I was in the middle of a video call with a few shareholders when my Instagram notifications suddenly exploded, distracting me.

At first, I thought nothing of it, dismissing the buzz as another random post. But when I saw the name—Amber— a name that sent a quick jolt through me. She was a she-wolf from an allied pack, one that I’d gone to school with.

Amber: "Hey, everyone! So excited to share that Darren and I are getting married in two days! It's happening, guys! Can’t wait for the big day!"

I blinked. Darren? My husband? The Beta of my pack. The man I was still married to. My brain tried to make sense of what I was seeing. This had to be a joke, right? Maybe someone was messing with me, or worse—maybe Darren had a twin who liked to pretend he was him. I quickly tapped the live stream to watch, hoping to catch a glimpse of something that made sense.

But no. There he was, clear as day. Darren. My husband. He was standing next to Amber, smiling widely, his arm wrapped around her waist. They looked... so fucking damn happy!

My pulse quickened, and I leaned closer to the screen. I knew there was no mistake—this was my Darren. But the Darren I knew wasn’t the kind of man who’d parade his affection for anyone else while still married. At least, he’d never been that obvious. I could feel the betrayal rising in me as the live stream continued.

Amber spoke up again.

Amber: "Two more days, guys! The big wedding is finally here! Darren's been so amazing planning everything with me, and I’m just so lucky!”

I gritted my teeth. Planning? So, he was planning a wedding with Amber, and he never told me?! What the hell was going on?

I leaned back in my chair, trying to process. Was this some kind of elaborate mistake? Some prank? I scrolled through the comments on the live feed, desperate to find any clues that would explain this insane situation.

[Elliana! You’re watching? OMG, what a cute couple they are! You must be so excited for them!]

I froze. My former classmate mentioned it to me.

[Hey, Elliana! Can you believe Amber's getting married? I bet it’s all real! Just saw the wedding venue details. Amber’s got it made! Can't wait to see everything.]

My hands began to shake. No. No way! This wasn’t a mistake. This wasn’t a prank. Darren was really getting married to Amber. But why? I mean how. He's my husband!

I kept scrolling, unable to stop myself. More comments poured in.

[Elliana, are you coming to the wedding? It’s going to be amazing! It’s all anyone’s talking about.]

[Elliana, you were always close with Amber, right? Will you be there to celebrate?]

I couldn’t even respond. There was too much to process. I’d spent years with Darren. Years of my life, thinking I knew him. How had I missed this?

The stream continued, Amber and Darren’s smiles burning into my brain. I felt a sick twist in my gut as Amber blew him a kiss, and he returned it without a second thought.

I snapped out of my trance and quickly texted my assistant.

Me: "Cancel the rest of my meetings for today. I need to take care of something."

I grabbed my keys without another word. If Darren thought he could go ahead with this wedding, if he thought I wouldn’t find out, he was wrong. I had to see it for myself. I had to confront him.

Two days. That’s how long I had to prepare myself for what was coming.

***

Two days later, I found myself driving my sleek black sports car—the same one Darren's used to borrow often. It felt strange to be in the driver’s seat instead of him, but something about it felt right, like I was reclaiming a part of what was mine. I needed answers!

The wedding venue was on the outskirts of town, tucked away behind a set of tall iron gates, surrounded by gardens and towering oak trees. As I parked, I noticed the crowd gathering outside. There was no mistaking the lavishness of the event.

I walked past the rows of luxury cars, making my way toward the entrance, where a massive banner hung overhead: "Warmly Welcoming Mr. Herault, CEO of International Group of Companies, to the Wedding!"

I felt a wave of nausea hit me. So that’s what this was all about! All this time, I thought I was the one helping Darren get ahead, but really, he’d been using me the whole time. And now, here he was, planning to marry Amber, showing off his connection to a successful, well-known entrepreneur.

Inside, the chatter was nonstop. I scanned the crowd, spotting familiar faces from my past. Everyone was here for Amber, all here to watch her step into a new life with Darren. I hung back near the back, unnoticed at first.

Amber stood under the big banner, glowing in her white wedding gown. The crowd buzzed around her, all excited and envious.

“Amber, you’ve outdone yourself! Marrying Mr. Herault? And here of all places?! Wow.”

“I can’t believe you kept this a secret! The CEO of the International Group of Companies! What a match.”

