Chapter 5

[The Robertson family is full of troublemakers. George is the school bully who messes around, and Benjamin is the heartthrob who's even wilder. Is Martha really going to take on both of them at the same time?]

I was still reading the post Maya had sent me.

Benjamin kicked open my door, strode right up to me, and snatched my phone out of my hand.

His eyes locked onto the post, and he smashed my phone onto the floor.

"Were you the one who had those photos posted?" he demanded.

"Aubrey, I told you, it was just a game. Was that really necessary?" he snapped.

"Do you even get that everyone's tearing Martha apart right now? She's a girl, and with everything going on with her mom, she's already dealing with enough. Why do you have to make things even worse for her?" he shouted.

After Benjamin finished yelling, it finally hit me what he was talking about.

"You really think I had someone post that?" I asked.

"Wasn't it you?" he shot back.

I couldn't help but snort, giving him a sarcastic chuckle. "Benjamin, how long have we actually known each other?"

"What?" he frowned.

I bent down to pick up my phone. The screen was shattered in a spiderweb pattern, and tiny shards of glass stabbed into the pads of my fingers, each one burning like a poisoned needle. The pain was sharp, radiating deep inside me.

"Aubrey, jealous girls are totally unreasonable," Benjamin said.

"How long I've known you has nothing to do with it," he added.

Benjamin sounded absolutely sure of himself.

I forced a smile and looked up to meet his eyes, but all he saw in mine was disappointment.

I kept telling myself I was over Benjamin, but that didn't stop the sting of feeling wronged.

"So, Benjamin, since you've already made up your mind about me, what do you expect me to do now?" I asked.

He replied, "Delete the post and publicly apologize to Martha."

"And what if I don't?" I shot back.

Suddenly, Benjamin seemed to lose all his fight, his voice dropping. "Aubrey, Martha's innocent."

"I know you don't like her, but if it hadn't been for her back then, I'd be dead," he said quietly.

"So, could you do me a favor and just leave Martha alone?" he pleaded.

"She's not that calculating. She could never outplay you," he added.

I was totally blindsided, and a sharp ache stabbed through my chest.

'So Benjamin really thinks I'm more manipulative than Martha?' I thought.

Twenty years as childhood friends, and now, it was all for nothing.

In the end, I kicked Benjamin out. Just as he was leaving, he shot me a warning. "Aubrey, if you insist on going against Martha, don't blame me for siding with her."

I snapped at him, "Get lost!"

The moment the door slammed shut, the tears I'd been holding back finally spilled over.

Back in my previous life, those three years holed up in that fancy villa out in the suburbs, I barely ever went out or talked to anyone. I was just like those sheltered girls in old tales, locked away in their family compounds, always hoping their husbands would show up.

I felt miserable back then, but I knew it was a life I'd chosen for myself.

No matter how much it stung, I had to just suck it up and keep quiet.

But no matter what happened back then, I never lost it like I did today. Even when Benjamin himself dragged me to that bungee jump, none of it ever felt as bad as today.

But now, the boy I fell head over heels for at fifteen had finally faded into nothing after all these years.

At last, I made my choice.

I grabbed my phone and shot George a couple of texts.

I said: [Do you want to be the heir of the Robertson family?]

[I'll help you do it.]

Two days later, right before the Kingsbridge University sports meet started, I finally got what Benjamin meant when he said he'd take Martha's side.

Benjamin posted a statement on the Kingsbridge University message board.

[Martha and I are just regular friends. We didn't kiss. Those photos were just misleading.]

[My girlfriend Aubrey got jealous and started those rumors. I'm apologizing to Martha for her, and I hope everyone can chill out and stop attacking people.]

With just a few lines, he barely even mentioned what happened between them yesterday.

And then he went ahead and pinned everything on me.

Benjamin had the admin take down yesterday's post, and now all the new threads were just people dragging me nonstop.

[Is this a plot twist or what? I always thought Martha was pretty chill. No way she'd be the side chick. Looks like Miss Dotson is just starting some girl-on-girl rivalry.]

[Aubrey's got a massive attitude and acts like she's royalty just because of her heart condition. Everyone has to walk on eggshells around her, like she's about to break. Honestly, she struts around Kingsbridge like she owns the place.]

[Spreading rumors is just disgusting. Aubrey should just drop dead from a heart attack already.]

Before I could scroll any further, my friend Maya Wells snatched my phone out of my hand, her face twisted with anger.

"Seriously, is Benjamin out of his mind?" she snapped.

"Isn't he your fiancé? I mean, it's bad enough he's blatantly siding with Martha, but why does he have to throw you under the bus like that?" she fumed.

I took my phone back. "We broke up."

Maya stared at me, completely shocked. "Seriously? You're not joking, are you?"

I gave her a wry smile. "Why would I lie to you? It's really over."