Chapter 1: Trending for All the Wrong Reasons

My phone buzzed so much it nearly burned a hole in my nightstand. #RachelLangley was everywhere—sandwiched between memes, GIFs of crying celebrities, and a poll about who wore it better. I could practically hear the digital chatter, picture people in their pajamas snickering over my life like it was just another reality show. Even in my own apartment, the static energy of a thousand unseen eyes made my skin crawl, as if everyone online had a front row seat to my heartbreak.

One guy tweeted, "My man finally ditched Rachel. Witch is gone! Cheers, bro!" Another said, "If Rachel hadn’t forced that marriage, Marcus and Lily’s kid would be running around by now." Someone else chimed in, "If it weren’t for Rachel holding him back, Marcus would have so many awards his hands would be sore."

A laugh slipped out, sharp and ugly, tangled up with a tear I pretended not to notice. I wanted to clap back, but my thumbs just hovered over the screen, useless. What could I even say to a million strangers who already decided who I was?

It was like scrolling through the comments section after midnight—equal parts hilarious and devastating. Tears and laughter rolled together, the sort of thing you can only do when you’re too tired to care or too numb to feel it fully. There’s a strange comfort in knowing strangers think you’re a villain; at least they’re paying attention.

So, without me, Marcus Langley’s life would soar to new heights.

Then what am I, the person who once squeezed into a basement apartment with him?

It almost felt like a memory from another universe, another version of me. We’d lived on microwaved ramen and takeout pizza in that musty little place, convinced that love and ambition were enough to pay the rent. Maybe I was just the footnote in his story, the part everyone loves to skip.