Alison (Secrets of an Escort)

**Alison** (Pauline Egan) is the hidden main villainess from the 2021 Lifetime film, *Secrets of an Escort* (originally titled, *The Other Me*; airdate November 4, 2021).

## Introduction

Alison is a former sorority sister of main protagonist Connie Anderson, who moved to Hawaii with her teenage daughter, Christine Anderson, following Connie's divorce from her abusive ex-husband, Jason Anderson. Connie, who worked as a waitress, got reacquainted with Alison at her workplace, as she was Connie's newly hired co-worker, though after reminiscing, Alison stated that her husband had passed on prior to the events. As the film showed, Connie had taken a side job as an escort going under the name Veronica, doing so to make ends meet, while keeping her side profession a secret from those she knew, especially Christine.

Alison witnessed Jason angrily confronting Connie, leaving Connie fearful and wondering how Jason found out where she was. All the while, one of Connie's clients, William, had fallen in love with "Veronica" while venting about his marriage to his wife, Lissie, adding that he planned on divorcing her. Later on, Christine was nowhere to be found, prompting Connie and her detective sister, Terri, to involve the authorities. Connie suspected Jason, though after learning about Connie's side job, Terri stated that one of her clients could be involved.

As for Alison, she served as a means of consolation for Connie, and even went with Connie to find Christine. After heading to a hotel where Connie frequented and discovering that her room was ransacked, Connie and Alison went to Jason's place, only for the former to end up confronted by Jason, who denied having Christine but attacked Connie while blaming his ex-wife for losing her, Though Jason was cleared, Connie had suspected William, who denied everything earlier in the film, but invited Connie over to his place while stating that he knew people who could help find Christine.

## Heel Turn

    The film's climax saw Connie and William at the latter's house, where William repeated his promise to help Connie regarding Christine, as well as voice his elation over Connie being back in his life. Connie's search in the bathroom saw her find Christine's bracelet, leading to Connie confronting William and again accuse him of taking her daughter. At that moment, however, after William drank the wine and denied the claims, he suddenly keeled over and started foaming at the mouth, which was followed by William's sudden death. Afterwards, Alison appeared--much to Connie's shock--and rushed to the fallen William, while expressing heartbreak over his death.

In a surprise response to Connie's shock, Alison turned heel by stating *Connie*, not William, was supposed to drink the wine, revealing that she poisoned the wine with intent on killing Connie, as William had been sober for six years. In addition, Alison revealed that William was her husband, and in response to Connie's reminder that Alison had said that her husband was dead, Alison stated that it was now true. As it turned out, Alison (aka "Lissie" for short) had found out that William had been cheating on her, and upon learning that Connie was the other woman under her Veronica persona, the villainess planned her revenge by ransacking the hotel room and sending Jason to her, while also abducting Christine.

During her heel turn and reveal, the evil Alison lashed out at Connie for not asking about her "deceased" husband, accusing her of being selfish and ruining her family--while adding that she was returning the favor by abducting Christine. After stating that she had wanted a daughter, the maniacal villainess revealed her plan to kill both Christine and Alison and set up William as the culprit, right before grabbing a golf club and attempting to attack Connie. After escaping her villainous former friend, Connie found Christine tied up and gagged, but after freeing her daughter, Connie ended up battling Alison once again, with the villainess pinning down Connie and attempting to strangle her. After police arrived, Alison attempted to claim that Connie killed William and went after her, only for the villainess to end up arrested, as her story wasn't believed.

## Trivia

* This was Pauline Egan's first villainous Lifetime movie role.