Chapter 3

He thought I didn't have him on speaker.

I snorted. "Mark, you ditched me at the highway rest area just so you could run off and play hero for your darling Megan?"

The line went dead silent for a moment.

After a few seconds, Mark's voice came back, full of panic. "Susan? Wait. How did you even—"

"How did I what?" I cut him off. "Was I supposed to sit here like some clueless fool, just waiting for you to come rescue me? Or should I have believed that whole 'urgent work emergency' story you fed me?"

"No, Susan, it's not what you think. Just hear me out," Mark sounded flustered.

I laughed, the sound sharp. "Fine, then you tell me how the gifts I bought for my parents ended up in Megan's car?"

As I spoke, I aimed my phone straight at the camera and played the dashcam video.

Mark and Megan appeared in full view, their voices and every single word picked up loud and clear.

"You really care about family. You always put my mom before anyone else," Mark said.

"Of course. Your mom's basically my second mom. Not like some people who only ever worry about their own family," Megan replied.

After the video ended, I stopped playing it and turned the camera back on myself.

"Mark, anything else you want to say for yourself?" I asked.

All I could hear from Mark was his heavy, ragged breathing.

The chat was absolutely wild.

[Scumbag. So, this whole thing was a scam.]

[Feel bad for Susan. She's been playing for ages.]

[Megan's the worst. Total side chick—such a manipulative slut.]

[Boycott this scumbag. Get him out of the streaming world.]

The chat turned on him instantly—everyone was backing me up without hesitation.

Mark was freaking out. He was losing his mind over the chat blowing up.

"Susan, are you crazy? Shut the livestream down, now. This is family stuff. Do you really have to blast it for everyone to see?" Mark yelled.

"Family stuff?" I fired back. "The second you snuck off and handed over everything we own to your little girlfriend, this stopped being family business. It's a crime."

My voice wasn't loud, but every word landed like a slap.

"You think I went live just to drag your name through the mud?" I sneered.

I paused, staring at the number of viewers shooting up onscreen, a wicked grin curling on my lips. "No, I'm going to make sure you leave with absolutely nothing. You'll be out the door with empty pockets."

"Susan, don't go too far," Mark snapped, his voice taut with anger. "I'm warning you. This is only going to blow up in your face. Don't forget, even a mouse will bite when cornered."

"Oh? Is that so?" I took my time strolling into the rest lounge, chose a seat by the window, and made myself comfortable. "Fine, let's see how this cornered mouse decides to bite."

"You—!" Mark was so pissed that he couldn't even get a full sentence out.

Then I heard Megan say. "Mark, don't get so angry. Just talk it out with Susan. She probably just isn't thinking straight."

Her voice came through, soft and fragile. "Susan, I'm sorry. It's all my fault. Please don't blame Mark. He's just being a good son. Claire's been unwell and keeps asking me to stay with her. Mark honestly had no choice."

Wow, look at her—playing the sweet innocent angel.

With just a couple of sentences, she totally flipped the narrative, played the sympathy card, and made Mark look like some innocent guy who was just caught in the crossfire between family and love.

Mark grabbed that excuse like a drowning man clutching a rope, instantly pouring his heart out and crying into the phone.

"Susan, I messed up. It's all because of my mom. She's never liked you. She thinks you're too focused on your career, and... that you can't give her grandchildren, so she's always plotting to swap you out for Megan.

"I've been under so much pressure. I'm stuck between you two, and I'm about to lose it. Everything I did today was just me losing my mind, I swear."

He was sobbing and whining, putting on a show like he was the real victim here.

Megan was right there backing him up, spamming the chat nonstop with comments from her own account.

[Susan, I'm sorry. I'll step back. Just forgive Mark, please.]

[Mark really loves you. He's just too devoted to his mom.]

They were totally tag-teaming, trying to spin it into a classic family drama.

Some clueless viewers were actually starting to buy it.

[Caught between your wife and your mother? Man, that's a tough spot for any guy.]

[Is Susan maybe being a little too bossy here?]

[He left his wife stranded on the highway just for his mom. Why are some people speaking for him? Are they out of their mind?]

As I read those comments, I couldn't help but chuckle.

Tough spot, huh? This was the exact line I'd been waiting for.

"Mark," I cut off his whining, my tone icy and razor-sharp, "Since you're such a devoted son, let me ask you.

"Does Claire know you used our marital assets to rent a downtown apartment for your sweet Megan? And not just any place—seven grand a month."

Mark's sobs stopped dead.

I didn't let up. "Does Claire know you've bought Megan twelve designer bags in the past year? That's almost twenty million dollars, just for her.

"And does she know you've been flying her off to Stney and Berhull every month, staying at the most expensive resorts, all while calling it business trips?"

With every word from me, Mark's breathing grew heavier and more ragged.

"So, was Claire forcing you to do all this, too?" I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

I turned my tablet to the camera, holding it up so everyone watching could see every detail.

On the screen were crystal-clear bank statements, online transfers, and hotel bookings—everything spelled out in black and white, nothing left to the imagination.

Every single reservation? Mark's name was right there.

And every payee? Straight to Megan.

Proof that couldn't be denied.

I shot back, my voice dripping with sarcasm, "Mark, is that what you call being a good son? Blowing my hard-earned cash just to spoil your precious side chick?

"And all that so-called 'pressure'—that's your excuse after three years of lying and now dumping all your crap on me?"

The chat went dead silent again.

Everyone was left speechless, totally floored by the endless stream of bombshells.

On the other end of the line, it was so quiet that I could hear a pin drop.

I knew it—Mark and Megan were out of options, backed into a dead end. There was nowhere left for them to run.