I was representing my company at the birthday bash of Chad Huntington, the CEO's son.

I'd barely parked my ride when some woman started live-streaming it, spinning this whole story about me being a gold digger.

"Seriously, a receptionist driving a car like this? It's gotta be a sugar daddy thing."

"I'm not jealous, okay? I just can't stand these gold-digging chicks ruining society."

Her words set off a firestorm in the comments.

Her biggest fan tossed her five "Explosions" (the platform's equivalent of virtual gifts), demanding she smash my car.

The woman's eyes lit up like Christmas. She pulled out a hammer and bam, put a nice dent in my hood.

I tried to stop her, but the live-stream was chanting, "Kill the homewrecker! Destroy the Jezebel!"

Virtual gifts were flying across the screen like crazy.

She was hyped up, practically vibrating. She grabbed my hair and started slapping me back and forth.

I screamed towards the towering figure standing in the entrance, "Chad! Your girl's getting beat down! You gonna do something about it?"

1

The second I stepped out of the car, some familiar face was right there, pointing her phone at my ride.

"Hey, fam! Guess what I just saw?"

"My old classmate, making maybe $2,000 a month, rolls up in a Ferrari!"

"You guys think some old dude's paying for it? I mean, back in college, she was always cozying up to guys. Guess some things never change."

I frowned hard at that.

When I got closer, I saw it was Brenda Miller, an old college "friend."

Back then, she'd try to steal my boyfriend, hitting on every guy who showed me attention. I wasn't losing sleep over it so I let her. Then she'd turn around and badmouth me every chance she got.

And now here she was, out of nowhere, slandering me, pinning me to this shameful pillar of being a "kept woman."

Brenda arched an eyebrow at me, plopped her butt on the hood of my car, and started ranting to her phone.

"Some women have it easy, you know? Just lie back, spread your legs, and bam! Car, cash, everything."

"Unlike us honest folks who work our butts off our whole lives and can barely afford a house."

She was getting more and more worked up, drawing the attention of the guests at the event. They all knew each other, being company reps and all.

Listening to Brenda's crap, they looked at me like I was some kind of dirty thing. All that judgment in their eyes.

"I knew it! Why would Huntington Corp send a receptionist to such a big event? Gotta be something shady going on."

"Shhh, keep it down. Someone might run back and tell."

"Who cares? Just stating the truth. Got the nerve to be a mistress, gotta be able to take the heat."

That was some of Brenda's cronies.

They were turning me into public enemy number one with every word.

The live stream blew up. The views shot up from a few hundred to tens of thousands, and it was still climbing.

I couldn't see what they were saying in the comments, but judging by Brenda's smug face, it wasn't anything nice.

I swallowed my anger and pulled Brenda off my car.

"Brenda, don't push it."

"Just because the company didn't send you as a rep, you're bitter? Don't go making stuff up."

I'm usually pretty easy-going, but that doesn't mean I'm a pushover.

Brenda, being an admin supervisor, could make my life difficult at work, and I let it slide.

But dragging my reputation through the mud? No way.

Truth is, I wasn't supposed to be at this event in the first place.

The General Manager found out about my "connection" to Chad Huntington and suddenly insisted I represent the company.

Brenda didn't get mad when I pulled her down. Instead, she just shoved the phone in my face.

"What am I making up? My fam knows I always keep it real. I never exaggerate when you buy stuff from me. Good is good, bad is bad."

"You gonna tell me you bought this car yourself?"

Brenda's voice went up an octave, like she was enjoying the show.

I clamped my mouth shut.

I didn't buy it. It was a birthday gift from Chad.

My silence was taken as an admission by everyone watching.

The comments turned into personal attacks.

"WTF! Thought there might be a twist. This mistress is weak."

"You expect a gold digger to look like a supermodel? She's so average, with that pancake face."

"Bet her family's all dead. Otherwise, someone would stop her from prostituting herself."

Every word was a stab to the gut.

I felt like I was burning from the inside. About to explode.

2

I shoved her phone away and snapped back.

"Brenda, my husband bought me the car, not some sugar daddy you made up."

"What century are you living in? You've been jealous of me since college, and now you're still harping on it. What did I ever do to you?"

I'm sure I barely touched her when I pushed her, but Brenda threw herself on the ground, faking the pain.

She moaned dramatically while saying into the phone, "Fam! She admitted it! She didn't buy the car!"

"Like she could marry a rich guy with that face? I could say Chad Huntington's my husband, haha."

"I swear, I'm not jealous. I just can't stand these gold diggers ruining society."

By now, over a hundred thousand people had tuned in. The chat was filled with insults aimed at me.

Some furious lady even dropped five "Explosions" and started ranting in the comments.

"Streamer, smash her car! I'll give you ten more 'Explosions!'"

"I've seen these women before. A homewrecker ruined my marriage. And now I've got money to burn, so bring it on!"

"Lady, you're awesome! Maybe we can smoke out her sugar daddy tonight."

