The Abbott I Lost A Betrayal Too Deep to Forgive

“I admit it. I'm the other woman!”

“I, Naomi Harding, came between Wilfred Swanson and Lucretia Fox.”

I shouted it at the camera one more time.

Lucretia finally nodded. “That take works.”

The breath I'd been holding rushed out of me. I grabbed my clothes to cover myself. “Can you transfer Wilfred's surgery money now?”

Lucretia tossed a stack of cash at me without looking, a sneer curling her lip.

“You know what I wonder? If your dad saw this video of you standing there naked calling yourself the other woman, would he pass out again?”

My whole body locked up. A high-pitched ringing filled my ears.

But Wilfred was still lying in the ICU. Every second I wasted was another second of danger.

I steeled myself, bent down, scooped up the scattered bills, and turned to run.

Wilfred laughed behind me. “I win the bet, Lucretia.”

I froze where I stood.

He draped a coat gently over my shoulders, took my hand, and slid the engagement ring back onto my finger.

“Naomi, this was just a bet between me and Lucretia. Congratulations, you passed her test.”

Lucretia leaned cozily against Wilfred's shoulder, grinning. “Don't be mad, sis-in-law. If you're going to be Wilfred's wife, I had to vet you myself.”

She pointed at the cash in my hand. “Consider that an early wedding gift.”

I let out a soft laugh.

Then I hurled the entire stack of bills straight into Lucretia's face.

……

“Ah!”

Lucretia cried out in pain, crumpling boneless into Wilfred's arms.

He rushed to soothe her.

I ignored them both, walked straight to the camera still blinking its red recording light, and smashed it against the floor.

When I was done, I turned to leave.

A hand clamped around my wrist and yanked me back hard.

I looked up into Wilfred's darkened face.

“What the hell is wrong with you? Apologize to Lucretia. Now.”

I stared at his chest, still rising and falling, and smiled coldly.

“Oh, so the heart condition cleared right up, did it?”

Wilfred faltered for a second, then tightened his grip on my hand and softened his voice.

“Okay, I admit this one went a little far. But Lucretia just wanted one last test of how real your feelings were.”

Lucretia hurried over and hooked her arm through Wilfred's, all buddy-buddy loyalty.

“Sis-in-law, honestly, don't blame Wilfred. I'm the one who talked him into it.”

When I said nothing, she flashed me another smile. “If you're still upset, then punish me——I won't set foot in your house for the first three days after the wedding.”

She paused, blinking playfully. “But after that……”

I cut her off cold before she could finish.

“I'm not marrying him.”

Wilfred's hand went rigid on my wrist. The smile froze on his face.

He let out a short, bitter laugh and dropped my hand.

“Naomi Harding, do you still think you're the untouchable princess of the Harding family?”

“The state your family is in right now, who else in this world would dare marry you?”

Off to the side, Lucretia smirked. “Sis-in-law, your family's broke. Just take the money.”

She kicked the scattered bills wider on purpose. “Besides, you basically just filmed a porno. Think of it as your talent fee.”

I was shaking with rage, my eyes locked on Wilfred, voice tight. “This test of my feelings—was it your idea?”

He raised an eyebrow like it couldn't matter less, voice light as air. “Yeah. Lucretia's my buddy. She's family. What's the big deal if she watches?”

A laugh escaped me. My vision blurred.

My fingers trembled as I pulled off the ring, dropped it on the floor, and kicked it to Wilfred's feet.

“Wilfred Swanson, from this moment on, you and I are nothing.”