Three months into dating, Owen suddenly asked me about my first time. I told him the truth, and he went silent for a long time. “So you’re not a virgin, then. I thought you were… pristine.” I was stunned. “You have ex-girlfriends, too.” He shook his head. “That’s not the same thing.” “A man’s past is experience, Ava. A woman’s past is… a used car. A free-for-all.” I thought the whole thing was absurd and was about to fire back, but he just sighed. “Whatever. It doesn’t matter, because I love you. I can look past the fact that other people have already… used you.” His tone suggested he was making the sacrifice of the century. I gripped my phone, a sudden wave of sickness washing over me. Six months later, I found hotel receipts and text messages on his phone. Not just one. When I confronted him, he was completely unapologetic. “You’re not exactly untainted, are you? What gives you the right to demand that I be some kind of saint?” “Besides, she’s cleaner than you. She’s a virgin, and of course, I treat her better!” I told him we were done. He sneered, “Fine. Don’t come crying back when you regret it.” I didn't bother looking at him again. I grabbed my bag, walked out the door, and immediately blocked him on everything. That same evening, my phone blew up. My private photos and videos—over a hundred of them—were posted simultaneously in my Family Group Chat, our 100-person Work Slack channel, and the Crestwood Condo Residents Forum. 1 Every image had a thick mosaic over it, but everyone who knew me would recognize me instantly. The captions were even more venomous: [Ava Delaney. Looks like a saint, but is secretly a slut. Careful, guys—don’t be the idiot who settles for her!] My phone started vibrating wildly. My mother called, her voice shaking uncontrollably. “Ava, what are those pictures? What is going on?” Before I could answer, a new message popped up in the Work Slack. My department manager directly @-mentioned me: “Ava Delaney, be in the office tomorrow. We need to talk.” The condo forum was already a dumpster fire: [She always seemed so quiet. Turns out she’s a tramp behind closed doors?] [People like this shouldn't live in our building. HOA needs to handle this immediately!] [Seriously, we have kids here!] My vision started to blur. These were the same people who, last month, were praising me for being a good neighbor. Mrs. Gable from 502 twisted her ankle, and I drove her to the E.R. Mr. Davies from 701 lost his keys, and I found the locksmith for him. Now, they wanted to bury me in the dirt. I took a deep breath and called Owen Parker. The line wouldn't connect. I sent him a text; it immediately showed a red exclamation mark. Suppressing my rage, I started typing in every group: [These photos and videos were maliciously shared. I have contacted the police. Please do not forward them. Sharing is also a crime.] My mother defended me in the family chat. “My daughter is not that kind of person! Someone is trying to ruin her!” Aunt Carol immediately replied: [Big sister, stop protecting her. You don’t know these kids today. I always thought there was something off about her, dressing so provocatively...] Uncle George chimed in: [Ava, if you did something wrong, just apologize. Don't embarrass your father and mother.] I stared at the screen full of malice, my fingers turning white as I clenched them. Suddenly, Owen posted a voice message in the condo forum. “Neighbors, I am so sorry you had to see this trash.” “Ava and I broke up because of her promiscuity.” “I wanted to be the bigger person and give her some dignity, but she started harassing me today, threatening to go to my company and ruin my reputation if I didn't take her back.” “I had no choice but to tell the truth. I ask you all to judge for yourselves.” The group chat exploded instantly. “I knew it! She cheats and then threatens the guy?” “Disgusting! Women like that deserve to be exposed!” “Good job, kid! We support you!” I was shaking with fury, staring at the voice note. I tapped the record button on my phone and dialed Owen’s mother. It rang for a long time before she picked up. “Hello, Mrs. Parker, it’s Ava.” A few seconds of silence were followed by Mrs. Parker’s clearly impatient voice: “Ava, look, what happens between you and Owen, as a parent, I can’t really say…” “Mrs. Parker, Owen is the one who posted those photos, and he’s lying in the group chat, saying I threatened him.” “Well…” Her voice became even more dismissive. “Young people fight. It’s normal to say things you don’t mean. I know my Owen; he would never maliciously cause trouble.” “So you think what he did is fine?” “I didn’t say that… Look, you’re both adults. Handle it yourselves.” “Understood. Thank you.” I hung up. Looking at the recording on my phone, I dialed another number. The next morning, I arrived at the office exactly on time. In the elevator, two interns were whispering. They fell silent the moment I walked in. In the hallway, colleagues who usually greeted me lowered their heads, pretending to look at their phones. In the manager’s office, along with the manager, HR, and legal, was Owen Parker. My heart tightened. “Owen, what are you doing here?” The manager cleared his throat. “Mr. Parker is the son of Mr. Robert Parker, one of our VIP clients. Mr. Parker called me yesterday, saying there was a misunderstanding between you two, and he hoped we could clear the air.” Owen spoke slowly, his tone condescending. “Ava, I thought about it all night. I decided I should still give you a chance.” “All you have to do is admit, in front of everyone here, that you were the one who seduced me and harassed me, and I might consider forgiving you.” “Also, I need fifty thousand dollars for emotional distress. You’ve stressed me out completely over the past few days. That’s not too much to ask, is it?” He sounded utterly self-righteous, as if he were the true victim. I clenched my fists. “Why should I? You cheated on me, and you spread my private photos!” “Do you have proof?” Owen sneered. “Ava, I suggest you be smart about this. My dad owns twenty percent of the stock in this company. Who do you think the company will stand