Brooke shook her head with a carefree laugh, as if reading Valerie as clearly as Teresa knew she would, "Well, someone here is a good daughter."

Teresa's face flushed scarlet, glancing away from her mother and Valerie to avoid the weighty looks they shared. Her heart twisted as she imagined them getting to know each other without her mediating the situation, sharing stories and conveniences only a mother and daughter could bond over.

It seemed an eternity before Teresa's boss, Emily, made her appearance. "Well, it looks like you all have met." Emily beamed, seemingly clueless to the heavy tension in the air. "Brooke, I hope you'll enjoy working alongside your daughter and Valerie. I'm sure they have plenty of experiences to share with you."

Brooke shot Teresa a knowing smile, and Teresa reluctantly returned it, feeling unnerved with the way her two worlds were colliding.

Emily glanced at her watch and then back at the three women, "Alright everyone. Let's head into the conference room. We have a meeting to start."

Brooke finally released Valerie, who hesitated as they parted, leaving Teresa to feel the sting of jealousy in her chest. As they walked towards the conference room, Teresa noticed the smug look on her mother's face - the same one she got when she had won a tennis match against Teresa when she was younger or when she had singlehandedly beaten the final boss in their favorite video game.

Her heart fluttered with a familiar mix of pride and frustration, and she clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palms. The tension mounted with each step they took together. The air shimmered with electrified tension. Valerie caught Teresa's icy stare and flashed her a worried glance, as if she too recognized the undercurrents that stirred beneath the surface.

Teresa increased her pace until she caught up with her mother and in a low growl asked, "What are you doing here?"

Brooke shot her a wry smile before continuing down the hall without reply. Teresa instantly fought down a mounting sense of unease. "Damn it, Sexy-Mama," she muttered under her breath.

They entered the conference room and fanned out to the various seats at the table. Most of the employees were already seated, chatting amongst themselves - laughing and joking, busying themselves with their laptops and tablets. Two chairs stood empty at the head of the table, one for Emily and the other for Brooke.

As Teresa took her seat beside Valerie, she stole quick glances at her mother across the table. While she could not fathom why Brooke sought employment at their company, Teresa could not shake the unease that festered in her gut.

The meeting began. Emily set forth the agenda and spoke of the company's gains and objectives. Brooke remained unphased by the initial spiel, watching Valerie intently instead.

In her usual straightforward fashion, Emily guided the conversation towards talking about projects thus far, the struggles faced, and future challenges.

Colleagues chimed in to share their thoughts and insights, hands waving in the air as they debated about proposed solutions.

Teresa had almost forgotten her mother's presence when she suddenly interjected. "I agree, it is crucial that our sales and marketing teams collaborate on research to ensure customer needs are met effectively. And frankly, it's high time we implement a new CRM to streamline sales and marketing efforts," Brooke said confidently, her voice resonating around the room.

Emily beamed with approval, clearly sold by Brooke's expertise and ideas. "Well, this is as good a time as any. I'd like to introduce Brooke Smith, our new auditor. Sent from above like an angel from Heaven." She emphasized the word "auditor," throwing a playful glance in Teresa's direction.

Teresa felt her cheeks burn, her fingernails biting into her palms as she clenched her fists beneath the table. So that's why her mother was there, auditing their company - was it a mere coincidence that she and Valerie had begun dating? Or had Brooke had intentions of meeting Valerie all along?

Teresa shook her head, trying to banish the notion. She couldn't bear the thought of her own mother manipulating her, even if it meant unearthing the truth about Teresa's double life as a cam girl. Her unease bloomed further upon realizing her webcam persona served as the perfect avenue for Brooke to keep tabs on her personal life, her real self.

Her thoughts raced like a torrent, unquenchable and overwhelming. Teresa desperately searched for an escape but remained rooted in place like a tree condemned to watch the firestorm rage around her.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Valerie's voice, a faint whisper in her ear that barely broke through the fog in her mind. "Teresa, are you alright?" Valerie asked with a questioning look in her eyes.

Teresa tried to steady her voice. "I'm fine." She shook her head and offered a smile she hoped would convince Valerie that nothing was wrong. "Just a little tired."

Valerie looked unconvinced but nodded before turning her attention back to the head of the table, where Emily was still speaking.

Inwardly, Teresa gritted her teeth, hating the thought of Valerie finding out the truth of her double life.

As Emily’s speech ended, Teresa waited anxiously for her to begin fielding questions from the rest of the team, hoping against hope that they might be too engrossed in their own conversations to address the growing tension between her and Brooke. But when the discussion turned to the ineffective outreach strategies they had been employing, Teresa swallowed hard and braced herself as her mother raised her hand.

