Chapter 2

After I was done giving instructions to Clifford, I lay in bed and finally slept soundly for the first time in 20-something years.

When I opened my eyes again the next day, it was already noon.

I groggily reached for my phone on the bedside table and realized that my phone was brimming with countless abusive text messages and unknown missed calls.

While wondering who it could be playing such a prank on me, I went online and saw that the hashtag, "#evilDebbieEverett", was trending on social media. I clicked in and saw a snippet of Albert and Thelma tearfully accusing me of abuse on a television interview.

Thelma wiped her tears away on-screen, and her withering hands trembled uncontrollably.

Albert said, "We don't want anything from Debbie. We don't even expect her to pay for our medical treatment. We just want our home back."

He then proceeded to cough so hard that he couldn't even straighten himself up anymore.

"Our son is dead. We have nowhere to go, and we're truly desperate now. We can only place our hope in the law to reclaim our legal rights."

Albert then showed the camera a court summons for a hearing that was scheduled in seven days. He finally said emotionally, "If Debbie is willing to repent within the next seven days, then we will still acknowledge her as our daughter-in-law, and we will still be a supportive family to her."

The comment section under the video exploded with thousands of comments from the netizens.

"How could such a heartless woman even exist? This kind of person deserves to rot in hell!"

"That poor old lady! I felt so sorry for her that I nearly cried!"

"Doxx this ungrateful woman! Expose all her details online! We must get justice for the old couple!"

There was even a truckload of kind-hearted people who offered to raise money to pay for Albert's and Thelma's medical bills.

I scrolled through the horrible comments bordering on cyberbullying me. Then, I yawned in boredom before tossing my phone aside and putting on my skincare products while sipping on red wine.

Over the next few days, I kept receiving a lot of hate mail and hate packages in my mailbox, like voodoo dolls, dead rats, and even threatening notes. Some people had even edited my photo onto a tombstone and spread it online.

I also got a call from my boss, Paul Blackwell, who subtly informed me that the scandal and hateful comments were starting to affect the company as well, and he suggested that I take a temporary leave of absence until it all died down.

I just told him that I would resign. I spoke without hesitation and readily headed out to the company to file the resignation paperwork.

A group of nosy influencers, who were livestreaming, caught me outside my house and swarmed around me.

"Ms. Everett! Don't you feel any remorse for abusing your in-laws like this?"

"Remorse?" I asked. "Why would I feel any remorse? They're just a pair of insufferable, undead monsters who would be much better off dead. They're such a waste of food and oxygen.

"If you feel sorry for them, then you have my blessing to bring them home with you so you can care for them instead!"

My shocking statement instantly provided these nosy influencers with a surefire way to generate more traffic on their livestreaming platforms. At once, they got even more excited and practically shoved their cameras and phones in my face. They filmed my every movement.

I pushed my way through the crowd and suddenly turned around to face them with a smile.

"The court hearing is in three days. I'll see all of you there!"