irst thing I saw was the inter

r in the shape of a crown dangled from the rearview mirror, and a collection of stuffed animals was crammed against the back window. But the worst

ht for my brother' s business and turned it into her person

lets his girlfriend do this, it' s his business. It' s tacky and disrespectful, but it' s his problem. I ripped the stic

phone buzzed with a message from T

e truck? Brittany needs

ust stared at the screen. I typed back a quick reply. "I'

uest on social media from a "Brittany Hayes." I accepted it, thinki

s wr

ur hands off my property. Tom told me all about you, how you think you' re so much better than everyone because you have a little

o I had never even met, was attacking me with such venom. I tried to type a

Hayes has b

so I couldn' t even defend myself. I was fum

then was disconnect

s time, it went str

ike a punch to the gut. They had planned this little ambush, this coordi

e sacrifices I had made for Tom. The late nights studying, the part-time jobs, the constant pressure to succeed so I could give him and my mom a b

puppet? So weak that he would let his girlfriend attac

ld, clear resolve. They thought I was just some "jealous old hag"