at them. Please,” Todd says. “Legally, I can do anything you want me to. You have every right to sue and all four of you better, but you lose leverage if you lose your mind first.”

“Okay,” I say curtly.

“Sadie,” he says as he steps in front of me and puts his hands on my shoulders. “I need you to understand just how many people are in that lobby waiting for the four of you to come down.”

“Why would someone do this to me?” I whimper as a tear slides down my cheek. “I’ve never done anything to anyone. I mind my own business and stay out of people's way. All of this is because some vindictive bitch wanted something that was never hers, to begin with.”

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