“Our little Amber, finally making it to the top. Don’t forget us when you’re a high-society queen!”

Even our old high school science teacher, Wilma Rudolph, was there, practically gushing. “Amber, I always knew you were destined for big things. That’s why I never pressured you in class. I mean, a girl like you doesn’t need grades when she has natural charm!”

Amber was loving it, smiling bigger with every compliment, looking like she was the star of a Hollywood movie.

I stayed at the back, bitterness swirling inside me as I clenched my purse. Amber’s words from the live stream replayed in my mind, and now seeing her, acting all perfect, only made my blood boil.

I wasn’t going to make a scene—at least, not yet. I needed to stay calm.

But staying calm was harder than I thought.

As I moved closer, the atmosphere shifted. The people who’d been fawning over Amber just seconds ago now turned their attention to me, their faces twisting from curiosity to disdain.

One of Amber’s little followers stepped forward, her eyes darting to the black sports car parked behind me. She sneered. “Elliana, really? Renting a luxury car to show off at Amber’s wedding? That’s desperate, even for you! Pff.”

The others joined in with their mocking comments.

“No wonder you’re here. Trying to steal the spotlight, huh?”

“Let me guess— you borrow it from a friend.”

“Some people just don’t know when to quit. As if pretending to be rich can ever compare to Amber’s real-life fairytale!”

I held my ground, not letting their words get to me. “It’s not borrowed,” I said, keeping my tone calm. “It’s my car.”

The group fell silent for a moment, their faces unreadable.

Then Amber’s voice cut through the air. “Your car? Huh!”

I barely had time to react before her hand swung through the air and slapped me across the face. The sting was instant, my cheek burning from the hit.

Amber’s face twisted with rage. “Don’t you dare lie to me! That’s Darren’s car—my fiancé’s sports car!”

The crowd gasped. Whispers rippled through the room.

“I knew Darren was seeing someone behind my back,” Amber spat. “But I didn’t think it was you, bitch! You shameless tramp! Driving his car to my wedding? Are you here to taunt me?”

That was it. I couldn’t keep quiet anymore. I straightened up, locking eyes with Amber. “Amber,” I said, my voice steady, “you might want to think carefully before making accusations you can’t back up.”

Her nostrils flared. “Accusations?! You’ve been sneaking around with Darren behind my back, haven’t you? Admit it!”

I took a slow, deep breath, ignoring the murmurs around me. The crowd was hanging on every word like they were watching a reality show.

“Amber, is that really Mr. Herault’s car?” someone gasped, voice full of disbelief.

Amber just smirked, chin up in that smug way she always did when she had something to flaunt. “Of course, it’s his!” she said, acting like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Why would I lie about something so clear? It's my Darren's car!”

Then, with exaggerated flair, she pulled out her phone and started scrolling through pictures of her and Darren, all smiles and posing together in the car, showing off their ‘perfect’ relationship. There were shots of them laughing, cuddling up, and, of course, photos of Darren proudly standing next to *his* sports car.

“No way… It really is Mr. Herault's car! So, Elliana must’ve been the one messing around with him all along!”

Amber’s face twisted, her eyes narrowing at me. “I knew it!” she snapped, her voice full of hate. “You were always playing the other woman, weren’t you?”

People started muttering, all eyes on me now. It felt like the whole world had turned against me.

“I can’t believe this! Elliana always acted like she was better than everyone, and now we find out she was sneaking around behind Amber’s back?” someone whispered loud enough for me to hear.

“Ms. Elliana Rosewood! I always thought you were the quiet, mysterious type. Guess that was just an act!” even my science teacher added, full of disgust.

A third voice joined in, “She’s been showing off that luxury car everywhere, and now it all makes sense. She's just another woman trying to latch onto Darren for his money!”

I clenched my jaw, trying to stay calm. There was no way I was going to let Amber win this. No way I was going to let her control this moment.

But before I could say anything, Amber sneered and pointed at me. “Oh, look at you, still pretending to be innocent. You’re not fooling anyone. You’ve been hanging around my fiancé for months, acting all high and mighty, but now the truth is out!”

The crowd held its breath, waiting for me to respond, all eyes burning into me. I had to stay strong. “You think Darren cares about you, Amber? He’s been using you. You’re just a pawn in his game.”

