Perhaps she wasn't and it only appeared that she was?

[Nelliel is willing to give Ella the benefit of the doubt largely because of the things she's seen Ella do for Hattie.]

Well...I was thinking of trying to market myself as a model to make myself a more valuable and profitable employee than Mr. Robles, and then threaten to quit if he is not replaced with someone more suitable. I like my fellow models and I would rather not leave them working for a person like him.