Chapter 10 - Amber's Evolving Relationship with Diana and Paul
She was met by a young paralegal who guided her back to a conference room.
They sat down and the paralegal introduced herself as they shook hands.
"I'm Stephanie Matthews. Mr. Grogan had another appointment, but was sure you would want to get your settlement as soon as possible," the young paralegal explained.
She handed Amber a thick stapled document of legal sized paper.
Amber started reading through it but was quickly bewildered by the legalese.
"I'll go over it with you," the young woman said, and proceeded to go over it paragraph by paragraph, reading it out loud.
Amber struggled to stay awake and pay attention, as Stephanie read the legalese line by line, but after only five minutes, she fought to keep her eyes from rolling into the back of her head.
She stood up a couple of times and sat down again, trying to pay attention to all the details.
Stephanie was a very bland person and spoke in a monotone, which is why Grogan had chosen her for this task, but of course Amber had no way of knowing this.
Finally, Stephanie got to the end of the document. By this time, Amber had long since lost track of it and really had no idea what was in the contract, but when she heard $150,000--she perked up and came alert.
"Did you say $150,000?" she squeaked.
"Yes, that's the total settlement," Stephanie replied. "You realize that Duncan, Born & Grogan gets 40% for our fee, and then there will be taxes also."
Amber nodded, and Stephanie had her initial that clause. It was still a lot more money than Amber had dreamed of. This would allow her some time to figure out what she would do with her life. She could move out and get her own place instead of relying on the charity of her best friend.
"Okay, where do I sign?" she asked.
"You understand that this is a binding and enforceable contract?"
"Yes yes," Amber gushed as she grabbed the pen and looked for where to sign.
Stephanie handed her a pen and pointed out places she had to initial and where she had to sign.
So Amber left the office feeling good. What she didn't realize is that her carelessness and Johnson's cunning had just decided her fate. Grogan was an uncle of Johnson's, and Amber had just signed a contract where she agreed to perform in six adult features per year for the next three years, for a total of 18 feature films in which she would perform in a sexual manner similar to other Sunshine Communication actresses, including participating in a specified number of photographic layouts, "loops" and promotional events.
Amber's settlement included payment for these, plus all past films in which she starred. The total amount seemed like a lot to Amber, but it was far less than what Amber should have been able to get considering she was already a significant rising star in the porn industry.
The fact that Amber had just contracted to star in more pornographic films escaped her notice. "Not the sharpest knife in the kitchen" you might say? Well maybe, but Amber's innate carelessness, naiveté, financial desperation, her excitement over the money, and the vast pages of legalese read out loud in monotone by the dullest woman in the office which lulled her into impatience, all contributed, and Amber is not the first person to be tricked, manipulated and coerced by the likes of Johnson McKenzie and slimy lawyers like Grogan.
Stephanie had promised that she would have a cashier's check sent by messenger the following day, and Amber was up by 6 a.m. and stayed close to the door for hours until the messenger came by around noon with a large cardboard envelope.
Amber ripped it open and held the cashier's check with trembling hands. It was a lot less than $150,000 due to the lawyer's fees and taxes, but still in the tens of thousands. Within the hour, she deposited in her account and she was no longer poor. She quickly got her cell phone paid in full and her service restored. She spent the rest of the day shopping, buying new clothes for herself and lavish Christmas gifts for Paul and Diana which she wrapped and piled on the coffee table. Having lived with them for several months, she knew exactly what they needed. She also took out a cashier's check to cover several months of rent and paid their power and utility bills over the phone.
As she walked down "The Ave" coming home from shopping, she passed the small porn shop where she had been accosted by the young man wanting her autograph on her DVD--when she first found out what Johnson had done to her. She felt seized by a sudden impulse. She was wearing sunglasses in the hopes she wouldn't be recognized, as well as a beanie to keep her ears warm. She went inside, hoping no one would recognize her.
Inside the porn shop, she quickly realized she was the only woman. Two men looked at her from behind the counter, and she had to check her shopping bags with them. She wandered quickly through the aisles before she found what she was looking for.
