Chapter 2

I looked at my former best friend, an overwhelming sense of disappointment washing over me.

If Bethany had simply told me Harold was cheating, I might have believed she was genuinely trying to help.

However, demanding I get a divorce without proof, while even threatening me with her breakup consultant tactics, made her intentions clear. She wasn't trying to help at all.

My mind drifted back to when Harold and I first started dating. Bethany had always nagged me about him, picking at every little thing.

Whenever Harold bought me breakfast, she would say it was a manipulative tactic to control me.

Whenever he bought me expensive gifts, she would claim he was just throwing money at me, probably calling me a gold digger behind my back.

Even when he proposed, she found faults right then and there.

As these memories resurfaced, my heart grew colder.

Seeing my silence, a look of satisfaction flashed across Bethany's face.

She stood up and grabbed my wrist. "Come on, the courthouse is still on lunch break, so they haven't opened yet. We can grab your documents from home and call Harold to meet us for the divorce."

I snapped out of my daze, shaking off her hand. "No, I'm not divorcing Harold based on your one-sided story."

Bethany looked stunned, clearly not expecting my refusal.

"Jessica! I'm doing this for your own good!" Her voice rose sharply. "Harold's cheating! He doesn't love you anymore! Why are you hanging on so desperately?"

Bethany's face twisted with anger. I had never seen her like this before. She didn't even look like herself anymore.

I thought of Harold from that morning, clinging to me and saying "I love you" at least a dozen times.

Then, I looked back at Bethany, her face contorted in rage. My heart filled with unease.

"You have to listen to me! You need to divorce Harold right now!" she shouted, lunging at me again.

Years in the lab had left me with little physical strength, and Bethany was strong, almost overpowering. Once she grabbed me, I couldn't break free.

But I wasn't worried, and I called for help.

My assistant rushed in, quickly pulling Bethany off me.

"Jessica! You actually let her lay hands on me?" Bethany looked deranged, staring at me as if she were some vengeful spirit.

I rubbed my wrist, which had turned red from her grip. "My issues with Harold are none of your business. I've got work to do, so I can't entertain you anymore."

I waved to my assistant to take her away.

Bethany glared at me, her fury palpable. She sneered. "Fine, Jessica. Don't blame me for what comes next."

I thought she was just trying to scare me. After all these years of friendship, even if she was angry, she wouldn't actually do anything to hurt me.

It turned out I overestimated our friendship. And underestimated how far she could go.

I had just taken a sip of water, trying to figure out how to bring this up with Harold, when my assistant returned, looking flustered.

"Ms. Whalen! Ms. Liefeld is back, and she brought..." My assistant swallowed nervously before continuing. "The Anti-Mistress Alliance."

I spat out my water, stunned.

"They're downstairs, holding a banner, shouting with a megaphone, and they've started a live-stream..." My assistant placed a tablet in front of me.

On the screen, Bethany stood front and center, flanked by a dozen burly men holding a banner.

The banner read "Anti-Mistress Alliance", positioned perfectly to ensure the sign for my family's company was also in view.

Bethany looked both angry and sorrowful, her voice filled with conviction.

"I am publicly exposing Jessica Whalen, the general manager of Tensor Pharmaceuticals, for being a mistress and breaking up someone else's relationship!" she declared.

"I'm a mistress breakup consultant, and also a friend of Jessica. I only found out that my good friend was actually a mistress after I was approached for help.

"Even though we're very close, I cannot tolerate such immoral behavior. It's a matter of professional ethics!

"Just now, I tried to advise Jessica to leave that man who doesn't deserve her, but she had her assistant throw me out and refused to speak with me."

The live-stream was gaining traction—already over 10,000 viewers, and climbing fast.

Netizen A: [Is that Tensor Pharmaceuticals, the well-known company?]

Netizen B: [Isn't Tensor always leading in charitable work? How could they have such an unethical executive?]

Netizen C: [I knew it! A woman couldn't become a general manager without some rich backer!]

Netizen D: [Down with mistresses! Boycott Tensor Pharmaceuticals!]

-

I watched the flood of comments, my head pounding.

Bethany had really been my best friend. She knew exactly where to hit to make it hurt.

My family's company was about to go public soon. We couldn't afford any negative press. If this fiasco caused us to fail the listing, the consequences would be unbearable.