Page 212 of My Real Love Affair

“So walk me through it again,” I said, taking a small bite. “What exactly are you telling The Spill Room?”

“Everything,” Summer said around a mouthful of bread. “I’ll bring you into it, how he did the exact same thing to you. Used you for good PR and then moved on when you weren’t useful anymore.”

“But I dumped him,” I pointed out. “That’s what my post said.”

“Right, and that’s perfect. You saw through his bullshit before he could discard you. You took your power back.” She waved her fork. “It’s even better this way. Shows you’re smart and strong, not a victim.”

In between bites, Summer talked about her strategy, her talking points, how she’d practiced her “hurt but resilient”expression in the mirror. She was treating this like a performance, which I supposed it was.

“The best part is that I have all this documentation. It’s going to be impossible for the Bancrofts to deny any of it.”

“Have you altered any of the documentation?” I asked carefully. “I mean, to make it more clear or dramatic for the audience?”

Summer paused, her fork halfway to her mouth. “Altered?”

“You know, like highlighted certain parts or presented things in a certain order to tell a better story?”

“Oh.” She relaxed. “Well, yeah, of course. I had to make it digestible for a general audience. Cut out the boring legal stuff, focus on the juicy parts. Present things in a way that makes the narrative clear.”

“So you’ve edited it?”

“I’ve curated it,” she corrected. “There’s a difference. All the facts are real. I’ve just arranged them to tell the most compelling story.”

My heart was racing. This was good. This was what we needed. But I had to push a little more.

“And what about your lawyers?” I asked. “What did they say about you going public like this?”

Summer’s expression soured. “They said I shouldn’t. They’re too cautious. They don’t understand that sometimes you have to take risks to get what you deserve.”

“So they advised against it?”

“They advised against everything,” she said dismissively. “They wanted me to just take the settlement Cash offered and shut up. But why should I? Why should the Bancrofts get to use people and face no consequences? They have billions and they offered me a measly million. Seriously?”

“How much do you want?” I asked.

She pretended to think about it, but it was pretty clear she already had a number in mind. “I don’t know, what do you think?”

It was a test. I wasn’t about to be recorded tossing around blackmail numbers. No thanks.

“I wouldn’t even know,” I said.

“I’m going for twenty-five million, but I’ll settle for ten.”

I couldn’t help it. I started choking. She had to be joking. But the look on her face told me she was dead serious.

“Oh,” I squeaked. “Yeah. I guess that makes sense. I thought you agreed to a number already and Cash paid you?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Whose side are you on, Melody?”

“Yours,” I said quickly. “I’m just trying to understand all the angles. If the Bancrofts come at you with lawyers, I want to make sure you’re protected. And if you’re putting my name out there, I need to know the facts.”

She seemed to accept this, her shoulders relaxing. “That’s sweet of you to worry. But trust me, once public opinion turns against them, no amount of lawyers will matter. Cancel culture is more powerful than any court.”

The words made me feel sick. She was weaponizing the same thing that had nearly destroyed me, and she was proud of it.

I had only picked at the appetizer when our server delivered the main course. I had been so focused on making sure my phone was getting everything, I didn’t remember her ordering meals. Did she?

I sipped my water, avoiding the wine unless Summer made it a point to look at my full glass. I didn’t want her to think there was anything wrong. We ate while she continued to tell me what she was going to spend her money on and the places she would travel.