“Don’t you dare talk about Darren like that!” she hissed. “He loves me, and I’m going to be his wife! You have no place here.”

The crowd fell silent for a moment. Then, Amber’s eyes flicked to the car, and a wicked grin spread across her face. “That’s Darren’s car, right? You think you can show up here, driving his car? Trying to act like you’ve got it all?” she mocked.

Before I could respond, Amber bent down, grabbed a jagged stone from the ground, and dragged it across the side of my car. The screech of stone on metal made my stomach twist.

I stared at the deep scratches carved into the paint, my heart sinking. “You’ll regret this, Amber.”

But…

Amber wasn’t done! Fueled by anger, she picked up another stone and threw it at the windshield with all her might. The glass shattered instantly, spiderweb cracks spreading across it. She didn’t stop. Grabbing another stone, she smashed the headlights, the mirrors, and the hood. Her rage was completely out of control.

“You don’t deserve anything nice!” she screamed.

The crowd, hyped up by Amber’s destruction, joined in. People grabbed anything they could—stones, sticks, even their shoes—and began tearing into my car. I just stood there, watching, as my once-beautiful luxury car was reduced to nothing.

“Isn’t this just perfect?” someone from the crowd shouted. “Elliana’s been pretending to be something she’s not, and now she’s getting what she deserves!”

I stood tall, refusing to let them see how much this was breaking me. Their insults stung, but nothing compared to the betrayal that still burned inside me.

Then, one of the onlookers pried open the trunk, their voice rising with excitement. “Hey, look what’s inside! She’s got designer bags and shoes in here!”

Amber’s eyes lit up as she stepped forward, her cruel smile growing. She pulled out a limited-edition handbag, the fine stitching and craftsmanship unmistakable. She held it up for everyone to see.

“Elliana,” she sneered, “a woman like you owning something this exclusive? You’re a joke!”

I met her gaze without flinching. “Those items are worth more than you could ever imagine,” I said, calm despite everything. “You don’t know what you’re messing with.”

Amber laughed bitterly. “Oh, I know exactly what I’m doing.” With that, she tossed the bag to the ground and stomped on it, grinding her heel into the delicate leather.

She grabbed another item—a pair of limited-edition heels—and waved them in the air. “These? From Darren, right?” she demanded. “You think you can take what’s mine?”

Before I could even respond, she threw the shoes to the ground and smashed them with a nearby rock.

“Everything in here probably came from my fiancé,” Amber spat. “And since it’s technically mine, I have every right to destroy it. I absolutely HATE mistresses!”

The crowd cheered her on as she wrecked my belongings—bags were slashed open, heels snapped in half, and people joined in, tearing and stomping on whatever they could grab.

“You should’ve stayed away from Darren!” Amber screamed, throwing a pair of broken shoes at my feet. “You’ve been nothing but a parasite, clinging to him for money and gifts!”

I clenched my fists, holding back the tears that were threatening to spill. “You’re wrong about everything,” I said quietly, but firmly. “And when the truth comes out, you’ll regret all of this.”

Amber’s face twisted in fury. “The truth?” she mocked. “The only truth here is that you’re a shameless homewrecker!”

I reached for my phone to call the police, but Amber lunged at me, snatching it from my hand. With a smirk, she threw it to the ground and stomped on it, smashing it into pieces.

“You think you can call the cops after what you’ve done?” she yelled. “You don’t get to play the victim!”

Then her eyes landed on the bracelet I was wearing—a delicate piece with a shimmering gemstone. Her expression darkened. “That bracelet. Did you get that with my fiancé’s money too?”

Before I could react, she yanked it off my wrist, leaving me gasping!

“Give it back!” I shouted, reaching for it.

Amber smirked, dangling the bracelet between her fingers. The delicate chain shimmered in the sunlight, but in her grasp, it felt tainted—like everything else she touched. “This?” she mocked, her tone dripping with cruelty. “You should’ve stayed in your place, Elliana. You never belonged in Darren’s world.”

My chest tightened, but I forced myself to stay calm. “Amber, please. That’s not just a bracelet. It belonged to my mom. It’s all I have left of her.”

Amber’s grin widened as if my pain was her fuel. “Oh, save it. You didn’t care about anyone else’s feelings when you went after Darren. Now you want sympathy?” She lifted the bracelet higher, taunting me like a cat playing with its prey.