Allen’s eyes sparkled with a defiant edge as she slipped off his glasses, a hint of fire in his
Jude, like he’d seen this coming from a mile away, clapped a hand on Allen’s shoulder.
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gaze.
“Look, man, I’m not showing you this to get you all worked up. Just take a second and see her for who she is, okay?” he said.
Allen’s voice was soft but solid as steel. “Doesn’t matter what she’s done. She’s always right in my eyes.”
Jude froze, totally thrown. “Allen, come on, you know the deal with you, right? Maybe her and her husband had a blowout, but they’ll be all lovey–dovey again by tonight.”
Allen’s gaze dropped back to the video on Jude’s phone, his jaw tight.
Without the whole story or a hint of what was running through her mind, he knew he shouldn’t stick his nose in too deep.
But this video? It painted her as the villain, with everyone jumping on her case.
Allen shook off Jude’s hand with a quick jerk.
He stalked over to the window, his voice low and ice–cold. “I need you to take care of two things…”
*****
The cops rolled up to Rose Villa, tearing through every corner, but they came up empty–no hidden cameras anywhere.
Still, there was no doubt the video was filmed in the study. They questioned everyone, one by one.
The maids were sweating bullets, tripping over their words. Shelby, though? She was cool as ice, playing the “no clue” card like a champ.
Brandon pulled up in his car, shooting Matilda a quick, frosty glance before heading over to sweet–talk the officers with a handshake.
“Thanks for coming out, guys,” he said. “Look, I’m the one who put the camera in the study. I’ll make it right with my wife. Just a little domestic tiff–no need to waste police time.”
Zack had friends at the precinct, and it was obvious Brandon had already pulled some strings.
Matilda hadn’t mentioned the video being tampered with when she called the cops, so the whole thing got wrapped up neat and tidy.
The officers scribbled some notes, tossed out a half–baked lecture about marriage drama, and hit the road.
Matilda stood there, staring daggers at the man and woman standing so close their shadows practically blended into one. “Don’t you two owe me an apology or what?”
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Chapter 9
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At five–foot–nine barefoot, plus the extra inches from her heels, Matilda was a force to be reckoned with as she demanded answers.
Shelby shrank behind Brandon, tugging at his sleeve like a scared kid. “Brandon, I only set up the camera ‘cause Lola’s been doing her homework in the study.
“She hates people hovering, but I was worried she’d do something dumb. I didn’t mean to catch you and Matilda going at it.”
She paused, her voice shaky. “But I didn’t edit that video and post it online on purpose. I was just… so mad and hurt.
“Matilda hit me, she hit you, and she almost got Kathy killed. She keeps screwing over the people I care about
most.”
A single tear fell, landing right in Brandon’s palm like it was planned. His heart turned to goo.
That video had spread like wildfire through Crossen Technology’s work chats, and now half of Itera City was buzzing about it. Matilda’s name was trashed.
To Brandon, Shelby was just a kid, innocent as a daisy, who’d messed up in the heat of the moment. She shouldn’t have to take the fall.
Matilda, on the other hand, already had a lousy rep, and in his eyes, with all the unforgivable stuff she’d pulled, she deserved to take the fall.
After sizing things up, Brandon spoke. “You’re the one who messed up first, Matilda. If anyone’s apologizing, it’s you.”
Shelby shot Matilda a smug little eyebrow raise, silently crowing, ‘Got you again, huh?‘
Matilda’s lip curled in a sneer as she brushed past Shelby and stepped right up to Brandon, poking his chest hard. “Your heart’s so warped it’s practically in hell.”
Brandon’s chest tightened, like something had grabbed his heart and squeezed it. “Matilda-” he started, his voice softer than he meant it to be.
She spun on her heel and stormed off toward her car.
A few steps later, she slipped her phone out of her pocket and saved the recording she’d made.
“Think you’re the only ones who can play dirty with secret recordings? I’ve got game too,‘ she thought.
Her real plan in calling the cops was to lure Brandon back to defend Shelby, letting Shelby spill her nasty little plot, thinking she was untouchable.
And they’d played right into her hands.
At night, Tessa, Zack’s wife, met Matilda for dinner at Vansen Restaurant.
“Matilda, I’m so sorry. I couldn’t do a damn thing to help,” Tessa said, her eyes heavy with guilt as she looked
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Chapter 9
at her friend.
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She’d gone a few rounds with Zack after finding out he’d pulled strings for Brandon, but it hadn’t changed a thing.
Matilda managed a small smile, reaching out to comfort Tessa instead. “Who says you didn’t help? You’ve been out there like a one–woman army, blowing up those comment sections with all your burner accounts.”
Tessa’s cheeks turned pink. “How’d you know it was me?”
Matilda let out a soft laugh. “Come on, it’s obvious. Out of thousands of comments, you’re the only one riding
for me.”
She squeezed Tessa’s hand. “Thanks, Tessa. Seriously.”
Tessa squeezed back, her voice warm. “No, thank you for picking me to be your friend.”
Tessa had grown up under the thumb of a mean–as–hell stepmom, her quiet nature making her an easy target for jerks.
For a while, she’d dreaded tagging along to Zack’s parties—he’d just ditch her, lost in his own world.
Matilda had noticed how nervous and out of place Tessa felt.
After that, even though she couldn’t stand those kinds of events, Matilda started showing up with Brandon just to have Tessa’s back.
But Tessa felt like she was dropping the ball. When Matilda needed someone to stand up for her, all Tessa could do was hammer out comment after comment on her phone: [Please stop dogpiling her. She’s honestly amazing.]
Having Tessa around lifted Matilda’s spirits, even though just a little. But the good mood didn’t last.
Their food had barely hit the table when Zack’s nonstop calls forced Tessa to head home.
Matilda played it off like it was no big deal, but the second Tessa’s driver pulled away, her shoulders slumped.
A hollow, sinking feeling settled in her chest.
She ordered a bottle of red wine and sipped it alone, lost in her thoughts.
Then, out of nowhere, a bright, cheerful voice cut through the gloom like a ray of sunshine. “Hi, Matilda!”
Matilda looked up, and there were Jolene–and Allen–standing there, their presence like a spark in the darkness.
*****
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Chapter 10
