"Her parents are both teachers. Who would've thought they'd raise a daughter like this? Maybe the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
I looked up. The voice belonged to Laila Madison—my mother's colleague. She'd always held a grudge over a failed promotion, but I never imagined she'd seize the chance to publicly humiliate me to get back at my mother.
I clenched my fists. "That's not true. I was just out jogging this morning. My legs were sore, so I—"
"Ha! Shameless little slut," she sneered. "First you claim you were sleeping at home, now you're saying you went jogging? You can't even keep your lies straight!"
"So disgusting," another woman chimed in. "It's one thing to act like a wild animal, but you've got the nerve to call the police about it? What's wrong with you? Are you mentally ill?"
"You like attention, huh? Then today, we'll give you a real show. Let everyone see what kind of filthy trash you really are."
A group of furious women surged through the crowd. They yanked at my clothes, grabbing fistfuls of fabric and hair while hurling punches and slurs. Their anger wasn't just righteous—it was feral.