Chapter 6 Chapter 6 No!" Hell no, I'm not done!" yanked my wrist free from Derek's grip and stared him down. "Since I crashed this party anyway, might as well give you and your irlfriend the presents I brought!" Gotta show my husband's mistress the proper respect, right?" ly voice rang out across the ballroom-loud enough for everyone to hear. he guests who'd been screaming at me just seconds ago went completely silent, their eyes sliding toward Jade with a mix of shock nd disgust settling over their faces. hat's when Jade absolutely lost her mind. That's a lie!" I'm NOT some homewrecker!" Stop spreading bullshit about me!" [er shrill screaming echoed off the walls. I just looked at her, my expression ice-cold. "Homewrecker or not-you really want me to by it all out here?" Alright then." caught Maddie's eye and nodded. he shot me a quick thumbs-up, and just like that, the soft jazz piping through the speakers cut out-replaced by unmistakable sex ounds. oud, breathy moaning flooded every corner of that ballroom. p on the big screen, Jade's wholesome childhood photos vanished. n their place: grainy security footage from my backyard. here she was, biting down hard on Derek's shoulder while whining: "I'm getting my master's degree. I'm not some bimbo you icked up at a bar." Derek." The only reason I'm putting up with being your dirty little secret is because I love you. But you can't keep treating me like this orever." Derek grabbed her hand then, his voice soft and reassuring: "I won't. I promise. I'm gonna fix everything." Then the footage jumped ahead. To that night in Charleston. 16:20 Dear Hubby Your Biggest Mistake? Thinking I'd Rea Instead of Burn 3.8% Chapter 6 Fireworks bursting across the sky in brilliant streaks of color. Derek and Jade making out in the middle of the crowd-while just a few yards away, I stood there calling him, trying to share the moment with my husband. The camera clearly showed Jade grabbing his phone away from him, her lips pushing out in an annoyed pout. "You said tonight was about me." "Just me and you." Next came the hotel footage. Jade and Derek tangled up against those massive windows. His voice came through the speakers, tender and raw: "I never thought I'd fall like this again. You made me feel alive. Baby, I'd do anything for you." Then the final clips. Right after I posted that Instagram story, Derek started blowing up my phone in a panic. Even when Jade tried to stop him, he literally shoved her back onto the couch and snapped at her to back off. The last video showed me sitting just three rows behind them on the train, earbuds in, listening to Derek's voice message in real time-all sweet and guilty and fake. "Hey babe, your trip's not over for a few more days, right?" 'I got us a table at that place you've been wanting to try." 'Can't wait to see you. Missed you so much." Every single clip played in perfect high definition. Displayed on that massive screen for everyone to witness. to context needed, no explanations required. The truth was right there-crystal clear. Who the cheater was, who the mistress was, who'd been lying and sneaking around this whole time. watched Jade completely lose it, her screams getting more desperate by the second: "Stop it!" Derek! Make her turn it off!" Please, Derek, do something!" That finally jolted Derek back to reality. He spun around to face me, his face a mask of pure panic. "Riley, baby-this isn't what you think." "Just let me explain, okay?" 16:20 Chapter & Even now Even with all the receipts playing in 4K for everyone to see, he was still trying to talk his way out of it. "Turn off the video first and then we can talk! I'm serious-just shut it down and I'll do whatever you want!" The thing is, Derek genuinely believed this was all some desperate attempt to win him back. That I'd orchestrated this whole public meltdown because I couldn't live without him. I watched something shift in his eyes then-that panic melting into cold calculation. His voice took on this authoritative edge, like he was negotiating a business deal. "Just turn it off." "And I'll go home with you right now, okay?" He said it like he was granting me the world's biggest favor. "That's what this is about, right? You want me to choose you. Fine. Done. I'll walk out of here with you. You win." I stared at that arrogant, self-absorbed face-at this man who was so convinced he was still the prize here. It was so fucking ridiculous that I actually laughed. A real laugh that cut through all the shocked silence filling that ballroom. And while Derek stood there looking both confused and weirdly pleased with himself, I calmly reached into my purse, pulled out the livorce papers I'd had drawn up, and- Threw them right in his face. 16:20 Dear Wubbu ve