Chapter 67

Valerie

The revelation hit me like a seismic shock, an earthquake shaking the very foundations of my understanding. "It is your freaking secretary, Melanie!" Shay's words echoed in my mind, a refrain of disbelief that I couldn't shake off. Melanie, the sweet, cute, and understanding secretary who had been over the moon about Laura and Drew's wedding, was the architect of their impending downfall. The irony of it all was staggering. She had worshipped them as a couple, and now she was the one who had orchestrated their public humiliation.

I sat there, my mind racing to process this unexpected betrayal. I had always considered Melanie an ally, someone who would be on Laura and Drew's side. The thought that she had played me, deceived me, left me double-shocked. I had anticipated backlash when the truth about my involvement in exposing Laura and Drew came out, but I never expected Melanie to be the one pulling the strings.

"God, I think I need to sit down," I muttered to my dad as my