Bestie's Tape Was Budget Content

My words hit hard.

Luther went pale, then red. He opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again. Still nothing.

Then Cecilia suddenly stood and came over.

She grabbed my hand, sobbing, putting on her best guilty act.

"Jolene, I'm sorry. This is all my fault. Don't blame Luther. I seduced him. I couldn't help how I felt. Please don't divorce him, okay? I don't want you two fighting because of me. I don't want to wreck your family. If you and Luther make up, I'll leave the city tonight. I'll disappear from your lives forever."

Tears rolled down her face.

Anyone else might've bought it.

I looked at her fake, teary eyes, pulled my hand free, and smiled.

"Cool. Then disappear."

Cecilia froze.

Clearly, she hadn't expected that.

I added, "But Luther still pays. It takes two people to end up in bed. You both starred in that video, so you both deal with the fallout.

"Cecilia, your little games don't work on me."

Her face went white.

Even her tears stopped.

She just stood there, lost.

Luther shook with rage.

Before he could snap, someone knocked.

His secretary hurried in.

"Mr. Boyd, the board members are here. The meeting room is ready. They're waiting for you."

Luther sucked in a breath and swallowed his anger.

Then he glared at me like he wanted me dead.

I looked between them.

One humiliated and furious.

One ghost-pale.

Honestly?

Beautiful.

I grabbed my bag and turned for the door.

"Jolene Johnston, just wait!"

Luther's voice followed me, sharp and threatening.

"I won't let this go."

I stopped and looked back.

My smile stayed cold.

"I'll be waiting. But you should sign the papers. Trust me, you don't want to find out what happens if you don't."

***

After leaving Everluxe Ventures, I went back to the hotel and started gathering evidence.

Luther's transfer records.

His messages with Cecilia.

Hotel check-in records.

I had backups of everything.

I just never thought I'd use them.

Back then, I still cared about my marriage.

I still cared about our friendship.

Now?

That was a joke.

A one-sided one.

I expected Luther to come after me first.

Cecilia beat him to it.

That night, while scrolling through my phone, I saw the long post she'd dropped online.

The title was hard to miss.

[Seven Years of Friendship—Why Destroy My Life?]

In it, she painted herself as the sad, loyal victim.

She admitted she and Luther were "truly in love," but claimed my marriage had been dead for years. She said I was cold, that I'd shut Luther out emotionally, and that I was so controlling he couldn't even talk to other women.

She even claimed I tried to control his job.

The video?

According to her, it was just one tragic mistake between two people swept up by passion.

Meanwhile, I had supposedly sold it to an adult site out of jealousy and revenge.