Unwanted Attention

“The one from the mall, Mila! The one where Alex slapped you in front of everyone! It’s gone viral, like, everywhere! It’s all over social media. People are posting it left and right. I can’t believe it!” Sally’s voice was a mix of anger and disbelief. “What the hell happened? Why didn’t you tell me? Are you alright?”

I froze, the breath catching in my throat. Viral? The thought of my humiliation being broadcasted to the world, out of my control, made my skin crawl. This can’t be real.

I squeezed my phone tighter, trying to steady my breath. My mind was still racing, trying to piece everything together. Alex had always had a way of controlling the narrative, but this time… this time he had crossed a line.

“I’m fine,” I lied, forcing calmness into my voice. “I’m just heading home now. I’ll explain everything later.”

But I was too numb to take in her concern. All I could think of was how my world had just exploded in the worst way possible. The slap, the video, my privacy shattered… I couldn’t escape this. It was out there now. People would see me weak, humiliated. But I couldn’t stay weak forever. I’d make them regret it.

As I hung up ,I got home a few minutes later, still fuming. But when I opened the door, my mood was further soured by the sight of the landlord standing in the hallway, holding an envelope in his hand.

“Mila, good evening,” he greeted with a tight smile. “I’ve got some news for you.”but his eyes darting nervously as if he already knew he was about to get an earful.

I barely acknowledged him as I pushed past, the anger simmering under the surface, only to freeze when his next words hit me like a slap all over again.

“Unfortunately, the rent on your apartment is being increased starting next month,” he said, his voice devoid of any real empathy. “The new price will be a bit higher, so please adjust your budget accordingly.”

I stared at him, stunned. Of all the things, this was the last thing I needed to deal with right now. But it was clear: the universe wasn’t done piling it on.

“Is this a joke?” I asked, my voice sharp, barely keeping my composure.

“I’m afraid not,” he replied, his expression businesslike. “The rent has increased due to market changes. Please be sure to have the new amount ready.”

I just nodded stiffly, swallowing the bitter taste of everything stacking against me. “Fine,” I muttered, turning away from him and heading straight for my bedroom.

But as I closed the door behind me, I realized something. This won’t break me.

I collapsed onto my bed, hoping to lose myself in the silence, even just for a moment. Everything had spiraled so fast—the slap, the video, the rent hike. I felt like I was one hit away from shattering completely. I closed my eyes, willing myself to calm down, to let the anger and humiliation drain away so I could breathe again.

But barely a minute had passed before my phone started blaring, shattering the fragile peace I’d tried to create. The calls kept coming, one after another, each ring scraping against my nerves. I grabbed a pillow, pressing it over my head, tempted to throw the phone across the room and let it shatter just to get a break from the noise.

Finally, I gave in, glancing at the screen, unlocking it with a resigned sigh. The notifications filled my screen like an endless cascade of reminders that privacy was now a luxury I no longer had. Names and numbers, some I hadn’t spoken to in ages, all lit up my screen with the same burning questions, the same fake concern.

“Mila, are you alright?”

“Just saw the video. What happened?”

“Why would Alex do that to you? Call me!”

I scrolled through the messages, recognizing names from family, friends, even people I barely considered acquaintances. Everyone had something to say, some pity to offer, but none of them understood how I felt. Even my boss had left a cold message, “Please handle this discreetly, Mila. Let’s not let this affect your professional image.”

A fresh wave of anger flared up inside me. Everyone was talking, speculating, wanting a piece of this disaster. Not a single one seemed to grasp that what I needed most wasn’t their pity, or even their outrage. It was space.Just as I was about to put my phone on silent, another call came through, this time from an unknown number.