Chapter 112 Blackmail

Chapter 112 Blackmail
Debbie's POV

THE NOTIFICATION chime on my phone broke the quiet rhythm of my bedroom.

I reached over to my nightstand and picked it up, expecting a routine update from one of my friends or a broadcast from our school group chat.

Instead, a notification popped up for an email from an unknown sender. The subject line was completely blank.

There was no text written in the body of the message either. There was only a single attached zip file.

I frowned, tapping on the attachment and waiting for the contents to download onto my phone. When the file finally opened, my breath hitched in my throat, and my eyes widened in complete disbelief.

Photos appeared on my screen, remarkably clear and sharp.

A slow, victorious smile spread across my face as I stared at the display.

I took in every single detail, my heart pounding with sudden excitement. I could hardly believe my luck.

Someone had followed them, documented their secret morning getaway, and delivered the evidence straight into my hands.

It did not matter who sent them or why they chose me. What mattered was the absolute power now sitting right in the palm of my hand.

For months, Aleli had acted so pure and untouchable. Everyone at school looked at her as if she were a quiet, fragile victim—a sweet girl who could do no wrong.

Kristoff had defended her constantly, shielding her from every rumor and standing between her and the rest of the student body like a dedicated guard.

Now, I had undeniable proof of what they were really doing behind closed doors.

“You aren't so innocent after all, Aleli,” I muttered to myself, zooming in on their locked hands until the image filled my screen.

If these pictures were posted on the school’s anonymous online forum, her reputation would crumble in an instant.

A hotel stay with the wealthy, respected student council president?

Holding hands in public while pretending to be nothing more than classmates?

The scandal would shatter her delicate image forever. Kristoff would not be able to save her this time.

The school board would demand explanations, the student body would tear her apart with relentless whispers, and she would finally be driven out of our lives for good.

I quickly transferred the files to my desktop computer. I opened my browser, created a draft post for the school board, and attached the three clearest photographs.

But as my fingers hovered above the keyboard, a bigger, far more devastating idea took root in my mind.

Why stop at a simple school forum? A local high school scandal was small.

If I really wanted to ruin her, I needed to make sure her name was dragged through the mud where everyone in the city could see it.

I grabbed my phone again and scrolled through my contacts list until I found a saved number.

It belonged to a reporter from a local tabloid press—someone who was always hungry for rumors involving prominent families like the Ricafortes.

I hit the dial button and brought the phone to my ear. It rang twice before a sharp, eager voice answered.

“Hello? Who is this?”

“It doesn’t matter who I am,” I said smoothly, leaning back in my desk chair. “What matters is what I have. I am holding photos of Kristoff Ricaforte coming out of a hotel early this morning with a girl.”

There was a sudden pause on the other end of the line, followed by the quiet rustle of paper.

“Kristoff Ricaforte?” the reporter asked, his interest immediately piqued. “Are you sure about that? His family is extremely strict about his public image.”

“I am looking right at the photos,” I replied, a smirk spreading across my face. “They spent the night together. They walked around the city, went to a bakery, and were caught holding hands in a park. I can send you the full set right now if you want them.”

“Send them,” the reporter said without hesitation. “If they are real and high quality, this will be on the front page of our morning digital edition tomorrow. The Ricaforte family name alone will drive thousands of clicks.”

“I’ll email them to you immediately,” I said, feeling a surge of triumph. “Just make sure you publish every single one.”

Before the reporter could reply, my bedroom door creaked open.

I started, quickly pulling the phone away from my ear and ending the call. My mother stood in the doorway. She looked at me with a soft, curious expression.

“Debbie?” she asked gently, stepping inside. “Who were you talking to just now? You sounded so tense.”

I sat up straight, my heart beating fast, but a proud smile instantly returned to my face. I stood up from my desk chair and gestured toward the bright desktop monitor behind me. I couldn't wait to show her.

I thought about how much my mother disliked drama, but more than that, I thought she would finally see how clever I was.

I thought she would be proud of me for standing up for myself and putting Aleli in her place.

“Look at this, Mom,” I said, pointing at the large screen where the three photos were displayed side by side. “I finally have her. Look at what Aleli has been doing behind everyone’s back.”

My mother walked over to the desk. She leaned forward, squinting slightly as her eyes scanned the photographs on the monitor.

She saw the hotel entrance. She saw the bakery. She saw the two of them sitting closely together on the park bench, hands held tight.

I waited for her to smile. I waited for her to tell me that I had done the right thing, or that Aleli deserved whatever was coming to her.

Instead, my mother’s face grew pale. The soft warmth in her eyes completely disappeared, replaced by a dark, heavy look of utter disappointment and fear.

She turned her head slowly to look at me.

“Where did you get these?” she asked, her voice dropping into a stern whisper.

“An anonymous sender emailed them to me,” I explained quickly, slightly confused by her reaction. “It doesn't matter who sent them! Mom, don't you see? She’s been acting like a victim this whole time, but she was at a hotel with Kristoff. I just called a reporter. By tomorrow morning, everyone will know the truth about her!”

SLAP!

The sound echoed sharply through the quiet room.

I stumbled back, my hand flying to my stinging cheek. I stared at my mother in complete shock, my eyes wide and tearing up from the sudden pain.

She had never struck me before. Never.

“Are you out of your mind?” my mother demanded, her entire body shaking with anger. She reached out, grabbed my wrist, and squeezed it tightly. “Delete those files right now!”

“Mom, why are you doing this?!” I cried out, my voice cracking. “She’s ruining everything! She’s taking everything away from me!”

“Listen to me very carefully, Debbie,” my mother said, stepping closer until her face was inches from mine. Her eyes were hard as stone, cold and unyielding. “You are going to cancel whatever call you just made. You are going to delete those pictures from your phone, your computer, and your email.”

“Why?!” I sobbed, trying to pull my wrist away, but her grip remained firm.

“Because you have no idea what you are messing with,” my mother warned, her voice deadly serious. “You have no idea who that girl is, what her family carries, or what the Ricafortes are capable of doing to protect themselves. If you drag our name into this mess, you will destroy this entire household.”

She shoved my hand back toward my desk and pointed a trembling finger directly at my face.

“You will stay out of that girl’s life,” my mother commanded, her voice dropping into a harsh, chilling tone. “Do you understand me? You will not mention her name, you will not post those photos, and you will stay as far away from Aleli as humanly possible. If I catch you involved with her again, you will regret it for the rest of your life.”

My mother turned around, slammed my laptop shut, and unplugged my desktop monitor from the wall outlet, instantly plunging the screen into total darkness. She walked out of my room, and slammed the door hard behind her.

I stood alone in the dark room, my cheek burning and tears streaming down my face.

I looked at my silent phone resting on the desk. The photos were still saved in my sent items. The reporter already had them. The email was already gone.

I had no idea about the deeper secrets surrounding Aleli’s past, her deleted juvenile records, or her uncle’s dangerous games.

I did not care about the bigger picture. I only knew one thing as I wiped the tears from my eyes.

I smiled through the pain.

“Let's see how innocent everyone thinks she is tomorrow.”