Page 99 of Stuck with my Mountain Daddies

I braced myself.

“That’s Riley Brooks,” Sadie said with a little grin. “She used to be all over Insta. Red carpets, brand deals, fancy photos, you name it.”

I laughed, even though it sounded more like a cough. “Yep. That’s me. Former Hot Mess Express.Thatall went to shit.”

“I’m sorry,” Aurora said gently, “I didn’t mean to bring up anything uncomfortable. What happened?”

I wrapped my hands tighter around the peppermint mocha, letting the warmth soak into my fingers.

What happened?Shit, where did you even start with a downfall that public?

I took a breath.

“There was a party on Halloween,” I said slowly. “LA rooftop, all the right people. You know the kind. Everyone dressed like they wanted to be photographed but pretended they didn’t.”

Sadie nodded, but I could tell she didn’t know what I meant. Not really.

“I was there to close a deal,” I continued. “A six-figure sponsorship. It was supposed to bethemoment. EverythingI’d worked for. The kind of brand that doesn’t just pay you, it launches you. Magazine covers. Campaigns. Real money.”

Aurora’s expression softened. “But something went wrong.”

“Yeah. Ava.”

The name tasted of rust in my mouth.

“She was a friend, kind of. The kind that smiles to your face and memorizes your insecurities. We came up together, collabs, parties, brand stuff, but she always had this way of twisting things. Making digs sound like compliments. One-up everything you do but somehow keep it casual.”

Lila’s brow arched. “A social climber in influencer clothing.”

“Exactly,” I said. “At the party, I found out she was trying to undercut me. Pitching to the same brand behind my back, copying my style, even cozying up to the same reps. She waited until I was celebrating to drop it on me. Like she couldn’t wait for me to choke on the confetti.”

They all exchanged glances, a silent language of women who’d seen that kind of betrayal before.

“I lost it,” I admitted. “Not like screaming or throwing drinks. But I told her off. Called her out for being fake, for always tearing down other women behind the scenes while preaching empowerment online. I said what I felt. What alotof people felt.”

“You stood up for yourself,” Sadie said firmly.

I smiled, but it was thin. “Yeah, but I didn’t know she was recording. Or one of her people was. It got edited. Spliced together to make me look like this jealous, unhinged monster. And itworked. The clip went viral before I even got home. HashtagCancelRileywas trending by morning.”

Silence fell over the table.

“My sponsors pulled out. PR agents stopped answering. I lost hundreds of thousands of followers in hours. Even peopleI’d helped… they distanced themselves. No one wanted to get dragged down with me.”

“Damn,” Aurora whispered.

I huffed a bitter laugh. “And Ava played the victim. Claimed I attacked her. Said she just wanted peace and sisterhood and that I hated seeing other women win.”

Sadie’s eyes narrowed. “What a load of bull.”

“It didn’t matter what was true. The Internet loves a villain. And I became one overnight.”

I expected the silence that always came after. The slow pullback. The sympathy mixed with judgment.

But it didn’t come.

Instead, Lila leaned forward. “She stole your voice and weaponized your honesty. That’s not on you, Riley.”

Aurora reached out and gently squeezed my hand. “That must’ve been heartbreaking.”

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