"I think we should establish a stronger presence on social media platforms. Share our product ideas there, and really create a buzz," Brooke mused confidently. "Our competitors are all over it, and they're reaping the rewards."

Teresa cringed internally but couldn't help but feel a sliver of pride at her mother's unassuming brilliance. She glanced around the room to find her colleagues nodding and murmuring among themselves, agreeing with Brooke's suggestion.

Even Valerie looked impressed, and Teresa couldn't fight a growing sense of sadness. It was difficult enough having her worlds collide, but to see them align so seamlessly only amplified the stark contrast she felt inside.

Teresa, feeling cornered and frustrated, finally blurted out, "The internet can reach dark places, would the exposure to that be worth it?"

A hushed silence fell over the room as everyone stared at her. Even Valerie turned to her with a puzzled expression. Teresa felt her palms begin to sweat and swore under her breath.

The tension in the room had grown unbearable. Valerie, and several colleagues surrounding her, furrowed their brows. Teresa sighed heavily and set her hands on her hips with a straight line between her shoulders.

"There are elements online, childish notions which the vast majority of society deems vanilla for the public, that could still lurk and create a disturbing atmosphere for clients," Teresa explained, attempting to maintain a cool, professional demeanor.

Valerie seemed like a deer caught in the headlights, uncertain what to say next.

"As in, pornographic sites? Do their reach extend that far?" Brooke asked, leaning forward, placing her large chest on the table as a subtle power move. "Or are you saying the use of those sites by employees might bridge the gap and create such exposure?" Brooke challenged back, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Teresa's heart ached and she could feel the heat building in her chest, drawing her hand automatically to her throat. God, Brooke was so frustratingly good at buttons - especially the ones that, when pushed, tipped off the anger inside her.

Valeries naiveté allowed her to contribute without realizing that she might be inadvertently choosing a side, "We should probably run an internet background check on employees, to avoid any potential online scandals."

Teresa's eyes widened in shock. "Valerie, that is an enormous invasion of privacy!"

"But you said," Valerie began, before being interrupted.

"It's a brilliant idea, Valerie. I think someone will be getting a head pat." Brooke chuckled, fluttering her eyes at Valerie, who blushed at the compliment.

All the men and a few of the women, including Emily, blushed at the notion of receiving a head pat from Brooke.

Teresa rolled her eyes, sorely tempted to tease her mother but holding herself back. Instead, she focused on the tense exchange unfolding in front of her.

Brooke shot first, "I mean, if someone has something to hide, it's worth looking into, don't you think? After all, potential security risks aren't just limited to the physical world."

Teresa bristled, her defenses skyrocketing. She stammered, searching for an appropriate response. Before she could utter a word, Emily piped up from the head of the conference table, "Would you be able to organize such a task, Brooke? It would certainly be valuable for the company's safety."

Brooke beamed, "Of course, Emily. I've dealt with these matters before and can assure you I will implement a thorough, respectful process. I of course will have regularly scheduled meetings with you, Emily. To keep you up to date."

Teresa stared at Valerie, whose gaze was firmly on her laptop screen. She's really going to let this happen. Is she really this easily swayed by my mother's charms?

"That would be… wonderful, Brooke," Emily responded with a wide, genuine smile. "I'm confident you and your team will ensure that our online presence reflects our company mission statement accurately."

Brooke nodded eagerly, her chestnut hair framing her round, open face. She glanced around the table, adding with certainty, "Our employees will have nothing to fear as long as they conduct themselves appropriately online."

Teresa clutched her fist beneath the table, this third time leaving deep marks in her palms, fuming internally at the deliberate shade Brooke had thrown out regarding her second job.

"I'm sure you'll want Teresa and Valerie on your team?" Emily suggested, her voice dripping with innocent curiosity.

Brooke didn't hesitate. "Absolutely. In fact, I'd like to start our internet background checks with them. After all, they're the ones who spend the most time online." She gave Teresa a pointed look that only added to the weight hanging heavily in the air.

Teresa felt her heart race with fear, realizing that her secret life as an erotic chat persona would soon be exposed.

"Then it's settled. I'm looking forward to those, regular meetings, Brooke." Emily's cheerful voice jolted Teresa back to the present. She could feel her heart racing. Her palms were damp, and her breathing quickened. She turned to look at Valerie, whose gaze had not shifted from her computer screen the entire time.

The tension in the room was now palpable. Teresa's colleagues seemed unsure of what to think of the sudden turn of events. But Teresa knew exactly what this meant - she was about to be exposed.