Nicoleâs response came with a sly smile.
âI didnât do much.
I simply informed the police that Lowe was harassing me, and I provided them with the video.
You and Doreen attacked me violently, and forced medication on me.
â
âHow dare you!â Vickiâs mind spun with disbelief.
âYouâre just trying to frighten me.
I watched that video get destroyed.
Jarrod personally handed it over to the Hampton family.
â
âDid you really think I wouldnât keep a backup?â Nicole scoffed and said, âThe one Jarrod gave you was just a duplicate.
I had already uploaded the original video to the cloud.
And nowâ¦â
The implications of her revelation sent shivers through Vicki.
Deliberately, Nicole stated, âIâve uploaded it to the internet.
â
âYouâre out of your mind!â Vicki was aghast.
Nicole was using the same ruthless tactics she had previously used on Jarrod to tackle Vicki and Doreen.
Vicki started to wonder if there was anyone Nicole truly cared about.
âYou will regret this, wonât you? Think about your child seeing the video someday.
Arenât you embarrassed? His mother was mistreated Like that.
Arenât you worried about how others will mock your child?â
Vickiâs shaky accusations were met with Nicoleâs unrestrained laughter.
âHahahaâ¦â Nicoleâs maniacal laughter frightened Vicki.
âDonât laugh, you witch.
What if you laugh yourself to deathâ¦â
âVicki, donât you see the irony in your words?â Nicole retorted.
âYou are the perpetrator, and I am the victim.
Why should the victim feel ashamed in public? Why should I be ashamed? What reason does my son have to feel ashamed?â
Nicole raised her voice with conviction.
âShould I feel ashamed for being assaulted? For being drugged? For being powerless? Because Iâm not strong, because I lack influence, because I donât come from a prestigious family like yours, is it my f ault? Are these reasons enough for you to bully and humiliate me? Who really should feel ashamed? Youâre mistaken.
Do you realize how many people have seen the video? One hundred million! Let those hundred million viewers decide who should feel ashamed.
They will provide the fair judgment.
But Iâll tell you, even if fortune hasnât smiled upon me this time, I wonât feel ashamed, because thereâs nothing wrong with me.
Itâs the world thatâs twisted.
Regarding my son, even if he sees it, he will see his mother standing up for justice and fighting for whatâs right, not cowering in fear.
That kind of cowardice is not what I want for my son.
â
Nicoleâs declaration resounded powerfully in Vickiâs ears, her words piercing but not loud.
This was also the reason why she did that without considering the consequences.
No one could be someoneâs constant companion through life.
Austin would grow up and face reality on his own.
Even if not due to her actions, he would inevitably encounter lifeâs challenges.
Nicole could not teach Austin to evade these challenges, but she could show him that no matter the hurdles, there was always hope at the end.
âYou are a complete Lunatic!â Vicki screamed in despair.
The thought of a hundred million people witnessing her downfall was unbearable.
Her facade would crumble, and she could not fathom how to continue living or facing others.
âNicole, do you really think you can just walk away from this? Youâve implicated my brother and me, tarnishing our reputations.
Do you think the Hampton family will just let this slide?â Even now, Vickiâs primary concern was her and her familyâs reputation, showing no regret for her actions toward Nicole.
Such was the nature of Vicki, Lowe, and the entire Hampton family.
It was a reflection of their deeply ingrained values.
âWhat need do I have for your family to let go of me?â Nicole retorted with a sneer.
âYouâre still focused on yourself and your familyâs images.
Youâre already planning your next move before this is even settled?â
Vickiâs anger flared, but then her attention was drawn to a Luxury car pulling up.
Inside was the familiar, striking profile of a man.
Her expression shifted instantly.
It was Jarrod.