Chapter 1
It was my fifth birthday with Matthew Brooks, and just like every year before, I sat alone at the table staring at the cold dishes I'd prepared.
As always, Matthew had promised to celebrate with me, but once again, he broke that promise.
This time, he skipped out because his first crush wanted to shoot a photoshoot. She invited Matthew and a few of his close friends to be in it. Without hesitation, he left me behind and ran straight into his first crush's arms.
At eleven that night, Matthew's first crush posted a photo on Instagram, visible only to me.
In the picture, four men wearing nothing but underwear and bow ties knelt on one knee, surrounding a woman dressed in sheer fabric.
The caption read: [Some people can't even get a little piece of cake, but I've got the whole bakery.]
I took a screenshot and sent it to the girlfriends of Matthew's three friends.
If they all looked down on me that much, then I hoped they wouldn't bother coming to me for anything in the future.
I stared at the photo on Instagram, feeling my heart quietly shatter inside.
The warm yellow light bathed the four guys, dressed only in black boxers and Windsor bow ties, making them look almost godlike.
They were half-kneeling around a woman, their eyes filled with submission and loyalty, looking at her like she was their queen, untouchable and above them all.
The woman was wrapped in a nearly transparent black veil, her curves barely hidden beneath it, overflowing with raw, primal desire.
Her expression was proud, and her aura was so intense that one couldn't even meet her gaze.
The caption on the Instagram post was dripping with provocation.
The caption read: [Some people can't even get a little piece of cake, but I've got the whole bakery.]
I looked at the cold food on the table, then at the photo of Matthew and his three buddies looking like tamed lapdogs on Instagram. Suddenly, I just didn't feel angry anymore.
If I knew it wasn't worth it, then what was there to get mad about?
I liked Lily White's post, then left a comment: [Perfect match, bitch and lapdog, together forever.]
After commenting, I took another screenshot and sent it to the girlfriends of Matthew's three buddies. The moment I finished, the post magically disappeared.
About ten minutes later, my phone started blowing up with messages.
I lit up the screen and saw messages from Matthew's three buddies.
Leo Lewis: [Charlotte, are you out of your mind? What does it matter to you if I help Lily with a photoshoot?
[And you just had to snitch to my girlfriend, huh? Why can't you keep your mouth shut? Now she's pissed at me. Happy now?]
Eric Archer: [Charlotte, you crazy bitch. What did I ever do to you? Why the hell would you send that to my girlfriend? If you're that bored, go jump off a bridge and stop losing your shit here.]
Simon Sutton: [You nasty bitch, always sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. Did I beat you up or something? I hope your whole damn family gets run over by a truck the second they step outside.]
Reading through the nasty messages from those three, I was just about to clap back when my phone lit up with a call from Matthew.
I picked up, and Matthew's pissed-off voice blasted through the line. "Charlotte, why are you acting crazy at this hour?
"Because you just had to stir up drama, now Leo and the other two's girlfriends are all freaking out and threatening to dump them.
"Do you even get how much mess you've made? Are you really that bitter you can't stand seeing anyone else happy?"
He continued, "Now Lily's crying her eyes out, blaming herself for everything, and it's all on you.
"I don't care what you're doing right now. Get over here, explain yourself, and apologize to Lily. Otherwise, don't expect me to ever go easy on you again."
"Lily's crying?" I asked.
He snapped, "Of course. If you hadn't made Lily cry, do you think I'd be this mad at you? I've let you get away with way too much; you're just getting more and more out of control."
I sneered, "So, while she's bawling her eyes out, is she still wrapped up in that busted net that can't even cover her headlights?
"And when you guys are trying to comfort her, are you all still rocking those identical black boxers?"
Matthew's voice suddenly went stiff. "Charlotte, quit the drama. I seriously have no clue what you're even talking about."
"Oh, really?" I sent him the screenshot of the Instagram post. "Matthew, with Lily dressed that slutty. Did you or any of your buddies get turned on during the photoshoot?"
Matthew hung up on me.