Messed with the Wrong Bestie

Spencer and I had been joined at the hip since the sandbox. Nineteen years of shared history. Then, he brought her home.

The second we met, I was instantly categorized as the token "tomboy bestie." She planted herself in front of me, crossing her arms over her chest.

A tight, synthetic smile stretched across her lips. "So, you're the infamous girl best friend." She tapped her manicured nails against her bicep. "Let me guess.

Next, you're going to corner me, drop some intimate childhood secret about him, and insist you guys are just bros?" She waved her phone right in my face. "I've read a hundred Wattpad stories with this exact plot.

Your little pickme routine isn't going to work on me." I stared at her. The sheer, unearned confidence choked the words right out of my throat. I shifted my gaze to Spencer.

He rubbed the back of his neck and stepped toward her. "Come on. We literally grew up together. It's not like that." Her response?

Snatching his phone and blocking my number across every single social media platform. I couldn't care less. I just wasn't sure how his parents were going to handle the fallout.

My family's conglomerate backed half the industries in this city. Cutting ties with his family was just a rounding error on our balance sheets.

Dropping them meant absolutely nothing.

Chapter 1 Spencer pulled a girl to his side at his twentieth birthday bash. "This is my girlfriend, Lexi." Lexi smoothed down the skirt of her pale pink cocktail dress. "Just Lexi is fine," she said, flashing a bright smile.

The crowd offered polite greetings. The atmosphere hummed with easy warmth. I stepped forward, offering a polite smile. "Hi.

I'm Kensington." The second the words left my mouth, Lexi's smile vanished.

Her eyes darted up and down my frame, taking me in. "So you're Kensington." Her voice dripped with sourness. "Spencer talks about his 'girl best friend' all the time.

You definitely live up to the hype." Before I could even part my lips, she shoved her phone screen toward me. A cheesy romance novel cover glared back at me. "Save it!

I've read a hundred of these 'childhood besties but secretly in love' tropes. Let me guess.

You're going to tell me you and Spencer shared a playpen, that only you know his embarrassing secrets, and swear up and down you're just bros?" Her voice bounced off the walls.

The music seemed to dip. Every head in the venue turned our way. Spencer grabbed her arm. "Lexi, stop.

Kensington and I just grew up together." "Grew up together?" Lexi ripped her arm out of his grip, her voice pitching higher. "Do childhood friends buy you customtailored suits, memorize your measurements, and remember your favorite takeout orders?

Spencer, my pickme radar is flawless, and she's not fooling anyone!" She shot me a look of pure disgust. I almost laughed.

We practically shared a ZIP code since birth; of course I knew his habits.

If our parents hadn't been business associates pushing us to interact, Spencer wouldn't even have the clearance to enter my social circle. As for the suit?

He literally begged me to leverage my family's connections to order it for him last year because his family lacked the VIP access. He texted me his measurements himself.

Spencer wasn't my type.

I barely had time to sleep between managing my portfolio and overseeing the new joint venture with his father's company, let alone harbor some secret obsession.

For Spencer's sake, I swallowed the sharp retort on my tongue and laid out the facts. Lexi ignored every word. Her delusion was bulletproof. "Drop the act!

That's exactly what the jealous side character always says!" Lexi pointed a trembling finger at my chest. "Spencer is my boyfriend. Stay away from him!

You wore a dress to his birthday party—you're obviously trying to seduce him! Real tomboys wear pants.

You only wear a dress if you're trying to steal someone's man!" A collective silence dropped over the room.

Guests exchanged bewildered glances, staring at Lexi like she had lost her mind. Everyone in our circle knew my wardrobe consisted entirely of designer dresses.

Her accusation held no weight. Spencer's jaw tightened. "Lexi, enough.

It's just friendship." Lexi's eyes welled with tears. "You're taking her side?" Spencer shot me a look of pure mortification.

To Lexi, that splitsecond of eye contact was fullblown infidelity. Her face twisted. She lunged forward, her hand swinging up in a high arc aimed right at my cheek.

Spencer caught her wrist midair. Tears spilled over Lexi's lashes, ruining her makeup. "If you choose her today, I'm walking out that door!" Guests shifted their weight.

Drinks paused halfway to mouths. Nobody dared to breathe. The commotion finally drew Spencer's parents. They pushed through the crowd.

His mother spotted Lexi's tears and immediately softened her tone. "Lexi, sweetheart, what's wrong?" Lexi latched onto the older woman like a lifeline. "Look, this Kensington girl is pretending to be Spencer's friend, but she's secretly obsessed with him!

You need to watch out for people like her. She's completely manipulative." Spencer frantically tugged at Lexi's sleeve. He shot her a desperate warning glance.

Lexi ignored him, opening her mouth to launch another attack. His mother cut her off cold. "Enough. I understand the situation." His mother's eyes snapped to me.

The panic in her gaze was undeniable. She scanned my face, searching for any sign of offense. Seeing my calm, detached expression, her rigid shoulders dropped a fraction.

