One Ruined Night, One New Beginning

...

My fiancé's best friend, Candace Lombard, held her phone high, the camera trained on my nearly bare body.

Her laughter was sharp and mocking. "Wow, Cathy, so eager already? The wedding night has barely started, and you're stripping?"

My cheeks burned with shame as I yanked the blanket around me, shooting a desperate glance at my new husband, Sam Whitman, standing by the bed.

He frowned but made no move to stop her. Instead, he gently nudged me. "Don't get upset. Candace is just having fun with the wedding night pranks. She doesn't mean any harm."

He turned to her, his tone softer. "Alright, bud, that's enough. Let's cool it."

She giggled and plopped onto the center of our marital bed, wedging herself between us. "Oh, come on, it's your big day! I'm just hyping things up. Look at the livestream. Everyone's loving it! They're begging for something juicier!"

I stared at her phone screen, where crude comments scrolled past in a blur. My hands shook with rage. This was already the ninth time she had barged in since we'd entered the room, using her key to invade our privacy again and again.

Reaching my breaking limit, I snatched her phone and flashed a cold smile at the camera. "You want spice? Alright, fire up those donations! I'm about to let my husband take a mistress live. Let's make it a show!"

The pair shrank at my words. Sam lunged for the phone to shut off the stream, hissing, "Have you lost it? Do you even realize what you're saying?"

I clutched the blanket, my heart icing over. "Lost it? Look at what she's done! Do you even care about this marriage?"

Before he could respond, his mother's call came through, her voice shrill with outrage. "Cathy, are you insane? Don't you know how close our family is to the Lombards? Candace and Sam are like siblings! What is wrong with you, humiliating her in front of thousands? You've disgraced us!"

I hung up, cutting her off mid-rant, an action that irritated Sam further.

"My mom is right. You're blowing this out of proportion!" he huffed, raking a hand through his hair. "Candace is just playful. Why make a big deal out of it? She's a young woman; her reputation matters. With what you said, how is she going to face anyone now?"

He stepped closer to me, demanding, "Apologize to her, and we'll let this go."

"Apologize to her? Are you serious?" I laughed sharply. "I was livestreamed and humiliated, and you want me to say sorry?"

Candace shrank behind him, her eyes brimming with tears. "It's my fault, Sam. I went too far. I'm sorry, Cathy. I was just scared that once you married him, he'd stop caring about me. I didn't mean it."

Sam stepped in front of her, protective. "See? She didn't mean it. Don't be so harsh."