Brenay Kennard, the North Carolina TikToker at the center of a viral “homewrecker” lawsuit, has been ordered to pay up. 

On Tuesday, a Durham judge told the social media creator that she must pay $40,000 to Akira Montague, while she challenges a $1.75 million award tied to the collapse of Montague’s marriage. 

Kennard, who has built a large following with day-in-the-life vlogs featuring her now-husband Timothy Montague, was found liable last fall for “alienation of affection” and “criminal conversation.” 

These claims are tied to rare and old-school legal claims in some states that allow spouses to sue someone they prove is responsible for destroying their marriage. 

According to The News & Observer, a North Carolina jury decided that Kennard intentionally contributed to the breakup and had sex with Akira’s then-husband, awarding $1.5 million for alienation of affection and $250,000 for criminal conversation. Though Kennard has denied being a villain and is appealing the verdict.

In the latest hearing, Kennard’s lawyer pushed for a $10,000 payment during the appeal, arguing her income has dropped by half since the case exploded online. Akira’s attorney countered with $40,000, saying Kennard’s earnings remain strong, and the judge ultimately agreed. The money acts as an “undertaking” — a kind of security — while higher courts review the $1.75 million judgment.

The case has turned a niche legal rule into TikTok discourse: North Carolina is one of only a handful of states where you can still sue a third party for blowing up a marriage.

For creators whose relationship drama is doubling as content, this is a warning that real-world consequences can outlast social media engagement.