Chapter 13 The Unravelling
Lexi returned to her townhouse and started going through all the pics she took of NIkki and eventually settled on three to post as her contest winner. She chose one of her applying makeup on Nikki, another of Nikki looking shocked when she saw herself fully made up, and a third of Lexi kissing her cheek and posted them with lists of the makeup brands and colors she used on her contest winner. She also mentioned the nail salon in the story. But that wasn't the only social media coverage Lexi was getting.
"Wow that was quite an impressive Q & A session, everyone," Anastasia Phillips commented as a break in her seminar was scheduled to begin. "Let's say back at 11am please everyone!"
Surrounded by other professionals interested in learning how to break addiction to cigarettes and nicotine, Anastasia was holding court in all her glory. People of all backgrounds and professionals attended her day one, where she shares the secrets of how to help break addictive patterns. There were therapists, counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists in the workshop, and her reputation had always been impeccable.
"Excuse me, Dr. Phillips," one young lady in her mid twenties interrupted. "Isn't this your daughter?"
The young professional showed Anastasia the video of Alexis exiting her car, walking over to the three girls, pointing at them in a menacing way, then walking toward another girl, taking a drag on a cigarette and kissing the other girl then motioning as she again passed the girls as se got back in her car and left.
Anastasia looked on in disbelief, saying, "excuse me everyone I need to make a call."
Anastasia immediately called Lexi, who of course refused to answer. And again tried, no answer. Third time, no answer again.
"What the hell was that video? CALL ME NOW" Anastasia texted furiously.
Alexis read the text, not knowing the incident as she dropped off Nikki was being put on video and tagging her on social media. Alexis sighed, and figured she better see what the issue was before she contacted her mother. The internet search didn't take long, the video was page one in search engines. Lexi laughed.
"Well that wasn't in my plans today," Lexi thought. "Mom's pissed, this should suck."
Lexi ignored her Mother's frantic messages, and figured it was better to buy time to cool things down. She also knew calls and messages from her dad were next.
While the messages to Lexi went unanswered, Anastasia immediately messaged James, and ranted about things, starting with "What the fuck is your daughter doing? Did you see that video? Smoking? Kissing a girl? You need to handle this, James and fucking fast!"
"What the hell are you even talking about Anastasia?" replied James, genuinely having no idea what she was ranting on this time.
"Look online at what your daughter did, fucking handle that NOW," Anastasia reiterated. "I don't have time for her fuck ups or yours, I am in the middle of a fucking seminar on how to stop smoking and what the fuck is your daughter trying to do to me?"
"Ok Anastasia I will look into it... Kids go through phases you know," responded James.
"Well you better end this fucking phase of hers. TODAY. RIGHT NOW," Anastasia yelled.
Anastasia took a deep breath, did a few breathing exercises and headed back into her seminar on how to end addiction and stop smoking. As an open seminar, lots of professionals attended, even rival therapists and professionals. Always ultra confident in herself, with a perfect public reputation, Anastasia welcomed the competition, feeling it made her better in the long term. But several minor rivals were in the crowd today, and they were interested in throwing the perceived perfect princess off her perch.
"Wow Dr. Phillips, shouldn't a stop smoking guru have that handled in her own home?" asked one attendee. "I mean, seriously that's not a good look,"
"Really hypocritical," added another.
"How do you plan on dealing with this issue in your own house?" asked a third.
Anastasia, usually unflappable, was beginning to unravel. She could not tamp down the calls of hypocrisy and not having her own house in order. And it showed. Several participants demanded a refund, feeling they could not learn from someone they considered a hypocrite.
"So the family values, stop smoking Queen lives in a glass house," another teased. "Who knew?"
Running out of calm, and patience, Anastasia made an announcement to the patrons of her "Professional Day Help Others Stop Smoking" seminar. She was rattled, and it showed.
"If you do not believe my methods work and my success is not genuine based on one video, I will advise you to leave and accept a full refund. I will not tolerate that behavior at MY seminar."
And just like that the crowd thinned by nearly half, and another video of another Phillips woman was making its way through social media circles. Anastasia had a difficult rest of her day, to say the least, which could further diminish her reputation.
James had no luck in contacting Lexi either. Instead he inadvertently fanned the flames under Anastasia by texting his wife "Alexis not responding. Just a phase, it will pass."
**********
Kingsman slept in a bit at his hotel, and went down for breakfast at the Harking around 11am. It was there where he saw the video of Lexi's incident with the three college girls as she dropped off the contest winner. He nearly spit out his coffee upon seeing it on his phone.
"Well there's two things i know, she accomplished her goal of seducing that girl, and she just bought a lot of internet fame for her and her mother. I couldn't have scripted it any better," thought Kingsman, enjoying the video and all it meant for the Phillips family.
Kingsman sent Lexi a text "I will be by within the hour."
While Kingsman was in the hotel restaurant, Jonah Hale;s security firm was busy accessing Kingsman's suite and putting in cameras and listening devices in the suite. The agent also secured a water glass with Kingsman's prints and DNA on it. Access to the sound and video, as well as the prints and DNA on the glass were sent directly to Hale himself.
Hale was curious as to what was going on in the Phillips family, as James travelling was triggering some issues, As he looked at his phone while the audio and video were finishing setting up, he did a search to see what was happening with their daughter. And now he had more evidence of strange events happening with the family- the video of Alexis from a short time earlier.
"Well if I wanted to rattle the Phillips, that would be a way to go, the daughter smoking and a lesbian," thought Hale.
Hale called in his research and development team, which was working on a more modern upgrade to the formula given them by Anastasia Phillips,. One that broke down better in the brain and by doing so shortened the conditioning time required for a subject.
"Mason, where are we at on this?" demanded Hale referencing the formula.