She exhaled a quiet breath of relief. Chapter 2 Spencer's mother turned her attention back to Lexi, her smile thinning out. "Kensington and Spencer aren't what you think.

Our families have always done business together, which is why they know each other so well." She kept her tone even. "And Kensington is just as easy to get along with as Spencer.

You'll see once you spend more time with her." Lexi's lips twitched in a sneer. With Spencer's parents watching her every move, she clamped her mouth shut.

I assumed that was the end of it. I underestimated her desperation. The very next day, Lexi leaked the entire incident online, hiding behind a "friend's" account.

Thanks to her heavy embellishments, the story caught fire. The comment section was an absolute cesspool: [Pickme trash.

Go jump off a bridge.] [If you want to be one of the bros so bad, why don't you just get the surgery?] My assistant flagged the post and brought it into my office.

I unlocked my phone, only to be hit with a wall of toxic vitriol. Hashtags branding me as the ultimate "pickme girl bestie" were already trending in the top ten.

I tapped on the most popular thread. A newly registered burner account had uploaded candid shots of Spencer and me from the banquet.

The angles were deliberately skewed, twisting my neutral expression into a smug sneer.

The caption was completely unhinged: [Heiress Kensington has been relentlessly harassing my friend.

She uses her family's wealth to target her at every turn and threatened her to leave Spencer alone. Is this how rich people act now?] The replies were a dumpster fire.

Clueless netizens threw gasoline on the flames: [Classic trust fund baby. Thinks her daddy's money lets her do whatever she wants.] [Feel so bad for the OP's friend.

Having to deal with a psycho rival is a nightmare.] The kicker? Someone in the replies dropped screenshots of Lexi hosting a livestream.

Tears streamed down her face as she stared into the camera lens.

She claimed, "I'm just a normal girl who doesn't deserve Spencer, but I love him so much, and I just beg Kensington to show me some mercy." Every word framed me as the corporate bully crushing the helpless victim.

My assistant paced the floor, practically vibrating with anxiety. "Ma'am, should we issue an official statement?

Or hire a bot farm to clean up the comments?" I locked my phone screen and tossed it onto my desk. "No. Just have PR suppress the trending tags.

Don't let this interfere with the project timeline." A cheap stunt like this wasn't worth my oxygen.

Between managing my portfolio and finalizing the joint venture with Spencer's family, I had zero bandwidth to entertain a circus act.

I thought starving her of attention would kill the drama. The second my PR team scrubbed the tags, she launched another livestream.

This time, she sobbed hysterically into the microphone. "Do you all see this? They're wiping my voice off the internet! Is this what capitalist power looks like?

Kensington, you can buy my silence, but you can't hide the truth!" That soundbite nuked the internet. The suppressed hashtags skyrocketed straight back to the number one spot.

Keyboard warriors mobilized, aggressively digging for my "dark history." They found nothing but air, but that didn't stop the mob from turning the rumor mill into a frenzy.

Chapter 3 Spencer's name flashed on my screen later that day. He mumbled an excuse of an apology. "Kensington, Lexi is just sensitive," he sighed. "Don't hold it against her.

I'll get her to take down the posts." I tapped my stylus against my desk, my eyes locked on the quarterly projections of my video conference.

I had zero bandwidth for his high school drama. "Just keep her on a leash," I said. I cut the call. A few days later, our social circle booked a VIP room at a private club downtown.

I planned to skip it, but my best friend Brooke blew up my phone until I caved. I cleared a twohour window in my schedule for her.

The second Brooke and I stepped into the dim lighting of the suite, my eyes landed on Spencer. Lexi was glued to his side. Spencer shot up from the leather sofa.

A strained smile stretched across his face. "Kensington. You made it." Lexi ducked her head. Her shoulders hunched inward, playing the part of the battered victim flawlessly.

It was a stark contrast to the feral girl screaming in my face days ago. I bypassed them completely. I pulled out a chair next to Brooke and sank into it.

My fingers barely grazed the leatherbound menu before Spencer closed the distance between us. "Kensington, about the internet." He shoved his hands into his pockets. "Lexi knows she crossed a line.

She just… she cares about me, and she gets in her own head." He bumped his elbow against Lexi's ribs. Lexi bit her bottom lip.

She forced the words out, barely above a whisper. "Kensington. I'm sorry. I misread the situation.

Please don't be mad." Anyone walking in blindly would swear I was holding her at gunpoint. I dropped the menu onto the table. It landed with a soft thud.

I met Spencer's gaze. "Spencer, I'm not mad.

I just don't care." I leaned back in my chair, laying out the reality of the situation like a boardroom presentation. "But I will remind you that we have a multimillion dollar joint venture launching next quarter, and creating a PR nightmare online jeopardizes both of our family's assets.

Keep your girlfriend in line." Spencer's brows snapped together. A flash of irritation crossed his features. "Kensington, she's just a young girl.

