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‘That tracks,’ Alex said. ‘I signed one, too.’

‘What about Erin?’ Leigh asked, needing to hear the end of this dreadful story. ‘You were both out, and she didn’t ask you to stay with her?’

‘I don’t think this will shock you, but after I got kicked out, I couldn’t get through to her. Blocked on everything.’

Leigh nodded. ‘You never spoke to her again?’

‘Once,’ Amanda said bitterly. ‘She called me after the photo went viral. She said she was sorry about the way she’d left me, but everything was tainted, and she needed to start fresh. But she’d always care about me, blah blah blah.’

Leigh grimaced. ‘I guess that’s a mercy in the long run. Did she say anything else?’

‘She turned it into a bitch session about Isabelle. So, of course, I talked about everything I could never talk about before. The hourly texts, the credit card. She wanted to hear every detail about how Isabelle had treated me. Even though she was very mixed up in a lot of it.’

‘Yeah, Ibetshe did,’ Leigh muttered.

‘Erin told me we werebothvictims and not to worry because she’d get Isabelle back on my behalf. She said it like she was protecting me. She also told me not to reveal my identity to anyone, no matter what, that it would muddy the waters of what she was about to do.’

‘But that was a warningtoo, right?’ Leigh said. ‘She was telling you to stay quiet.’

‘I knew Erin well enough by then to know how her threats worked,’ Amanda agreed. ‘And maybe I should have spoken up after she did that interview, but with the NDA… It seemed like the only thing I could achieve by saying anything was making things worse for myself. And who’d believeme,anyway? I’m nobody.’

‘So, what are you going to do now?’ Leigh asked, concerned.

Amanda shrugged. ‘I have no idea. I’ve been stuck here, unemployed, and all my old friends are gone now. My life wasthem.’ She looked at Alex. ‘But when you texted me, I just… Call me stupid, but I could tell you were sincere. I’m much better at knowing a liar these days.’

‘I won’t say anything,’ Alex said solemnly.

‘She won’t,’ Leigh vowed. She believed it, too. Whatever had gone down between her and Alex, she could see that Alex was moved by Amanda’s story. She cared, even if she’d never admit it. ‘And neither will I. Your name will never be revealed to anyone by either of us, I promise you.’

Amanda nodded. ‘Thank you. But what are you going todowith this information?’

Leigh’s brow deepened. She knew what shewantedto do. But what would she beallowedto do?

Thirty-One

Alex was back in the car with Leigh, out on a dark, quiet road. She wasn’t happy. This day was officially a shit show. The only thing that could be said for it was that Leigh was currently not busting her balls about anything, which made a nice change.

But nothing good lasts forever.

‘What’s your next move? You dumping her today?’ Leigh asked suddenly.

‘I can’t,’ Alex said.

‘What?!’

‘I have to serve a notice period. We signed a contract. I’ll end it, obviously. But I have to continue to provide the service she paid for until that term is out.’

‘You could just break it off and refund her,’ Leigh suggested.

Alex nodded. ‘Yeah, I’ll just go ahead and break a contract with someone we just learned is a vengeful monster. I’m sure there will be zero repercussions, legal or otherwise.’

‘So, that means you’re throwing her the party?’ Leigh asked.

‘It’s a screening,’ Alex said automatically.

‘Oh,please,’ Leigh snarked.

‘It’s all arranged and paid for. Couldn’t stop it if I wanted to,’ Alex frowned. ‘Wait, why am I letting you rakemeover the coals? What about you?’