3
leaned into the mic. “Sorry, I could never hurt a man, but your money? It’s all mine!”
Silence from Andrew’s end, broken only by the faint rustle of fabric against skin.
This has to do it. He’s got to call me crazy now.
nstead, after a soft, mocking chuckle, he hung up. The dial tone was merciless, swallowed instantly by the
noise in the studio.
The host, his face a mask of awkwardness, tried to save the situation. “It seems Mr. Vance is really tired after that all–nighter.”
The chat stream was a frenzy.
LOL, he couldn’t even be bothered to talk to you. Get a clue, Lily!]
This is the cutest! Andrew really was sleeping. Maybe just two hours ago, Chloe was lying in the same bed vith him! Awww.]
16.48
16.48
Chapter 1
[Get lost, Lily. You’re a homewrecker. And after Chloe was so nice to you! People who backstab their friends deserve the worst!]
I wanted to cry. Andrew’s tongue was usually so venomous he could probably poison himself just by licking his own lips. Why, the one time I actually needed his toxic personality, did he fail me?!
The camera was still relentlessly focused on my phone.
I frowned, about to exit the messaging app, when a text notification slid down from the top of my screen.
[Your account ending in 8975 received a wire transfer of $1,500,000.00 on Sep 11 at 08:13 AM…]
Wait. What?!
One, five, with five zeroes after it? One and a half million dollars?!
Did Andrew send this while he was half–asleep?! This much money felt less like a loan and more like a morb- idly generous funeral offering.
The studio erupted. A collective gasp sucked the air out of the room as everyone stared, mesmerized, at the
long string of numbers on my screen.
The host shouted, “Did Mr. Vance just send you that?!”
“No, no, it’s probably my salary from the studio…”
Before I could finish my lie, a flood of messages from Andrew filled our chat window.
[There’s your money.]
[And for the record, I’m not wearing any clothes.]
[I dare you to video call me.]
And in the next instant, the shrill ring of a video call filled the studio.
