Humiliation

Cole leaned against his bed, phone in hand, his conversation with his girlfriend lily flowing smoothly. She was rambling about something—weekend plans, some drama from school—but he barely paid attention. His mind was on himself, as it always was.

Then, his phone buzzed. A notification from the group chat.

_**Dylan:** Bro, you need to see this. What the hell is going on?_

Cole frowned, clicking the message. A video link.

Another buzz.

_**Ryan:** Dude… this is bad. Check it now._

Cole's stomach twisted slightly. Whatever it was, it had them all shaken.

Without hesitation, he clicked the link.

The screen loaded, and then—his blood ran cold.

His own face stared back at him. His voice. His movements. _His._

The world around him seemed to slow, the sound of his girlfriend's voice fading into the background.

_Where did this come from?_

_Who uploaded this?_

_Why is everyone watching?_

His fingers trembled slightly as he scrolled through the comments—mocking, cruel, unrelenting.

He swallowed hard, his breath shallow. He knew what this meant. He knew his life had just taken a nosedive.

And worse? He had no idea who did it.

Cole's breath quickened as he scrolled through the comments, each one worse than the last.

_"This is insane."_

_"Bro just ruined his whole life."_

_"I can't believe this is REAL."_

_"No way he's coming back from this."_

His hands shook as he clicked out of the video, his mind racing. He checked his messages—dozens of unread notifications, people demanding explanations, some laughing, some horrified. His reputation, his status, everything he had built—was collapsing in real time.

His girlfriend's voice finally cut through the haze. "Cole… what's going on?"

He looked up, but the words wouldn't come. What could he even say?

He jumped up, pacing his room, fingers running through his hair. He needed to fix this. He needed to find out who did this.

"Ryan," he typed hurriedly into the group chat. "Take it down. NOW."

_**Ryan:** Bro… we don't know who posted it._

His stomach dropped further.

He clenched his jaw, his fists tightening. Someone did this to him. Someone planned this. And he was going to find out who.

Meanwhile, Jason sat comfortably in his chair, watching the chaos unfold, every reaction exactly as expected.

A slow smile tugged at his lips.

This was just the beginning.

-------

Cole's stomach twisted as he stepped into the towering office of his father, Andrew Roberts. The air was thick with tension, the kind that made his skin prickle, his pulse quicken. He knew why he was here. He knew what was coming.

The Roberts family wasn't just wealthy—they were a force. A powerhouse in business, their empire spanning industries from finance to media, with a reputation built on dominance, precision, and absolute control. Andrew Roberts sat at the helm, a man whose presence alone commanded fear and respect. To disappoint him was unthinkable. To embarrass him—unforgivable.

Cole swallowed hard as he stood before his father's massive oak desk. Andrew sat behind it, his piercing gaze locked onto his son like a predator sizing up weak prey. The silence was unbearable.

Then, finally, the inevitable words came. "Explain."

Cole stiffened, his throat dry. "I—I don't know how it happened," he stammered. "Someone leaked it. I had no idea—"

"Enough." Andrew's voice was cold, cutting. "Do you have any idea what you've done? This family built its legacy on strength, discipline, _control._ And now, because of your stupidity, our name is being dragged through the gutter."

Cole gritted his teeth, his fists clenching at his sides. He had never seen his father this furious—this _disgusted._

"The IT department is handling this," Andrew continued sharply. "The video will be erased. But damage control can only do so much, Cole. _This should never have happened in the first place._"

Cole lowered his head, shame burning through him.

His father leaned forward slightly, his tone dropping into something more sinister. "Who did this to you?"

Cole froze. He had been asking himself the same question. Who hated him enough to orchestrate this? Who had the resources, the nerve, the _patience_ to execute this kind of humiliation?

"I—I don't know," he admitted, hating how weak he sounded.

Andrew's eyes narrowed. He let the silence stretch for an agonizing moment before finally speaking again. "Then find out. Because until you do, you will pay_ for this."

Cole exhaled shakily, the weight of those words settling deep.

And as he left the office, the fear remained. Not just of his father's wrath, but of the unknown enemy lurking in the shadows—someone who had planned this perfectly. Someone who wanted him destroyed.