The Rebirth of My Dead Billionaire Wife

Chapter 186

The rumors started small, almost like whispers in the wind, but within days, they spread like wildfire. Ryan Hayes, Crestwood Academy’s self-proclaimed king, had launched his latest attack against Avery Kane Deveraux.

This time, he took it online.

“Did you see the post?” Janice whispered to Avery as they walked to class, her voice low but urgent.

Avery shook her head, clutching her books tighter. “No. I deleted my social media last night. I couldn’t take it anymore.”

Janice frowned, pulling out her phone and showing Avery the screen. There it was—Ryan’s handiwork. A series of edited pictures of Avery, complete with cruel captions:

“Daddy’s money couldn’t buy her a treadmill.”

“Future CEO? More like the Faceplant Queen.”

Avery’s heart sank. The memes were in the school’s private group chat, where almost every student could see them. The comments beneath the post were even worse, full of laughing emojis and mocking remarks.

“I can’t believe this,” Avery said, her voice trembling. “Why does he hate me so much? What did I ever do to him?”

Janice’s jaw tightened. “You exist, that’s what. Ryan’s the type who can’t stand seeing someone he can’t control or intimidate. And you, Aves, are stronger than you think. But we’re not letting this slide.”

Avery shook her head. “What can we even do? It’s not like we can stop him.”

Janice’s eyes narrowed, a fire blazing in her expression. “Yes, we can. We fight back. We hit him where it hurts.”

Avery hesitated. “I don’t want to stoop to his level, Janice. That’s not me.”

“And letting him walk all over you is?” Janice shot back. “You’ve been nice, you’ve been patient, and look where it’s gotten you. Sometimes, Aves, you have to stand up for yourself, even if it’s messy.”

Before Avery could respond, her phone buzzed. Reluctantly, she unlocked the screen and opened her messages. There it was—a screenshot of yet another meme, this one shared in the school chat.

It showed Avery from gym class, her face flushed and her hair messy, with the caption: “When your dad’s rich, but you still run like a dying giraffe.”

Avery felt her throat tighten as she stared at the cruel image.

“I’m done,” she whispered.

“What?” Janice asked, leaning closer.

Avery’s hands clenched into fists, her voice gaining strength. “I’m done letting him get away with this.”

Lunchtime in the Crestwood courtyard was always chaotic, but today, Avery’s steps were steady and purposeful. She scanned the tables until her eyes landed on Ryan, lounging with his friends as if he owned the place.

Janice was right behind her, phone already in hand, ready to document whatever unfolded.

“Ryan!” Avery’s voice rang out across the courtyard. Heads turned as conversations paused, the air suddenly thick with tension.

Ryan looked up, clearly amused. “Deveraux,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Avery marched up to him, her cheeks flushed with a mix of anger and nerves. “I’m sick of your games, Ryan. What’s your problem with me? Why do you keep doing this?”

Ryan smirked, standing up and towering over her. “My problem? I don’t have a problem, Deveraux. I just call it like I see it. And what I see is someone who doesn’t belong here, pretending she does.”

Avery’s fists clenched at her sides. “You don’t get to decide who belongs here. You’re not—” She stumbled over her words, her voice faltering.

“Spit it out, Deveraux,” Ryan said loudly, cutting her off. “Or do you need a minute? You’re embarrassing yourself.”

Laughter rippled through the courtyard, and Avery felt her face burn. Her heart pounded in her ears, but she refused to back down.

“I… I’m not going to let you humiliate me anymore,” she said, her voice shaking but firm.

Ryan leaned closer, smirking. “Oh, sweetie, you don’t need my help for that. You do a great job all on your own.”

Janice, standing a few feet away, had her phone raised, recording the entire exchange. She kept it steady, zooming in on Ryan’s smirk as he delivered his cruel lines.

“Got it,” she whispered to herself, a glint of satisfaction in her eyes.

Avery turned on her heel and walked away, her head held high despite the sting of tears threatening to fall.

That afternoon, the video Janice recorded went live. She posted it in the same school group chat where Ryan had spread his memes, captioning it: “And they call her embarrassing? Let’s talk about the real clown here.”

The response was immediate. Comments flooded in, with many students calling out Ryan’s behavior. The tide was slowly shifting, and for the first time, Avery didn’t feel completely alone.

“You’re a genius,” Avery said to Janice as they sat in the library later that day.

Janice grinned. “I know. But let’s not celebrate just yet. Ryan’s not the type to let something like this slide.”

As if on cue, Avery’s phone buzzed. She opened the message, and her stomach dropped.

It was from Ryan.

“You’re gonna regret this.”