Girl Get Rid Of That Jerk (Williams and Shawn)

The officer switched the call to speaker, putting on his best friendly-bro routine. "Devin, man, sorry about last night. Things got a little out of hand-I totally forgot to send you that video."

The guy on the other end took the bait right away. "Hurry up! I want that bitch Carolyn's reputation ruined! Did you set her up with six guys, just like I asked?"

The officer kept it rolling. "Of course. I'll send you the video now."

"Do it!" The man hung up before anything else could be said.

Allison and Carolyn exchanged a look.

Whoever was on the other end clearly wasn't close to the phone's owner- probably just working together for this one thing—so he hadn't even noticed the different voice.

Unbelievable, Carolyn thought. What an idiot.

The officer wasted no time running the number through the police system.

He turned to Carolyn. "The phone's registered to someone named Devin. Do you know him?"

Carolyn's eyes widened. "Devin? He used to be the deputy manager in my department. I fired him a few days ago."

Allison's expression hardened. "That makes sense. The guys who drugged you must've been paid off by Devin, and your so-called friend was in on it too."

Carolyn's voice was barely a whisper. "How could this happen... Cindy... why would she do this to me? I've always treated her so well..."

***

Devin sat on his couch at home, waiting and waiting. The video never came. Instead, the police showed up at his door to arrest him.

Once they caught the mastermind, the whole case fell into place.

Devin and Peter were the ringleaders. They couldn't let go of the grudge after Carolyn fired them, so they plotted revenge.

Devin reached out to Carolyn's fake friend, Cindy, and offered her thirty thousand dollars to lure Carolyn out for drinks.

Peter, who'd been a project manager for years and made over eighty thousand a year, put up twenty grand, while Devin paid the other ten.

At the police station, Carolyn-usually so strong-finally broke down in tears.

"Cindy, why? Why did you help them hurt me? Wasn't I good enough to you?" Her voice trembled with heartbreak.

Cindy could barely speak from crying. "Luna, I'm so sorry. I know I was wrong, please, please forgive me. I needed the money... my son needs surgery."

Tears streamed down Carolyn's face. Her voice was hollow. "Cindy, we've been friends for years. If you needed money, why didn't you just ask me? Did you really think. wouldn't help?"

Cindy broke down completely, sobbing. "I know, I know, I should've come to you. Luna, please, I'm

begging you don't press charges. My son is only five. He just had

surgery, he's

in

Pe

y he's still in the hospital. can't lose his mom. Please, Luna, I'm begging you!"

Carolyn's face was cold and distant. "What's the point of saying all this now?"

With a heavy thud, Cindy fell to her knees in front of Carolyn.noveldrama

"I'm begging you, Luna, please withdraw the charges. I know I was wrong, I'll do anything, I'll kneel right here-"

She pressed her forehead to the floor, banging her head again and again.

"Cindy," Carolyn said, her voice sharp and icy, "this is a criminal case. It's not up to me to drop it. The evidence is clear the police already handed it over to the prosecutor. There's nothing I can do."

She paused, standing tall, looking down at the woman sobbing on the floor. Her

voice was as cold as winter rain.