Ethan roughly pulled his hand away from Emily's grasp,ignoring her stumble.
He rushed to me,pleading,“Sarah,I had no idea what was really going on.”
“I didn’t mean to ruin you.Please,listen.”

I sneered at his regretful eyes.“Ethan,you got me fired,let strangers insults at me,plastered my face everywhere,and bullied me online.”
“Do you really think a few words can make up for all that?”
Impossible.
He knew it.
He pulled out his phone,deleting the smear videos.
“Sarah,give me a chance.I’ll fix everything.”

He glanced at Emily,then me,hopeful.
Now you felt sorry?
Too late.
“Never,”I said,each word clear.

I’d already received a much better job offer.
My old company,swayed by Ethan before,begged me back.
I’d never return to a place where he still had any sway.
The new job paid more,with better conditions—there is no reason to look back.
Ethan thought I was sulking.
After he cleared my name online,the trolls turned on him.
Karma.
The respected Dr.Harper,cursed by strangers—humiliating.
I expected him to cling to Emily.
Instead,he cut her off completely.
So when Emily texted me,I was shocked.
It was the same number that called me a homewrecker.
“Sarah,what kind of spell did you put on Ethan? I'm the one he truly loves.”
“You're the one who's been meddling,you wretch!”
The filth wasn’t worth a reply.
A few days later,Emily showed up at my new office,haggard,eyes swollen.
“Can we talk?”she croaked.
Curious,I agreed.
At a café,her usual arrogance was gone,her tone pleading.
“Sarah,I shouldn’t have gotten involved in your marriage.I was wrong.”
“But you’re divorced now.Stop getting in the way of us.He won’t even see me.”
She and Ethan were two of a kind—shameless,blaming others.
“No one forced you to fake your death,”I said.
“And you the reason his mother died.”
She snapped up,furious.“If his mom hadn’t stopped your divorce,I’d be with Ethan!”
“She brought it on herself.Why are you blaming me?”
I stirred my drink,spotting Ethan behind her,face dark with rage.
Emily followed my gaze,gasping,“Sarah,this is another trap!”
I hadn’t planned this—I was as surprised as her.
Bad timing.
Ethan didn’t let her explain.“Emily,how long are you going to keep up this charade?”
His expression was just like when he'd felt betrayed in the past.
Her schemes were doomed.
I grabbed my things,left them to sort out their mess on their own.
I was done with their mess.
I had more important things to do.