Kelly Royer

Kelly Royer is Claire and Charlotte's classmate and a central figure in a sex trafficking network. Kelly is directly responsible for some of the most emotionally devastating acts in the story. Her character embodies the intersection of femininity, power, and violence.

Background

Kelly transferred to the George-Sand College in Paris in 2012 following reported incidents at her previous school. Rumours suggest she was expelled for bullying, a pattern of behaviour that only intensified in her new environment. Despite a façade of charm and popularity, Kelly quickly embedded herself within a criminal network that trafficked young girls, becoming one of its most effective recruiters and enforcers.

It is unclear how Kelly and Joris met or how their relationship started. Her past is also not well documented since everything known about her is based on allegations.

She appears to act independently at times but is deeply entangled with Joris Laurent, a corrupt police officer. Kelly seems to wield more power than he does, as she is referred to as the true leader of their trafficking cell, or cluster. She manages some other girls other than Claire, but these girls are unknown to Claire and Charlotte. Yet, despite being a "manager" of the cluster, she also takes part in the prostitution activity, only raising her prices or negotiating for herself "special parties".

Appearance

Kelly is described as tall, slim, with long, straight dark hair and striking green eyes that shimmer with feigned innocence. Described as a pretty yet arrogant girl (from her perfectly manicured nails to her smug expression), she is meticulously curated to seduce and manipulate. Her fashion sense leans towards overt sexuality, designed to project both desirability and dominance.

Kelly is known for her anachronic and provocative outfits.

Personality

Kelly is the embodiment of calculated malice. Narcissistic, vain, and highly intelligent, she thrives on control, cruelty, and performance. She is incapable of sincere emotion and views others only in terms of utility or conquest. With Claire Cobert, after having introduced herself as the new best friend, she took on the role of both lover and captor, gaslighting her, isolating her from Charlotte, and dragging her into coercive prostitution.

She is sarcastic, provocative, and manipulative, always spinning her actions as justified or “helpful.” Unlike Joris, who occasionally shows fear or hesitation, Kelly acts with cold conviction. She knows how to appear harmless, but her manipulation is deliberate and sustained. Indeed, Charlotte genuinely hates her and is quite open about this.

Relationships

• Claire Cobert: Kelly’s most emotionally destructive relationship. She blackmails and isolates Claire, coercing her into exploitative scenarios while pretending to be a source of support. She preys on Claire’s vulnerability following her breakup with Charlotte and uses that to assert dominance.

• Charlotte Kominsky: The main target of Kelly’s antagonism. Their hatred is mutual and visceral. Kelly orchestrates Claire’s betrayal, engineers humiliating encounters, and seeks to sever every tie between Charlotte and Claire. Charlotte sees her as the embodiment of everything vile and artificial.

• Joris Laurent: Though officially her partner in the trafficking operation, Joris is shown to be subordinate. Kelly controls the network’s internal logic—blackmailing girls, managing income, and overseeing recruitment. Joris handles logistics and enforcement, but Kelly is the mind behind it all.

Role in the Story

Kelly Royer is one of the central villains of the novel. Her presence marks a shift from emotional to systemic violence. As both trafficker and manipulator, she embodies the destructive capacity of unchecked cruelty masked behind a veneer of glamour.

Her betrayal of Charlotte, seduction of Claire, and domination of other girls place her at the centre of the novel’s darkest plotlines. Unlike male abusers, whose violence is often expected or seen as systemic, Kelly’s danger is personal, psychological, and deeply gendered, as her femininity is weaponised, and her empathy is completely absent.

She represents the ultimate betrayal: the woman who ruins other women for control.