Robert nodded. “Okay.”
- 30.
They underestimated Ashley’s stubbornness.
Their messages, their pleas for her to come
home, went unanswered. Her phone remained
off.
At midnight, as fireworks exploded, Carol finally
snapped. She threw a handful of sunflower
seeds at the wall. She’d been patient. More.
than patient. Ashley had disappointed her.
Again.
wasn’t worried.
Over the next few wooks, she went about her
life, visiting friends and family, complaining
about her ungrateful daughter.
Then, on February 6th, everything changed.
At midnight, Ashley posted a series of
screenshots. Detailed accounts of the abuse
she’d suffered at the hands of her uncle, her
aunt, and the two men in the village.
“I used to wonder why we only had school five
days a week. Why the nights were so long. Why
my parents nover came to see me…”
“I did Brittany’s chores, her homework. I carried
her books, took the blame for her mistakes. I
couldn’t say no. She’d threaten to bring those.
men over. One visit, one lollipop.”
Even after moving back home, the abuse
11:24
continued. Brittany, spoiled by her aunt, took everything from Ashley, spread lies about her, turned everyone against her. She bullied and manipulated Ashley, framing her for theft and vandalism, turning her into an outcast.
Brittany had rules for Ashley, strict rules. Don’t disobey her. Don’t talk to her enemies. Don’t
talk back.
“She always found a way to punish me,” Ashley
wrote.
“She’d threaten to bring those men from the village to our house.”
Throughout college, Ashley had to send half her
allowance to Brittany. After graduation, the
“tribute” increased to $150 a month. If she
refused….
“She’d tell everyone what those men did to me.”
<
11:24
47A
Every incident was meticulously documented, with dates, locations, vivid details. It was clear
Ashley had relived these horrors countless
times. The posts were long, too long for
Instagram. Ashley included a link to a longer
document, password protected.
Carol followed the link. She saw years of bank
transfers, endless screenshots of Brittany’s
messages, audio recordings of her voice.
Insults, threats, demands for money. “Bitch,” “slut,” “retard.”
“I’ll kill you,” Brittany threatened casually. “You
need a good f*cking,” she’d taunt.
Carol was horrified. Her sweet, innocent
niece…this monster….
She confronted Brittany. Faced with the
evidence, Brittany couldn’t deny it, but she saw
nothing wrong with her actions.
“She got my parents killed! So what if I called. her names? She’s still alive!”
“Aunt Carol, you always said weak people don’t
deserve to live.”
“Get out! Get out of my house!” Carol
screamed, throwing Brittany’s belongings out the door.
- 31.
Robert came home that morning, furious. “Get Ashley on the phone! Tell her to delete that post! She needs to issue a retraction, say it
was all a joke! This is insane! I’m the
laughingstock of the entire town!”
“You’re worried about your reputation?” Carol
asked, incredulous.
“What do you think people are saying? They’re
saying we abandoned her for six years!”
<
11:24
“But it’s all true.”
4
“True? I wanted to bring her home! You’re the one who said it was too much work, too much trouble! You said your brother and his wife
were good people, that I should trust them. Well, how were they so good?!” Carol threw a pillow at Robert.
“You’re blaming me now? You’re blaming me?”
“Who said the tuition was too expensive? Who said he’d lose face if he came home without making a fortune? Who waited six years, until she was about to start middle school, before bringing her back? Was it me?”
