Chapter 1Apologize Daily, Ruin Him Daily

My husband cheated on me, so I dropped the receipts online. Every dirty text, every hotel lobby snapshot.

His response? He sued me for defamation and invasion of privacy. And the judge actually ordered me to post a public apology every single day for a month.

I stood on the courthouse steps, gripping the freshly printed court order. The ink spelled it out crystal clear.

[Cindy Blake is hereby ordered to issue a continuous thirty-day public apology online for violating the privacy and reputational rights of Mr. Arthur Harrington and Ms. Serena Dupont.]

Arthur was waiting for me right at the bottom of the steps. He wore a sharp, tailored suit, looking every bit the triumphant CEO. He snatched the paper from my hands, skimming it with a smug smirk.

"You wanted an audience so badly, Cindy? Congratulations. Now you get to perform for them. Thirty days. Don't skip a single one."

He did not even care about the whispers from the strangers walking past. If anything, he stood taller, soaking in the attention.

I looked right into his eyes and gave him a bright, genuine smile. "You got it."

He scoffed, clearly thinking I had just rolled over and given up, then turned on his heel and walked away. He wanted to see me broken. He wanted tears and public humiliation.

He had no idea that my apologies were going to ruin his life.

...

The second I got back to my apartment, I registered a new account across every major platform. The handle was simple. Cindy's Apology Log.

My bio read, [Just a law-abiding citizen, apologizing on company time for the next 30 days.]

I set up my ring light, adjusted my phone on the tripod, and made sure my makeup looked just the right amount of devastated. I held the court document right up to the lens, zooming in on my name and the mandatory thirty-day clause.

Then I sat back, plastered a deeply apologetic, almost sickeningly sweet smile on my face, and began my first act.

[Hi everyone. My name is Cindy. According to a totally fair and just court ruling, I will be using this space to publicly apologize for the next thirty days.]

[First and foremost, I want to say sorry for my impulsive behavior. I never should have acted out after discovering intimate, undeniably romantic photos of my husband, Arthur Harrington, and another woman named Serena Dupont.]

[It was wrong of me to post those photos online. I absolutely violated the privacy and ruined the sterling reputations of both Arthur and Serena.]

[I was wrong. I was so caught up in my own silly little heartbreak that I completely forgot how much stress it would cause them to be exposed as cheaters. I didn't even consider they would drag me to court over it.]

[So, to Arthur Harrington and Serena Dupont, I offer my deepest, most sincere apologies.]

[I will spend the next twenty-nine days reflecting on my terrible actions. Please, hold me accountable.]

I finished the video with a textbook, perfectly stiff bow.

Less than an hour later, my phone was running so hot from notifications I could have fried an egg on the screen. I left it face-down on the kitchen island, letting it vibrate itself half to death.

By the time I stepped out of the shower, my inbox was a complete war zone.

[Girl, you are an absolute icon. I am taking notes.]

[An apology? Nah, this is a public execution warrant! She just dropped their full names AND the cheating allegations all over again!]

[Let's review the tape. 'My husband Arthur' and 'intimate photos' with 'Serena'. The absolute shade. I am living for this.]

[If day one is this brutal, I am clearing my schedule for the next twenty-nine.]

[Ladies, drop your ideas in the comments. We need to help her make tomorrow's video even more unhinged.]

[You should apologize from the exact hotel where they hooked up. Do a vlog tour of the lobby!]

Scrolling through the comments, a real laugh bubbled up in my chest. Good to know the internet still hates a cheater.

My screen suddenly flashed with an incoming call. It was Arthur.

I swiped to answer but kept my mouth shut.

Heavy, furious breathing echoed through the speaker. "Cindy, what the hell is your problem? Haven't you embarrassed yourself enough?"

I wandered over to the living room window, watching the city traffic crawl below. My voice was light, airy. "Embarrassed? I am just being a law-abiding citizen, Arthur. I'm following the judge's orders. Every single word I said was an apology."

"You call that an apology? You practically broadcasted my name and Serena's name to millions of people. You are trying to destroy me."

"You're the one who sued me, sweetheart. The court ordered the apology. I am just complying. Did I stutter in the video? Or are you suddenly questioning the integrity of the justice system?"

That choked him up. He sputtered for a good five seconds before roaring, "Take the video down right now!"

"Can't do that. That would be contempt of court."

I hit end call and immediately blocked his number.

Sinking into the plush cushions of my couch, I went back to the comment section. I found a winner and pinned it to the top.

My reply: [Great idea. Consider it done.]

The pinned comment read: [Babe, for tomorrow's apology, you should knit him a massive red flag. Tell everyone you're making him a cozy blanket because he clearly loves collecting them.]

The next morning, I woke up with the sun.

I hit up the local craft store and bought the most violently crimson, heavy-duty yarn they had in stock. Back home, I set up the camera right in front of my massive indoor plant collection. The morning light hit the green leaves perfectly, making the whole scene look incredibly wholesome.

I sat right in the middle of my indoor jungle, picked up my knitting needles, and held up the beginnings of a giant, bright red tapestry. I flashed the camera a dazzling smile.