Vivien’s main job was crisis management, but her side hustle might as well have been relationship counseling. Over the years, she’d built a massive following on social media, posting advice for career women and sharing her sharp insights on toxic relationships. With her biting wit and no-nonsense approach, she’d amassed hundreds of thousands of followers who hung on her every word.

Somewhere along the way, I started calling her “Ms. Hoton” as a joke, and it ...