As if this wasn’t enough, Nicole went further by exposing my role as the company’s social media operator. My work account was flooded with vitriol, tarnishing my professional reputation.
In a moment of fury, I lashed out, slapping her face in frustration. The slap echoed through the room and silence followed—until my mother-in-law rushed forward, shielding Nicole as though she were the victim of some heinous crime.
Her piercing glare made me feel like a criminal.
"Nicole is still a child," she began in a gratingly soft tone, her hands stroking Nicole’s cheek tenderly. "What happens online doesn’t matter; you should have treated her better."
Her words stung as she subtly blamed me for the entire debacle.
I turned away, my eyes burning.
The days that followed were torturous; my phone felt like a portal to nightmares. Ghostly images, threatening calls and relentless harassment bombarded me.
Regret consumed me, clawing at my heart.
If only I had let her go, let her chase her reckless fantasy.
The fallout from the viral night-riding video added fuel to Nicole’s already blazing temper.
On campus, her rivals—the girls she despised—had also joined in the trend, sharing their own images. They garnered fans and admiration for their charm and vibrancy.
Jealousy simmered in Nicole’s eyes as she glared at her screen, where their pictures were splashed across their school’s digital wall.
With her fiery determination rekindled, Nicole turned her frustrations on me once again.
"I want to show everyone I’m better than them," she declared. "My pictures are way more stunning. Why are you pretending to care? Give me the money to ride in Alba City!"
Her obsession burned brighter than reason. She was relentless, stomping through the house like a tempest, pleading, demanding and manipulating. She pouted and whined like a spoiled child, clinging to the hope that I would cave as I had before.
But I stood firm.
I frowned and said, "Do you even know how dangerous it is? The wind has been strong lately and night riding isn’t safe."
Nicole didn’t wait for me to finish before flying into another rage. "I’m going, whether you like it or not!" she shrieked.
When I refused her demands for money, she wielded her phone like a weapon. "Say no and I’ll show everyone what kind of controlling woman you really are!"