She smiled, the first crack in her otherwise impervious demeanor. “I hire women to break up affairs. It’s quite a common business in China.” She tilted her head. “Less so here in the States, as divorce is more acceptable, but we’ve discovered a niche market in the Capitol region.” She paused. “As I’m sure you can imagine, many politicians engage in extramarital affairs.”
I nodded. I saw evidence of that on late-night talk shows and social media gossip sites all the time.
“And many wives or campaign managers or publicists would prefer to see those affairs go away quietly. That’s what you would be doing.”
I took a minute to digest what she was saying. “How does it work, exactly?” That seemed like a messy job, getting in the middle of a love triangle.
“There are a variety of methods. The most straight-forward is simply to befriend the mistress and convince her to end the affair. That’s why I need someone who’s sociable. Comfortable in a variety of settings, and not afraid to meet new people.” She looked at her computer. “I have a reference here from a Charlie? Who tells me, and I quote, ‘Victoria Dare is outstanding at customer service. She can read anyone like a book and knows what our customers want almost before they place their orders. She has excellent time management skills and the friendliest personality of anyone I’ve ever worked with.”
Aw, Charlie.I’d texted my friend and boss late last night to ask for a recommendation. I’d have to buy him a drink later.
“Being able to read people, to intuit what they want and need, is a must in this business.” Grace’s gaze skimmed over me. “The pictures on your social media sites were accurate.”
Oh, good Lord. She’d checked them? I tried to remember the last thing I’d posted. Hopefully not a drunken tirade on the state of my single life.
“You’re attractive, but not overly so.”
I couldn’t tell if that was supposed to be a compliment. “Ah, thank you?”
“You have a nondescript look about you. That’s good,” she added. “It means you can blend into a crowd. And other women won’t feel threatened by you. You make friends easily, I would guess.”
“I think so?”Don’t say it like a question, Vic.“Yes,” I amended, attempting a firm tone. “I don’t have any problems making friends. Or talking to strangers.”
“Good. But this job also requires the highest level of confidentiality. I cannot stress this enough. You will basically be working undercover.” She glanced at the men beside her. “You may be crossing paths with powerful people in Washington. As I said, it’s usually the wives or the campaign managers of prominent politicians who hire us.”
I started to get it. “And those politicians are having affairs. And if it gets out, the news would ruin their reputation.”
“Or their marriage, or their chances of re-election. Or at passing legislation. Or a whole host of other things.” Grace drummed her fingers on the desk. “There are some men, of course, for whom affairs don’t matter. They earn a kind of bizarre fame when they sleep around or father children out of wedlock.” She clicked her tongue, as if she couldn’t possibly understand. “There are others whom the wife will simply leave. But filing for divorce isn’t always a first choice. There is power in being married to a politician, to someone who commands the spotlight. Those women choose to stay. And that’s why we are hired.”
Butterflies danced in my stomach. Mistress dispelling? I’d never heard of such a thing. Plus I felt entirely underqualified. I shifted in the chair and felt my dress stick to my back as I started to sweat.
“We provide basic training,” Grace went on, as if reading my mind. “We follow a guidebook used by the most exclusive women in China. My family started this business,” she added. “We’ve been perfecting it for the last fifteen years.”
“What if I can’t do it? Break up the affair, I mean?” The failure of law school loomed large. What if mistress dispelling was something else I couldn’t do?
“We have many strategies to employ. One of them will work. I’ve never had any of my employees fail.” Her gaze bored into me. “I have a good feeling about you, Victoria. Besides Charlie’s reference, I got an outstanding one from a Remy Watson.”
Remy. My other best friend. She hadn’t even asked why I needed a reference last night, just said she’d sing my praises anytime I needed. Apparently the singing had worked.
“If you’re willing,” Grace said, “I’d like to do a background check, a drug test, and then put you through some training.”
“Oh.”That was fast.“Sure? I guess so? I mean, yes. I would like to give it a try. Maybe on a trial basis?”
She smiled, as if knowing something I didn’t. “Of course. That’s how I always start my employees.”
“I wanted to ask –”
“Certainly.”
“About the salary?” Surely people didn’t pay five figures to make an affair go away.
Grace nodded. “All my dispellers are paid twenty thousand dollars per job.Afterthe job is finished, of course, and there is proof of the affair being over. I take care of all the correspondence and details. You get rid of the mistress.”
“I get twenty grand just for doing that?” My jaw hung open.
“You do. Of course, it might take you a while, especially at first. Sometimes an affair takes a few weeks to end. Maybe even a couple of months. But you’ll get better at it.” She smiled. “One of my best girls has an average of nine days.”
I managed to close my mouth before it caught flies. “I am most definitely interested.”
