I watch their faces closely as I describe the photo in detail—the way Levi was naked and Anastasia was dressed but touching him, and how Landon was behind her with his hand around her neck.
“I called you,” I say, looking at Levi. “Actually, I called Landon first, but he didn’t answer. So I called you. All I could hear was moaning, then you asked if she was coming. She said yes, and the line went dead.”
Levi’s face has gone pale and Landon’s jaw is clenched tight, but neither interrupts me.
“I felt like my entire world had collapsed,” I continue. “I was so angry, hurt, and humiliated. So I blocked you both and never looked back.”
“Abby,” Levi starts, but I hold up my hand.
“Let me finish,” I say. “I spent years believing you had both betrayed me. That you chose her over me. I thought we meant nothing, and I hated you both so much I couldn’t even think about you without feeling sick.” Landon stands up, his fists bunched at his sides.
“So you ghosted us?” he says, anger lacing his tone. “You didn’t even give us a chance to explain. You just disappeared?”
“Yes, I did,” I whisper. “I was wrong, but I didn’t know until recently.”
“What changed?” Levi asks, his voice hollow.
“Leila,” I say. “I called her last night and told her everything. She may have pieced the truth together.”
Both men look furious, making my heart pound wildly and panic claw at my chest.
“Leila thinks Anastasia orchestrated the whole thing,” I continue. “The photo, the phone call, everything. I think she’s right. I think she sent me that photo and set up that call to get rid of me, and it worked.”
“Jesus Christ.” Levi drags his hand down his face and stands up too. “You mean to tell me you’ve hated us all this time because of something Anastasia did? Something we didn’t even know happened?”
“I know how stupid that sounds,” I say, tears streaming down my face. “But I truly believed what I heard and saw, and I was so damn hurt and scared. I made a choice in the moment that destroyed all of us.”
Landon runs his hand through his hair, pacing back and forth.
“Do you have any idea what that felt like for us?” he says, his voice breaking with emotion. “Do you know how many times I went over that day in my head trying to figure out what I did wrong? How many times Levi and I analyzed every conversation we had ever had with you trying to understand why you left?”
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I’m so sorry.”
“Sorry doesn’t fix it,” Landon snaps. “Sorry doesn’t bring back what we lost.”
“I know,” I say. “And I’m not asking for forgiveness. Only for you to understand why I did what I did.”
Levi looks between his brother and me, his expression torn. “Did you ever think to ask us?” he says quietly. “That maybe there was an explanation? That we deserved the benefit of the doubt?”
“Not really,” I say honestly. “I just wanted to forget you both. To pretend that my heart didn’t shatter into a million tiny pieces that day.”
Landon stops pacing and glares at me. “Why even bother telling us now? Besides the fact that you were using it as blackmail to get me to do porn.”
“Because seeing you again made me realize I never moved on,” I admit aloud. “And because you deserve to know the truth.”
The room goes quiet.
Landon’s jaw flexes as he processes everything I’ve told him. Levi stares at his hands, his expression unreadable, which is not something I ever thought possible.
Finally, Landon speaks. “I’m sorry,” he says quietly. “I shouldn’t be angry at you—I should be angry at Anastasia. And I should have listened to you when you told me you felt jealous of her. You told us something was off about the way she acted around us. You were right about her, and instead of believing you, I defended her. I chose her over you.” He looks at me with eyes full of regret. “That’s on me, Abby. That’s on me.”
I glance between them, feeling the weight of years of pain and misunderstanding finally lifting.
“I know I don’t deserve this,” I say quietly, “but I’m asking anyway. Can we try to be friends? Can we try to move past this?”
Levi lets out a laugh and pulls me into a hug. “Just try to stop me,” he says. “Abs, I’ve missed you too much. Friends, friends with benefits—whatever you want to call it, I’m in.”
Landon watches us for a moment, then he reaches out and pulls both Levi and me into his arms.