behind?” The manager immediately chimed in. “Ava, Mr. Parker is being very generous. You need to think carefully. The company doesn’t want this to escalate.” The Head of HR added, “Ava, the situation yesterday has spread throughout the company, and the impact is extremely negative. If you cooperate, the company can go easy on you.” I looked at Owen’s smug face and said, one word at a time, “I refuse.” Owen’s face darkened, and his eyes turned cold and vicious. “Good. Very good. Ava Delaney, you’ll regret this.” He stood up and patted the manager’s shoulder. “Then proceed according to company policy. Oh, and my girlfriend, Brooke Ashton, will be arriving shortly. She’s been transferred to this department as a supervisor. Please take good care of her.” The manager immediately plastered on a smile. “Don’t worry, Mr. Parker. We will fully cooperate with Supervisor Ashton’s work!” At noon, HR informed me that due to “severe violation of the employee code of conduct,” I was being transferred to the auxiliary services team, responsible for cleaning and warehouse organizing. My salary was cut to the minimum wage. At two in the afternoon, the new supervisor, Brooke Ashton, arrived. She wore a designer suit, clicked across the floor in high heels, and stopped right in front of me, looking me up and down with undisguised contempt. “Ava Delaney. I heard you refused Owen’s offer yesterday? So reckless.” “My brother is a VP here, and my cousin is the son of a major client. Do you honestly think you have a future in this office?” She threw a document onto my desk. “This is your new work schedule. Starting today, you’re responsible for cleaning the bathrooms on all floors of this building.” “Also, your bonus from last month is canceled, and your salary this month is cut in half—for causing a negative impact on the company.” My colleagues all kept their heads down. No one dared to speak up for me. I scanned the office, my gaze lingering on Mark in the corner. Last month, he almost got fired due to an operational error. I stayed up all night helping him fix it and pleaded his case to the director, which saved his job. Now, he was staring at his desk, not even lifting his eyes. And Lisa, by the window. When her daughter was hospitalized, I loaned her twenty thousand dollars, which she promised she would never forget. She was now sipping her coffee nonchalantly, her eyes drifting elsewhere. Fine. I logged every cold face. Every silent person. One day, I would make them understand that their indifference today would be the decision they regretted most. At six in the evening, I dragged my exhausted body back to the condo. My hands were white from the harsh cleaning chemicals, and my back ached. Just as I reached the entrance, the property manager stopped me. “Ms. Delaney, you can’t live in your unit anymore.” I froze. “What are you talking about?” “The Homeowners Association Board voted. You must vacate immediately. Furthermore, because your actions severely damaged the reputation of the community, according to the contract, you owe a penalty fee of fifty thousand dollars.” “You don’t have the right—” “We do have the right.” The manager cut me off, holding out a document. “This is the resolution signed by the HOA President. Oh, and our new community liaison is Brooke Ashton’s cousin. She’ll be personally handling your case.” Whispers drifted from behind me. “That’s her, right? I saw the pictures, ugh…” “Disgraceful, isn’t it?” “My kids were asking me what those photos meant. I was so angry!” My head rang. I ran up the stairs. My front door was covered in bright red spray paint. The words in big, crude letters: SLUT GET OUT. Inside, the unit was a mess. The sofa was slashed open, and the walls were covered in vulgar graffiti. I sank onto the floor. My phone rang. I picked it up, shaking. It wasn't my father's voice on the other end, but a doctor's, urgent and anxious: “Is this Mr. Delaney’s next of kin? The patient had a sudden cerebral hemorrhage and is in the emergency room. You need to get here immediately!” My mind went blank. “What? My dad, he…” “The patient’s emotional distress caused a spike in blood pressure, leading to a hemorrhage. His condition is critical. Family must arrive right away to sign forms!” I grabbed my purse and stumbled out. Just outside the complex, my phone started ringing maniacally. Dozens of strange numbers were calling all at once. I answered one, and a venomous voice shouted: “Ava Delaney, you tramp! Your dad is a police officer and you cause this scandal! You have no shame!” “Whore! You ruined your father!” “I heard your dad was suspended because of you? Good! The whole family is trash!” I hung up, and another call came in, more curses. Dozens of calls bombarded me, making it impossible to call out. I rushed to the street to hail a cab. Drivers saw me and sped past, shaking their heads. Five cars refused to stop. The sixth driver rolled down his window and spat on the ground. “You’re that Ava Delaney from the internet, right? I’m not taking trash like you. Don’t dirty my car!” I stood on the curb, the tears finally flowing unchecked. I managed to borrow a stranger’s phone and call my father’s number. A few seconds of silence, then my father’s weak voice: “Ava…” “Dad! Are you okay? Wait for me, I’m coming now!” “Ava, how could you do this…” His voice was filled with disappointment and pain. “I raised you for twenty-six years. Is this how you repay me?” “Dad, no, listen to me, I can explain—” “I was suspended from the force. They said my daughter was involved in a sex scandal and they have to investigate my conduct…” His breathing grew shallow. “My whole life, I’ve been honest. Now you’ve ruined me…” “Dad! Dad! Don’t talk anymore. I’m coming!” “Ava, I really regret…” “Regret what?” “Regret having you…” Click. Buzz. The line went dead. I held the phone, my soul completely drained. The phone rang again. It was my mother. “Ava! Your father is gone… The doctor said they couldn’t save him! He died with his eyes open, Ava. He couldn’t let go!” I collapsed onto my knees, my vision blurring completely.
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