When White Turns Away

With that, I had no choice but to feign resignation and nod.

Right then, her phone's ringtone cut through the silence.

She flipped her phone over in a flash, but not before I caught a glimpse of the bold letters on the screen.

[Max Hubby]

Jane clutched her phone, her lips a tight line, her voice tinged with anxiety.

"Honey, something urgent came up at work. You go ahead and sleep, okay?"

With those words, she dashed to the home office, making sure to lock the door behind her.

I casually tapped into the office's security feed.

She must have forgotten that for safety's sake, we have got cameras in every room.

The screen lit up to a scene that was hard to stomach.

Jane, who promised to wait until her wedding night, was then slipping off her sole piece of sleepwear.

Without a second thought, she was video flirting with her so-called guy bestie.

Her smug voice came through loud and clear.

"Don't sweat it. The wedding dress thing is all set. I knew Seth, the yes-man, would cave!

"What if his mom made it before she died? It's hideous and outdated! Your revamped mini-skirt version is way more my style!

"Seriously, if it wasn't for his trust-fund kid status, who'd stick with Mr. Stick-in-the-Mud? Imagine his face at the wedding tomorrow when he sees what I'm wearing. He'll probably go pale!"

She turned the call volume down low, and whatever the guy said made Jane giggle and scold.

"You're terrible! Tempting me so late at night~ Just wait, I'll take good care of you tonight, my love!"

With that, she ended the call and crept back into the bedroom.

I shut off my phone and lay still, feigning sleep.

Jane did not seem to care about waking me, as she dug through the closet with abandon.

I watched her face turn red as she slipped into a bunny costume, threw on a coat, and left.

A wave of nausea hit me, and I rushed to the bathroom, gagging over the sink.

Everywhere Jane touched felt tainted and sticky.

Rage bubbled inside me, a constant roar in my head, urging me to confront and punish the cheating couple.

However, it was not time yet. I slapped my own face, a sharp reminder to stay focused.

I whipped out my phone and shot a text to my assistant.

[Get every last one of Jane's family and friends, plus her work buddies, to the wedding. Oh, and set up eight HD cameras for a live feed,] I instructed.

The assistant was on it in a flash, his reply a mix of professional and personal.

[Ms. Lawrence would be so moved to know you're this devoted! Wishing you both a lifetime of joy!]

I read his well-wishes, a bitter laugh stuck in my throat.

After a heavy silence, I sent him an encrypted video with a stern warning.

[This is a special video for Jane's eyes only at the wedding. Keep it under wraps, got it?]

Once he confirmed, I collapsed onto the bed, my heart heavy.

Seven years of love, rotten from the get-go.

Hearing Jane's voice with Max was the last straw. I was done.

I tracked her phone to a hotel room and called without a second thought.

…

It rang and rang before she picked up, her breathless voice unable to hide the truth.

"Honey~ What's up?

"Why aren't you home? It's late," I asked, my voice a calm veneer over the icy storm in my gaze.

"I, my bestie, just flew in for the wedding, no place to crash. I was just getting her settled in at the hotel," she blurted out.

"Oh, really?" My voice turned frosty in an instant.

I booted the hotel door open, and there they were, Jane and Max Carter, caught in the act, their guilty figures laid bare before me.

"Ah!!!!"

The second Jane caught sight of me, she let out a shriek and snatched up the quilt, wrapping herself up like a burrito.

There I was, phone in hand, recording the whole scene with a poker face.

"So, this is your 'bestie'?" I asked.

Jane's eyes flashed with fury as she slapped my phone away.

"Seth, are you out of your mind? Spying on me? Really?"

Max, lounging like he owned the place, shot me a challenging look.

"Babe, did I mess up? Should I bail before Mr. Ferguson flips out over what I did to the dress? He's not going to be happy!"

Jane's voice was a soothing whisper to him.