Chapter 4
While waiting for my flight, I mindlessly scrolled through my phone when suddenly my
screen filled with a trending notification:
“HARVARD VALEDICTORIAN’S SEX TAPE LEAKED!”
So he’d released it after all. Any lingering feelings I had for him vanished into thin air.
I powered off my phone and permanently deleted my number.
Meanwhile, Parker fingered the small object in his pocket as he stepped onto the yacht
deck. His entourage immediately swarmed around him like vultures.
“Yo, Parker! Where’s Scarlett? We’re all waiting for the main event!” One buddy nudged
him, waving his phone. “Got everything set up.”
Rachel stood nearby in a white designer dress, champagne flute in hand, her smile dripping with anticipation. “Yeah, Parker. The prank’s no fun without the victim here.”
Parker stared at Rachel’s perfectly made–up face and felt a sudden tightness in his chest. His hand instinctively touched the inside pocket of his tuxedo where a velvet box held the pink diamond ring he’d inexplicably purchased yesterday.
“She’s… running late. Something came up.” Parker pulled out his phone then put it away,
his voice oddly strained.
A chorus of boos erupted from the group.
“Getting cold feet, bro?” someone taunted. “Weren’t you the one who wanted to humiliate
her in front of everyone?”
“Bullshit!” Parker snapped, his voice rising sharply as his knuckles turned white. “I said
she’ll be here, so she’ll fucking be here!”
The atmosphere instantly chilled. Rachel laughed lightly, diffusing the tension. “Why so
serious? Tonight’s my welcome–home celebration, remember?”
She looped her arm through Parker’s affectionately. “Let’s get some drinks first, babe.”
15:33
From Abandoning Him to Becoming an Empire Queen
2.6%
Chapter 4
All Parker could picture was Scarlett’s eyes–always warm, always kind. He remembered the jewelry store yesterday when the clerk asked, “Planning to propose, sir?” and how he
hadn’t denied it.
As night fell and the yacht party grew louder, Scarlett still hadn’t appeared.
When Parker checked his watch for the tenth time, someone finally broke. “Dude, did
Scarlett ghost you or what?”
Parker was getting worried too. He finally pulled out his phone to call her.
A robotic female voice answered: “We’re sorry, the number you have dialed is no longer in
service.”
Refusing to give up, he opened their text thread and quickly typed:
[Scarlett, where are you?]
Instantly, a red exclamation mark appeared next to his message.
“Holy shit! Did Scarlett block Parker?” Someone shouted, and the deck erupted into chaos.
Suddenly, everyone’s phones buzzed simultaneously.
Parker opened the trending news link. The headline read: “HARVARD VALEDICTORIAN’S
SEX TAPE LEAKED.”
Parker felt like he’d been drenched in ice water, his mind going blank.
“Who the FUCK posted this?!” Parker roared, his voice raw, eyes blazing red.
Rachel sauntered over in her stilettos, her perfectly made–up face wearing a look of feigned innocence. “Parker, we were going to ruin her anyway, so I just released it early…”
Parker grabbed a champagne bottle and smashed it violently on the deck. “I fucking HATE when people go behind my back!”
“Wait, something’s wrong!” Someone suddenly yelled out. “Why is Rachel’s face in the video?! Someone switched the footage!”
