Chapter 2

The photo was sent.

In the "The Terrell Family" group chat, the photo was glaringly out of place.

There was the bed in my bedroom, my silk nightgown, my husband with his bare chest, and Marisa's provocative smile.

I kept my eyes on the screen.

It felt like I could see right through the cold phone, straight into the storm that was about to erupt on the other side.

After all that, I wasn't done yet.

I tracked down Marisa's mother's contact and sent her a direct message.

I sent her the photo again.

Then I started typing, taking my sweet time. [Hi, Mrs. Terrell, Marisa is such a hardworking employee. Even this late, she's still pulling a late-night shift with my husband.]

[She even snaps pics in bed to report their 'work progress' to me. Looks like your family's legendary values aren't just rumors after all.]

I hit send.

After I was done, I put my phone on silent and tossed it onto the couch.

The world had never felt so quiet.

My heart didn't hurt anymore, and I didn't feel sick either.

All that was left inside me was ruins.

I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower.

Hot water poured down from above, but the warmth never reached me.

I washed myself, not really knowing how long I stood there.

I had no idea how much time had passed.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, the phone on the couch was still lighting up.

I picked it up and glanced at the screen.

The "The Terrell Family" group chat already had many unread messages.

I opened it, and for a few seconds, there was nothing but silence.

Then, someone sent a question mark.

Marisa's sister-in-law was the first to speak up. [Marisa? What's this? Did you send this by mistake?]

Then Marisa's brother burst into the chat. [Marisa, get your ass out here! Who the hell is that guy? What the hell is this photo? Are you out of your mind?]

Then the group chat exploded.

The chat blew up with shocked reactions, accusations, and insults.

Everyone mentioned Marisa, telling her to explain herself right this second.

Some were asking who the guy in the photo was, and whether he was married.

Marisa's mom sent a voice message. Her voice was sharp and trembling, almost crying. "Oh my God! What is happening here? Our family is doomed."

Marisa's dad didn't hold back. [I'm going to her office right now. I'll break her legs.]

I could almost see the Terrell family in total chaos right now, just from the other side of the phone.

Funny, wasn't it?

I left the group chat and checked Marisa's mom's direct messages.

She'd sent me more than a dozen messages.

She started out shocked, then got furious, and finally ended up pleading incoherently. [Aubriana, right? You're Camdyn's wife?]

[Please, Aubriana, just delete the photo! This is just a misunderstanding.]

[Marisa isn't that kind of girl. He must've tricked her.]

[Please, we can't handle this kind of shame.]

I read her messages and started typing back. [So now you're embarrassed, Mrs. Terrell?]

[Was she embarrassed when she got naked and climbed into my husband's bed?]

[Was she embarrassed when she sent me that photo just to rub it in?]

[Well, buckle up. The real drama's only just begun.]

Just then, the front door unlocked with a click.

Camdyn walked in.

He was humming to himself, clearly in high spirits. "Honey, I'm home..."

He froze mid-sentence when he caught the icy glare in my eyes.

He saw my red eyes and then spotted the phone screen still glowing on the coffee table.

His expression started to shift, bit by bit.

Almost at the same time, his phone started ringing like crazy.

He picked it up and checked the screen.

The caller ID showed just one name. "Marisa."

He looked at me, his eyes filled with panic and dread. "Aubriana, what... What have you done?"