Bestie's Tape Was Budget Content

"What did you say?" Luther snapped. "Don't push your luck. Without me, you're nothing."

"That's not for you to decide."

I hung up.

The second I set my phone down, the team chat blew up.

The usually dead chat was suddenly alive.

Someone cautiously tagged me.

[Jolene, is everything okay? We saw what's been going around online and got worried.]

My DMs blew up too. Some wanted the tea. Others were faking sympathy.

I skimmed through them and dropped two words into the team chat.

[I'm fine.]

Then I packed my bags, checked out of the lodge, and headed back to the city.

The scenery blurred past outside the window.

I rested my head against the glass and smiled.

How could I not be fine?

I was about to tear every one of those hypocrites apart.

I'd be better than fine.

***

I didn't go back to that so-called home.

Instead, I checked into a hotel and spent a day recovering.

After a shower and a full night's sleep, I stood in front of the mirror.

My eyes were bloodshot. But there wasn't a trace of defeat in them.

The next morning, I grabbed the divorce papers I'd prepared long ago and headed straight for Everluxe Ventures.

The receptionist froze when she saw me.

She looked like she wanted to stop me.

I walked right past her.

All across the office, people stopped what they were doing to stare.

Some looked curious.

Some looked smug.

Some looked sympathetic.

Others looked entertained.

Whispers followed me down the hall.

"That's Mr. Boyd's wife, right? I heard she sold the video online. Brutal."

"Seriously. And Ms. Vick was her best friend. That's rough."

"Mr. Boyd really screwed up this time. Guy had a wife and still cheated. Guess it finally caught up to him."

I ignored them.

My heels clicked across the floor as I headed for Luther's office.

Knock.

"Come in."

His voice was already irritated.

I pushed open the door.

Luther wasn't alone.

Cecilia was there.

She wore a white dress, her eyes red and watery like she'd been crying for hours.

Curled up against Luther's side, she sniffled softly.

The second she saw me, she stiffened.

Then she lowered her head and wiped away a tear.

The perfect victim.

Luther's face darkened immediately.

"Jolene, what are you doing here? Haven't you embarrassed me enough?"

I walked to his desk and dropped the divorce papers in front of him.

Slap.

The sound cut through the room.

"Divorce."

I looked him straight in the eye.

"And you're leaving with nothing."

Luther laughed. Like I'd just told the funniest joke he'd ever heard.

He shot to his feet and planted both hands on the desk.

"You want me to leave with nothing? Have you lost your mind? You think you can do that? Based on what?"

I didn't blink. "Because the startup money for this company came from me.

"Because every major crisis this company survived over the last three years was solved through my connections and resources.

"And because you cheated on me with my best friend during our marriage."

I held his stare.

"Need more reasons?"