I dragged her out here specifically to apologize to you." He shifted his weight, standing protectively in front of her. "Do me a favor and stop using your family's leverage to crush her.

Just drop it." Brooke slammed her water glass onto the table. "Are you actually hearing yourself, Spencer?" She pointed a finger right at his chest. "Your girlfriend launched a targeted smear campaign against Kensington online.

She literally sat on a livestream crying for sympathy. And now she mumbles one apology and gets a free pass?

If I went online and accused your dad's company of massive tax fraud, would you just let it slide because I said my bad?" Someone else from across the table chimed in. "Brooke's right.

You're completely out of line." The guy shook his head. "We literally grew up with Kensington. You know exactly how she operates.

You seriously think she has the time or energy to plot against your girlfriend?" The color drained from Spencer's face, then rushed back in a dark, humiliated flush.

Not a single person in the room offered them a lifeline.

Lexi broke the silence with a loud, theatrical sob. "I knew it!" She wiped aggressively at her eyes. "This is exactly why you don't date guys with tightknit cliques!

You're all just ganging up on me to protect your little bro!" She spun around and bolted for the door. Spencer abandoned the conversation entirely.

He sprinted out of the suite right behind her. The heavy wooden door clicked shut. Complete silence fell over the room.

Chapter 4 Brooke rolled her eyes, her acrylic nails tapping loudly against the tabletop. "Unbelievable. She lights the match, throws a tantrum, and plays the victim. And Spencer?

Completely braindead over a pretty face." I picked up my cup, letting the hot ceramic warm my palms, and kept my mouth shut.

A few days later, Spencer's parents appeared on my doorstep. His mother's usually pristine posture sagged as she sat on my couch. "Kensington, I am so sorry.

We raised him better than this." She smoothed a nonexistent crease in her trousers. "I've frozen his credit cards.

He will learn to control his girlfriend, and she will not breathe another word about you." His father leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "She's right, Kensington.

Our family's market share exists because of your father's backing and your ongoing goodwill. Please, don't let a foolish boy ruin our partnership.

We're hosting a private dinner on Thursday. Come over. We'll finalize the joint venture, and Spencer will deliver a formal apology." I met their anxious gazes.

Decades of mutual investments and family holidays weighed in the balance. I gave a single, slow nod. "Out of respect for you both, I'll let this slide.

But the new project moves forward strictly by the book. If there's another PR incident, I'll pull the funding." They both exhaled in unison, nodding fervently.

Thursday evening, my driver dropped me off at the Spencer estate half an hour early. I walked through the grand foyer.

Raised voices echoed down the hallway. "Tell me you didn't invite Lexi." His father's voice cracked like a whip. "We cannot afford another circus." His mother cut in immediately. "If that girl pulls another stunt, she is permanently banned from this property.

When Kensington gets here, you will look her in the eye and apologize. This merger is critical.

If your little girlfriend tanks this deal, I will pack both your bags and throw you out onto the street myself." Spencer muttered a low, defeated syllable in agreement.

I waited until the silence stretched tight, then rapped my knuckles against the mahogany doorframe.

His parents snapped to attention, their faces instantly smoothing into welcoming smiles. "Kensington!

Please, make yourself comfortable," his mother ushered me inside. "Spencer's father and I are heading up to the study to grab the contract portfolios.

Spencer, get her a drink." I offered a polite nod. The second their footsteps faded up the stairs, the polite mask slid right off Spencer's face. His jaw locked.

I ignored him completely, walking past him to take a seat on the leather sofa. Before I could even cross my legs, a chaotic racket exploded from the front entrance. "Kensington!

Get out here!" Lexi's shrill voice shattered the quiet house. She stormed into the living room, a phone clamped in a massive ringlight tripod held high above her head.

A pack of four or five people in flashy streetwear trailed right behind her, swarming the elegant space like a mob. "I am exposing your true colors right now!" Lexi shoved the camera lens aggressively in my direction. "You aren't his best friend!

You're just a pathetic homewrecker hiding behind the 'bro' label!" The screen of her phone lit up with a rapidfire stream of comments: [Omg we are literally catching them in the act!] [Yes queen!

Drag that pickme through the mud!] Chapter 5 I pushed myself off the leather sofa. "Lexi, are you done?" "Am I done?" She closed the distance between us, a twisted smirk on her lips. "You're just panicking because you finally got caught, you pathetic pickme." The influencers trailing her immediately joined the pileon. "Homewrecker breaks into the boyfriend's house.

Have you zero shame?" "Acting like some highsociety heiress. Probably crawled out of a downtown club." Lexi's eyes locked onto my wrist.

Specifically, the vintage green jade bangle. Her eyes went wide. She lunged. Her acrylic nails dug into my skin as she ripped the bracelet off my wrist.

She slammed it hard against the marble floor.

It shattered into jagged green shards. "Still playing innocent!" She pointed a trembling finger at the broken pieces. "I don't care if you begged his mother for her family heirloom.

I am the only one marrying Spencer