She saw the title on the DVD cover: "Amber Butterfly Comes Out". She glanced at her picture on the cover, on her knees about to give head, looking over her shoulder. Her vivid tattoo on display from her shoulder down to her bare ass. Then she saw another title next to it--another picture of her on the cover, her bare tits displayed, the pendant of the amber covered butterfly hanging between them. She found two others and then hurried up to the counter to make her purchase.
She was anxious to leave, but the cashier was in no hurry. He rang up the videos one by one, taking his time while Amber fidgeted nervously.
Finally he handed her a brown paper bag.
"I'm surprised the producer didn't give you complimentary copies. When are you going to make another?" he asked.
"I--I don't know yet," she stammered, somewhat nonplussed.
"I'm the manager here. If you would be willing to come down for a promotion, I'd be willing to pay you, depending on what you're willing to do. Your movies are doing good--but promotion can make a huge difference. Have your agent call us--okay?" he asked.
"I'll do that," she said, clutching the bag and heading out the door.
"Wait--don't forget your shopping bags!" he called out to her--just in time.
That night she watched the videos in Paul and Diana's room. Her hands shook as she removed the plastic wrap and the tape holding the DVD case shut. She pushed the button "open/close" button and the DVD receptacle slid slowly out. She carefully put the disc in and closed it, and turned the TV on. When the image flickered on the screen she let her breathe out--she didn't even realize she had been holding it. Then she laid down on the bed and watched.
She was shocked, though not surprised to find that the series was a pseudo-documentary. What she hadn't realized is how much of her life was caught on video--even non-sex scenes. The start of the movie showed her as a prude, unwilling to have sex. She was repressed, even frigid. The movie had been cleverly edited to exaggerate this, although she had to admit there was some truth to it. The movie portrayed Johnson as opening her up to a healthy level of sexuality.
The big change in the first movie came when she got the tattoo. Johnson had made it appear as if she had begged to get the tattoo, and that he had paid for it--the exact opposite of the truth. There was a time-lapse segment of the tattoo being created over the days.
After she received the tattoo, the movie portrayed her as becoming a total slut. The clothes she chose--this was portrayed as her idea, not Johnson's. On screen, she was portrayed as increasingly obsessed with sex, begging Johnson for his cock, unable to get enough. He acted overwhelmed, like he could barely keep up. His own infidelities were omitted.
She was shown sucking him off and begging for his cum, never getting enough. Her recorded words had been edited to this effect, and this was also shown by dialogue between Johnson and other actors.
The time she had been working out and doing the splits naked--that was in the second video. The threesome with Kyle was portrayed as her idea, with Johnson only reluctantly going along with it, and begging her not to.
In the third video she got more and more slutty, arranging for and begging for the threesome with Kathleen who was unaccredited and whose face had been mostly edited out. It also showed her blowing Johnson's friends--again, their faces could not be clearly seen. Again, she was portrayed as an out-of-control slut, and poor Johnson was the cuckold--watching helplessly as Amber went after his friends. The movies had additional footage of Johnson narrating much of this.
The fourth video showed scenes of her at the party, and the gangbang with Cinnabar. Amber was portrayed as an insistent and enthusiastic participant rather than drugged and seduced. Johnson, again, was shown as the cuckold, weeping and bewildered, and trying to come to terms with her transformation into a complete slut, but unwilling to leave Amber because of his love for her. Anything that would show otherwise was edited out, and the remainder edited together, including her own words.
She was angry at the twisted portrayal, but after she got over the anger, she became increasingly turned on watching the sex scenes. Much of it she remembered, and also had seen on the Internet, but it was a fresh perspective watching the whole story strong together. Eventually, she couldn't help herself and masturbated as she watched them, first using her hands, and then her dildo, cumming over and over.
After she had masturbated, and as she watched the rest of the movie, she became more thoughtful. Although the movie had twisted the truth, she had to admit there was a fundamental truth portrayed--she had indeed changed a lot. She HAD become a slut. She realized that now. She loved sex and needed lots of it. Furthermore, she was discovering that she enjoyed watching and being watched also. Maybe she should accept herself for who she was.
For the next two days, she watched the Amber Butterfly series over and over until Paul came home.
She picked up Paul at the airport in the evening. Excitedly, she told him about her settlement and ordered out Chinese food.
