Chapter 17

Latisha's eyes widened in surprise. She had no idea how influencers made money; it was a world she'd never looked into.

Nikita broke it down for her. "You can start your own video channel, post content, do brand deals, run ads... all of that earns you cash.”

Latisha stared blankly for a moment before gesturing, *Can I make a lot?*

"Of course. The more followers you have, the more you make." Nikita gently patted her stomach. “Isn't this what you wanted? To earn money for the baby?"

Latisha nodded. Yes, that was it. She had to make money—a lot of it. Enough to support her baby, and enough to finally divorce Clifford. Once she paid back every cent the Lambert family had spent on her, he would have no reason left to refuse. Never one to waste time, Nikita immediately set up a social media account for her and started teaching her the ropes.

"Oh, right! Some advertising agency contacted me last night," Nikita added. "They want to know if you'd be interested in shooting a commercial. They said your look is a perfect fit for their product."

Latisha blinked, pointing to herself. *But I'm not a celebrity.*

"Who says only celebrities can get endorsement deals?" Nikita shot her a look. "It's not really an endorsement, anyway. They just want you to shoot a promotional video for a video game, to cosplay one of the characters."

Worried it might be a scam, Nikita had stayed up all night researching the company and its previous campaigns. Only after confirming they were legitimate did she call Latisha.

After watching one of the company's past videos, Latisha finally gestured, *How much does it pay?*

"We haven't discussed specifics. You'll have to meet with them in person first," Nikita said, slinging an arm around her shoulder with a grin. "How about I act as your manager? If you're in, I can call them right now to set up a meeting."

Latisha hesitated, her hand drifting instinctively to her belly.

After a moment, she gave a firm nod.

Nikita immediately got on the phone with the company representative. A few minutes later, they called back, and the two chatted for a while before settling on a meeting at three o'clock that afternoon.

Nikita insisted on helping her get ready. Latisha was naturally beautiful, especially with her large

innocent eyes. When she i

at

someone, she had a way of making them feel a pang of guilt, as if they had committed some unforgivable sin. S

Rummaging through Latisha's walk-in closet, Nikita let out a gasp. "You have so many gorgeous clothes! Why do you dress like a frumpy housewife every day?"

Latisha stared at the outfits. Clifford had bought them all, but he'd only ever let her wear them inside the house.

“God, that man is a possessive freak,” Nikita muttered, pulling out a pair of white lace, thigh-high stockings with a garter belt, along with a matching miniskirt.

Latisha's face flushed at the sight of them.

Nikita's eyes instinctively flickered to Latisha's legs-long, slender, and perfect for stockings like those. Even as a woman, Nikita found the image tantalizing. It was a damn shame she'd

never seen her wear anything. like it. What a waste on a possessive bastard like Clifford.

Digging through the closet like she was on a treasure hunt, Nikita unearthed a few other unmentionable items, her expression shifting as she looked back at Latisha.

Latisha felt so embarrassed she wished the floor would swallow her whole, the tips of her ears burning a shade of crimson.

Seeing her reaction, Nikita decided to stop teasing and picked out a simple white dress instead. “Here, put this on."

After Latisha had changed, Nikita

styled her hair, using a curling iron to

give her long locks soft waves

before sweeping them up into a chic

top knot when she looked at

Latisha's reflection in the minor, she

had to swallow hard.

The afternoon light spilling through the window bathed Latisha in a soft glow, making

her fair skin look radiant, as if she were lit from within.

"I guess some people really are too beautiful to be real," Nikita murmured to herself.