Chapter 10%
My coworker frowned in frustration. “I saw it with my own eyes. That guy came looking for you. How could they twist it, turning you as the villain?”
Under the trending posts, Lenard’s rich playboy friends were jumping to Arlene’s defense. Their comments fanned the flames, painting me as the villain. The narrative spiraled out of control and I was dragged through the mud online.
I thanked her for the heads–up, my smile weak and gathered my things to head home. The day couldn’t end fast enough.2 Rafael was already waiting for me outside, leaning casually against his car. I gave him a nod and climbed in, scrolling through my phone as we drove. I didn’t have the habit of deleting old messages. Every conversation, every scrap of evidence tied to Lenard and Arlene–I’d kept it all. Pulling up the screenshots, I turned to Rafael and held up my phone. &
“Can you do me a favor?“N
Rafael seemed to have been expecting this. He glanced over, the corner of his mouth twitching into a knowing smirk. He took the phone, barely looking at it before raising an eyebrow.
“Sure. But I want a reward after the job’s done.”
I shot him a puzzled look. He tapped the side of his face, an unmistakable invitation. My brain short–circuited for a moment. Was he serious? Heat rose to my cheeks as I turned away.
“J–just get it done first. Then we’ll talk,” I stammered, dodging his gaze.”
His laugh filled the car, low and teasing, but he didn’t push further. Instead, he got to work.
Back at home; as I tried to distract myself, notifications started flooding in. Rafael was fast–his efforts already bearing fruit. The smear campaign against me had barely hit its stride when a flood of posts from larger accounts began to counter the lies. These high–profile accounts dwarfed the gossip pages in influence, exposing the truth behind the accusations.
“Oh, this ‘other woman‘ story? What a joke! It’s all about an ex who can’t accept her boyfriend moving on and is desperate to win him back.”
“Arlene couldn’t even respect her ex–boyfriend’s boundaries. She destroyed a wedding dress the new girlfriend designed. Who’s the real victim here?“}
“Somebody call the Guinness World Records! This girl not only plays the victim but uses her sick mom as an excuse. Spoiler alert: her mom isn’t even sick.”}
Sharp–eyed users wasted no time doing their homework. It didn’t take long for someone to uncover that Arlene’s so–called cancer–stricken mother was actually enjoying a luxurious vacation abroad. The internet exploded with commentary:
“Never seen someone curse their own mom for clout. Arlene, you’re on another level!”
“She ruins people’s relationships and then tries to weaponized public opinion. Disgusting.“}
“At least Faye has found a great guy now. Arlene and Lenard deserve each other. Keep the damage contained!“}
The backlash was swift and brutal.\
Meanwhile, Arlene was in full panic mode. She frantically tried calling in favors, arranging a meeting with Lenard’s friends to strategize damage control.
“That bitch didn’t delete any of her messages,” she fumed, her voice trembling with anger. “What if Lenard finds out-“} One of his friends waved her off with a cocky grin. “Relax. I’ve already reached out to have the comments erased. It’ll all
blow over.“”
Arlene’s eyes glistened with tears as she clasped her hands together. “I don’t know what I’d do without you guys. If it weren’t for you helping me sabotage their relationship, I wouldn’t have a chance with Lenard.“”
Another friend chimed in with a laugh, “Exactly. Faye’s just some nobody–no family, no connections. You’re the only one worthy of being Mrs. Donovan.”
Their voices cut off when the door creaked open. Lenard stepped inside, his expression colder than I’d ever seen it. His gaze swept over them, freezing everyone in place.
“What did you say?” he asked, his voice dangerously calm. “Tell me again who’s worthy of being my wife?”
The room fell silent. He had heard everything. Arlene’s face turned ghostly pale, her mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for air. She stammered something, but no words came out.”
Lenard’s gaze flicked to each of his so–called friends. The realization hit him hard: they had been lying to him, feeding him half–truths, all under the guise of protecting him. They hadn’t been looking out for his best interests. They’d been sabotaging his chances at happiness for their own twisted reasons.
His hands clenched into fists at his sides, knuckles turning white. For the first time, he saw Arlene for who she truly was -not the fragile girl he once loved, but a manipulative liar who had played him for a fool.”
And for the first time, he saw the truth about me.”
