Semua Bab She Scammed, I Got Blamed: Bab 1 - Bab 9

Yasmin stood dead center in the square, her tear-streaked face glowing under the giant screen behind her—where my photo was plastered in HD."Bella," she cried, "You're a beauty influencer with a million followers. You make tens of thousands from a single video. But that $50,000... that's all my savings. Please, I'm begging you to give it back!"If we weren't best friends... if I hadn't trusted you so much, how else would I have been scammed?"You spend thousands on a single outfit, but that money took me years to save! My parents need it—for medical bills, for retirement. I'll do anything for you—be your servant, your assistant. Just give me back my money!"Then she dropped to her knees.Phones shot up in every direction. People snapped photos, hit the 'go live' button."What the hell? Bella scammed her friend?""Are influencers seriously this heartless? She makes bank without lifting a finger, and she still scams her own friend out of her savings?""Think about it. If that gi

It hit me instantly—Yasmin was doing this on purpose.She knew exactly what had happened. She'd been scammed, but she wasn't about to take the loss herself. No, she was hellbent on making me foot the bill.What puzzled me was why. Yasmin knew me better than anyone. She knew I'd never ask someone for money—not even a close friend. It just wasn't who I was.Besides, when the scam went down, I'd been in the storage room sorting PR packages. I didn't even have my phone on me. Her room faced that storage area directly. She had to have seen me in there.So why would she transfer fifty grand without asking any questions?Something wasn't adding up.As I mulled over the details, Yasmin started sobbing again.Zack returned with a glass of water, all soft concern. "Here, Yasmin." He handed her a tissue. "Don't worry. Since Bella's involved, I'll make sure she takes responsibility. You won't lose that fifty grand for nothing."Yasmin latched onto his arm, eyes wide and hopeful. "Really? I

Yasmin basically lived in the living room now, livestreaming every second."Bella, I don't even have money for food. My parents are gone, and the only way I can survive is by livestreaming. You don't mind, right?"She then turned to her audience, giving them that pitiful look. "Guys, I know I'm not a big influencer like Bella, making tens of thousands from a single post. But if I work hard enough, I believe I can make a living. Hard work is all I've got to make up for my losses."The comments rolled in fast:[We've got your back! Hard work beats fame any day. Bella totally forgot where she came from.][You're so pitiful. Just unfollowed Bella—supporting you now, Yasmin!][Bella's living it up while the real victim has to grind just to get by. What kind of world is this?]Off-camera, Yasmin flashed me a smug, taunting glance. "Bella, wasn't your whole brand built on the 'hardworking girl' thing? Funny how tables turn. Now I'm the one grinding."I lazily flipped through a magazin

I didn't call the cops right away.Instead, I said, "You had access to my computer."We'd lived together for years, splitting rent like besties. I never took calls at home, never held meetings inside. But I never locked my bedroom door either. Stupid, right? Yasmin could've easily taken advantage of that.Then there was Zack. My dear brother. Lately, he and Yasmin had been real friendly. Too friendly. And since Zack used to handle my business accounts, he had access to my devices, too.I locked eyes with Yasmin. "Those HD beauty videos? The ones supposedly locked on my encrypted drive? You leaked them. And the IP address linked to the scam? That was you too, wasn't it?"Yasmin spun around. "I don't know what you're talking about."But her eyes gave her away. Panic.Still, one piece of the puzzle didn't fit—who was her partner in crime? There was no way she pulled this off alone.I didn't expose her outright. Too easy. Instead, I let the internet do what it does best: dig. I dro

I shot Jenny a quick text. Yasmin didn't notice.She hissed through gritted teeth, "I don't get it. How are you so lucky? The scammer tipped you fifty grand, and the police report didn't even mention it."I knew exactly what she was thinking.The thing is, the cops left that part out on purpose—made it seem like just another wild rumor. That's why public opinion flipped so fast in my favor.But it wasn't luck. The account that sent me the money? Tied to a money-laundering ring. The police decided to dig deeper.Yasmin asked again, "Don't you want to know who's behind this? Who's been trying to ruin you?"I stayed cool. "If you're that desperate, you'll tell me eventually."I'd already run through the list in my head. Plenty of people would love to see me crash and burn. Jealous competitors, ex-friends, bitter fans. Not everyone wanted to see me win.Success always comes with a side of hate. That's just how it is.Yasmin's tone shifted. "Give me thirty grand, and I'll tell you