Chapter 4

To make her story more believable, Cecilia even came with "receipts."

Screenshots of my texts with Luther.

Except they'd been carefully edited.

She cut out all the important parts and left only the messages where I reminded him to come home or asked about work, turning concern into control.

She also posted proof that I'd missed family dinners and get-togethers because of work.

According to her, that meant I didn't care about my marriage.

The post blew up almost immediately.

The comments were a war zone.

Some people called her out for sleeping with her best friend's husband and then playing the victim.

Most weren't that smart.

They bought every word.

[Her best friend went way too far. Yeah, her husband cheated, but selling the video online is crazy.]

[Seven years of friendship and she does this? She's cold.]

[Based on those screenshots, the friend seems super controlling. I'd be miserable in that marriage too.]

[Honestly, the husband and Cecilia are the real couple here. The wife sounds like the third wheel.]

As the drama spread, people started digging into my life.

My phone number.

My social media.

Even the research institute where I worked.

My phone wouldn't stop buzzing.

Some messages were insults.

Some were threats.

Others were self-appointed Luther and Cecilia fans, demanding an apology, demanding I take down the video, and demanding justice for their favorite couple.

I scrolled through the garbage without blinking.

Then I saved screenshots of Cecilia's post.

And every hateful message that followed.

One by one.

Someday, every single screenshot would come in handy.

The next morning, I requested extended leave from the institute.

Then I gathered my evidence and headed to a law firm.

I'd assumed finding a divorce attorney would be easy.

I had proof.

I had evidence.

I had a cheating husband.

Turns out, none of that mattered.

I went to three firms.

Every attorney turned me down.

Some were polite about it.

Others weren't.

But all of them avoided looking me in the eye.

At the fourth firm, a female attorney finally pulled me aside.

"Ms. Johnston, it's not that nobody wants to help you." She lowered her voice. "The Boyd family has already contacted every major law firm in the city. Anyone who takes your case becomes their enemy."

I froze.

My grip tightened around the folder in my hands.

I hadn't expected Luther to go that far.

He'd blocked every road he could find.

After thanking her, I walked out onto the crowded street.

The sun was bright.

It didn't make a difference.

Was I really supposed to let them get away with this?

Let them rewrite the story?

Let them take everything while I walked away humiliated?

No.

Luther.

Cecilia.

You wanted me to lose.

You wanted me destroyed.

Too bad.

I pulled out my phone and started looking up attorneys in the next state over.

Before I could book a ticket, my phone rang.

Luther.

I answered.

His voice carried a smug satisfaction he wasn't even trying to hide. "You've been to quite a few law firms, haven't you? Funny how nobody will take your case.

"If you're smart, come home tonight and let's discuss the divorce like adults. Stop wasting your time. You're not beating me."

Of course I knew better.

This wasn't a discussion.

It was a setup.

They'd already prepared something.

Now they were waiting for me to walk straight into it.