Chapter 184

At the same time, the online mob also turned on Jade without mercy. Someone claiming to be her high school classmate dug up stories about her chasing wealthy, handsome seniors. When rejected, she allegedly waited outside a boy's dorm demanding answers. Photos from Jade's school days surfaced—plain, unremarkable images that did nothing to support Jay's later praise for her. Rational commenters mocked her for overreaching, but the lawless corners of the internet were far crueler—obscene slurs, slut-shaming, and a campaign of character assassination left her reputation in tatters. Then came Elle Tucker, a painter in her 30s with eight million followers who cultivated a chic, urbane persona. She often took on the role of sympathetic personnel to troubled fans. As soon as Jay's video appeared, Elle reposted it and published a long, performative essay. She began with Jay's illness, claiming to know someone who had survived the same condition, and insisted that recovery was still possibl