Bestie's Tape Was Budget Content

Cecilia's voice blasted through the phone, raw and ragged.

"Jolene, please! Delete the video!"

I lounged back in a chair at the lodge, tracing the rim of my coffee mug.

"Why would I do that? Honestly, the video's not bad. Good lighting. Good angles. Seems like a waste to delete it. Besides, you sent it to me. I don't keep things that aren't worth something."

Silence.

Two seconds later, she lost it.

"Do you even know that's illegal? Jolene Johnston, what the hell is wrong with you? Luther and I are in love, and you still tried to destroy us! I was so stupid to be your best friend for seven years!"

I laughed.

Best friend?

On my third wedding anniversary, she'd climbed into bed with my husband wearing the silk pajamas I'd bought her for her birthday.

In my bed.

Then she'd recorded it and sent me the video.

[Did you enjoy it?]

Yeah. Real best-friend behavior.

She stabbed me in the back, then somehow turned herself into the victim.

"Jolene? Did you hear me? Say something!"

I held the phone to my ear.

"Then wasn't it illegal for you to send me a private video of my husband just to piss me off? Want me to call the cops and ask whether that counts as distributing obscene content or violating someone's privacy?"

Dead silence.

Then the call disconnected.

Cecilia had hung up.

I lowered my phone and looked out at the mountains rolling across the horizon.

The breeze carried the scent of grass and trees.

It didn't help.

Nothing could.

But that was fine.

This was just the start.

My screen barely went dark before it lit up again.

Luther.

I answered.

"Jolene, you've gone too far."

His voice sounded exhausted, but the anger underneath was obvious.

"Do you have any idea how much damage that video caused?"

"How much?" I leaned back. "Be specific. Did your company's stock tank? Is the board getting ready to kick you out?"

Bullseye.

The line went quiet.

When he spoke again, his voice had gone cold.

"I'm giving you one last chance. Take the video down. Then make a public statement saying it was an AI fake. Tell everyone you're mentally unstable and spread false rumors on purpose. Do that, and I'll consider forgiving you.

"I might even let you keep your position as Mrs. Boyd."

Forgive me?

Let me keep my position?

I laughed. "Lucky me."

My voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Don't bother. Let's get divorced."