Chapter 3

Joanna's POV

I was stunned. "What did you say?" I asked.

Cole's furious voice echoed through the receiver as he roared, "Look at the billboard in the heart of the city! You're the one who leaked those photos and scandals, right? Will you only be satisfied after you've ruined Natalie's life?"

I whipped my head up. Explicit photos of Natalie were being continuously displayed on the billboard, along with intimate images of her and Cole.

The fury in Cole's voice intensified as he shouted, "Apologize to Natalie right now! You won't be able to afford the penalty fees for breaching the contract of the reality show or your mother's medical fees if you don't!"

Natalie posted a list of penalty fees for breaching the contract of the reality show and compensation fees for damages to her reputation online immediately after I ended the call. She accused me of maliciously leaking her intimate photos and slandering her for tearing my family apart.

Natalie's actions ended up starting a chain reaction.

I received a lawyer's letter from the company that just fired me, accusing me of negatively affecting their image and demanding compensation from me.

Someone also leaked photos of my pathetic condition while I was still in the mental hospital, cementing my mentally unstable image.

"Why did they set a madwoman like her free from the mental hospital? She should just die!"

"We can't trust a maniac's words. She must be intentionally slandering Natalie!"

…

I couldn't stand by and do nothing in the face of the astronomical compensation fees and constant slander.

I posted an "apology" video online.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let Natalie steal my husband and son from me. I'm sorry. I should have reported them to the police the moment I was released from the mental hospital. I shouldn't have allowed them to continue trampling me under their feet."

The people online became suspicious of Cole's and Natalie's relationship after the video went viral online.

I ignored all of Cole's calls.

I thought that things were finally going my way when a video of Andy crying during an interview was released.

"Daddy and Ms. Jackman are just friends. Mom has always been crazy. She even said that she wanted Ms. Jackman to die," he blubbered through tears.

With that, public opinion shifted again.

My phone was bombarded by a constant barrage of notifications and lawyer letters.

My heart plummeted into my gut at the fact that my own son was personally hurling accusations at me. On top of that, I still had to deal with the huge compensation fees.

There was a threatening edge in Cole's voice when he called me and said, "Natalie wants to take her own life because of the constant harassment from the netizens. Will you only be satisfied after she's dead? Clear her name and apologize to her right now!"

I was in utter disbelief and shouted into the receiver, "Never! I didn't do anything wrong!"

I didn't expect Cole to send Mom's medical bills that numbered in the thousands to me.

"Go ahead and test me."

…

Since I had lost my home, I began wandering around, trying to secure a new place for myself. Unfortunately, none of the landlords was willing to entertain me.

"Who knows what a madwoman like you will get up to? No landlord will be willing to take you in."

I tried to explain myself. "Everything's just a misunderstand—"

"I've seen all the videos online. Stop being stubborn. A child wouldn't lie."

When the man slammed the door in my face, I felt as if a heavy blow had been dealt to my heart.

I tried borrowing money, but everyone ruthlessly refused me.

"I'm sorry, Joanna. I can't."

"To be honest with you, Cole forbade us from lending you money. If you're at your wits' end, you should apologize to him."

The hospital began to bombard me with messages, urging me to pay the medical fees.

Fear and fatigue gripped my heart. I couldn't hold out anymore.

…

An expectant smile stretched across Cole's lips when he saw me.

"I knew that you would come to your senses. I'll pay off all your debts once the dust settles."

I shot a hopeless smile at him. I was just about to apologize to Natalie when Cole suddenly interrupted me.

"A simple apology will no longer suffice for all the trouble you've caused."

He pointed at the naked men and dozens of recording equipment around us before continuing, "We'll sweep everything under the rug if you follow Natalie's orders and film an explicit film."