The live stream had completely lost it, nothing but "smash the car" messages.

Brenda pulled a hammer out of nowhere and went right for the hood.

I panicked.

The car wasn't cheap. Chad had money, but I didn't want to see it get wrecked.

I stepped in front of the car and said with more force, "Brenda, you better stop making stuff up. You got no proof. I'll sue you for slander!"

Brenda went quiet, staring at me.

Then, slowly, she pulled out a stack of photos and threw them in my face.

The air went still.

I stared blankly at the photos of me and Ryan Davis with the driver. My mind went blank.

Before I could react, a slap landed on my face.

"Seriously, did you think I wouldn't find out?"

Just a moment before, Brenda had been all aggressive. Now, tears were streaming down her face.

Her voice was shaky, like she was the one who'd been wronged.

It hit me. That's why Brenda had been riding me so hard at work lately.

Ryan was a guy who went after me hard in college.

Brenda, being super insecure, slept her way into his bed and used a pregnancy to force him to marry her.

A few days ago, our company's computers had some issues, and the repair guy was Ryan.

I was just telling him what was wrong with the system, but someone snapped a picture from a weird angle, making it look like we were all over each other.

And someone also got pictures of Chad's driver picking me up, twisting the angle to make it look like something was up.

"So she really is guilty! Let's go, ladies! Cheer on our streamer!"

"I can't watch this. This skank is hooking up with so many guys. Doesn't she care about STDs?"

"Smash it! Smash it good! Let's see which old creep is backing this slut."

Once the camera zoomed in on those photos, the chat exploded.

The "Explosion" lady dropped a ton more gifts.

"Wait, that was just a computer repair. The pictures are just bad angles..."

I tried to clear up the confusion, but before I could finish, Brenda was swinging the hammer at the hood of the car.

My heart sank. I lunged at her, trying to grab the hammer.

But two women came running up and pinned me, keeping me from moving.

Them!

Brenda's cronies.

They were staring at the live stream gifts just like Brenda.

Then it clicked.

These days, people would do anything for views.

For clicks and cash, Brenda had faked these photos of Ryan and me and set up this whole "caught in the act" live stream.

She was still a snake, just like before.

3

The hammer kept coming down.

My car was being destroyed. The windshield was covered in cracks that looked like spiderwebs.

"Brenda, do you even know how much this car costs? You couldn't pay for it if you sold everything you own!"

My anger was bubbling over. I couldn't hold it back any longer.

Live-streaming a caught-in-the-act thing was already a draw.

But a live-streamed smashing of a Ferrari? I bet every bottom-feeder on the internet was tuning in.

The comments were scrolling by so fast I couldn't even read them.

Just then, "Explosion" lady called in to Brenda's live stream.

"Streamer, don't let her scare you. A Ferrari's maybe two million max. I can handle that."

Fueled by the lady's words, Brenda's initial hesitation vanished.

She swung the hammer over and over again, each hit bringing in more virtual gifts.

I fought to break free, but then some "helpful" people piled on, pinning my head to the ground. I could hear them laughing all around me.

The humiliation was too much. I screamed, full of rage and despair.

I wouldn't let any of them get away with this.

"This is the real her," said Brenda to the viewers. "she's a scary snake!"

"Beat her up and teach her a lesson."

"Don't be afraid. With those pictures of her trying to steal your husband, her sugar daddy won't want anything to do with her."

"Ladies, keep those gifts coming!"

Brenda got a kick out of showing me the live stream comments.

They were all urging her to beat me up.

The virtual gifts were flooding the screen.

Brenda's eyes were shining. Driven by greed, she grabbed my hair and slapped me across the face.

"Okay, fam. You saw what you wanted. Let's call it a night. I think she's kinda pathetic."

Brenda pushed the phone closer so the viewers could get a good look at me.

"Brenda, I will never let you live this down."

My face was numb. It took forever to get those words out.

My purse was somewhere on the ground. I couldn't even call for help.

I was starting to regret keeping my marriage a secret.

Brenda's face changed. She pinched me on the arm.

Then, she looked scared for the viewers.

"Guys, I think I'm in over my head. This chick says she won't let me go."

Her words sent another flood of gifts.

The viewers had a new request: for Brenda to slash my face.

I had no idea people could be so cruel.

They had to push me to the breaking point.

Brenda was making a killing tonight.

Not knowing what she was doing, she pulled a eyebrow razor out of her purse and started waving it in my face.

"Brenda, I'm warning you."

I swallowed hard, staring at the entrance to the event.

It was about to start, and I wasn't there yet. Chad was sure to come looking for me.

"What? You think your sugar daddy's gonna come save you?"

Brenda scoffed and shrugged.

She pressed the blade close to my cheek.

If I moved, that sharp blade would slice my skin.

Just then, I saw Chad's tall figure, looking anxious.

The sadness and frustration inside me suddenly welled up.

I choked out, "Chad! Your girl's getting beat down! You gonna do something about it?"