Escaping the Web of Maternal Manipulation

My mom Tammy Cox was an internet celebrity.

She constantly took candid photos of me without makeup and compares them to her meticulously edited pictures to generate a lot of discussion on the internet.

Even if I casually do some stretching exercises, she posts it online with captions like, "What does this pose mean for?"

Even when she was pregnant, she took pictures of the pregnancy test. "Two lines mean pregnant, right? Once my baby boy arrives, I'll be done having kids! But just thinking about my precious son being tricked by some bad woman in the future makes me so jealous!"

However, she didn't expect that this time, the netizens wouldn't indulge her anymore.

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1.

Tammy first tasted the sweet allure of online fame during my first year of high school.

It was a time when I was deep in the throes of adolescence, my face dotted with pimples and my hair chopped into a boyish cut by the school's strict rules. Not exactly a picture of beauty.

Back then, she couldn't get enough of taking photos with me.

At first, I found it odd. Growing up, she'd rarely spared me a kind word, so why the sudden closeness?

It didn't take long for me to figure it out-she was posting every single one of those photos online.

In the pictures, I was bare-faced, awkward, and stiff, unused to being in front of the camera.

Meanwhile, Tammy was the picture of perfection-flawless makeup, slimmed face, widened eyes, and skin so white it practically glowed. Next to her, I looked like a frumpy schoolgirl in my uniform. Unsurprisingly, the post blew up. The comments section was flooded with praise for Tammy's beauty and how well she'd aged. She was glowing, and I was just the awkward backdrop. For a while, she couldn't stop smiling, dragging me into every photo op. But when I started refusing, her mood soured. She called me ungrateful, a "heartless wolf," and even called Rick, who was always away on business, to complain about how disobedient I was.

Her caption? "My daughter's all grown up, almost ready to leave the nest. Guess I'm getting old."

Unsurprisingly, the post blew up.

The comments section was flooded with praise for Tammy's beauty and how well she'd aged. She was glowing, and I was just the awkward backdrop.

For a while, she couldn't stop smiling, dragging me into every photo op.

But when I started refusing, her mood soured. She called me ungrateful, a "heartless wolf," and even called my father Rick Cox, who was always away on business, to complain about how disobedient I was.

She never stopped to think about how those posts made me feel-how I was mocked and pointed at in school, how helpless and exposed I felt.

I thought she'd let it go after that, but I was wrong.

A friend showed me her latest post, and she was still updating.

2.

There I was, caught in a candid shot, fresh out of bed, toothbrush in mouth, hair a mess.

It was summer, and I was in a low-cut nightgown, the angle dangerously close to revealing my bosom.

Meanwhile, Tammy had posted a perfectly edited photo of herself in lace pajamas, captioning it, "Morning comparison with my daughter. Should I remind her to pay attention to her appearance?"

The comments were brutal.

"Sis, you are so beautiful! What's wrong with the daughter? If I had a mom like that, I'd be learning everything from her!"

"Honestly, the daughter's flaws are glaring."

What the hell?

And then, the kicker asked, "Do you have plans for a second child? Daughters grow up and leave, but a son stays close. Just saying!"

Tammy's reply really enraged me, "Of course! Not that I'm favoring boys, but a son is like a nuclear weapon-better to have one and not need it than need it and not have it!"

I didn't want to read any further.

I was angry. But what could I do?

Tammy controlled the purse strings. If I upset her, she'd cut off my allowance for weeks.

Even if I was starving at school, she wouldn't budge until I groveled and apologized.

I tried talking to Rick, but Tammy always twisted the story, painting me as the rebellious child who needed to be put in her place.

She cried about my disobedience, claiming I had grown wings and needed a lesson to understand that a mother's orders cannot be defied.

Rick, who was rarely home, didn't know the situation and chose to believe her, often reminding me, "Your mom is just childish; go along with her and don't make her angry."

Later, I just wanted to use the college entrance exam to get away from Tammy and this home.

I threw myself into studying and even started working out, shedding the awkwardness of puberty.

Tammy's mood darkened-she wasn't getting the same satisfaction from comparing herself to me anymore.

I knew she resented me for not providing her with material anymore.

Because in the comment section, there were already a few people began to notice my transformation, and Tammy couldn't experience the satisfaction of comparing herself to her daughter, which naturally made her mood irritable.

I didn't care about her feelings; I just wanted to improve myself.

Unexpectedly, this time Tammy stopped updating the daily comparisons with me.

She found a new path.

3.

Since my senior year, after Rick returned, Tammy suddenly treated me very well.

She used to never prepare lavish meals every day, constantly adding food and urging me to eat more.

I knew she was trying to fatten me up, yet Rick thought Tammy was being considerate and loving, often advising me not to disappoint her.

To avoid fulfilling her wishes, I paid more attention to exercise, often locking myself in my room.

A few days later, I suddenly saw Tammy, who hadn't updated for a while, posting a new video.

The post included a photo, clearly taken from the crack of the door.

In the photo, I was doing a stretching exercise, with a slightly grimacing expression due to the pain.

This time, Tammy's caption read, "My daughter started doing this move, is it a sign that my second baby is on the way? I have learnt some mysticism."

The replies below came in waves.

"Yes. Last time my daughter tucked in her teddy bear, and the next day I found out I was pregnant."

"No offense but your daughter is really not a pretty girl. You have such excellent genes, better start working on a new one, looking forward to the baby's arrival!"

I was so angry that I couldn't help but laugh. I went straight to knock on my parents' bedroom door.

Before long, Rick opened the door, looking a bit surprised. "What's wrong? Who make you so angry?"

I pushed past him and went directly to Tammy. "Delete the post right now."

Tammy's eyes flickered for a moment, still trying to be stubborn.

"I don't know what you're talking about. What post? Don't make things up!"

Rick looked puzzled but instinctively sided with Tammy. "Hey, Karlie, mind your manner when talking to your mom. She's your mother, not a villain."

I let out a cold laugh and tossed my phone onto the bed, where Tammy's account homepage was displayed prominently.

Rick picked up the phone and looked at it, his eyebrows furrowing before he turned to Tammy.

"What did you do? How could you just post Karlie's photos online like that?"

Initially, Tammy seemed a bit guilty, but she quickly regained her composure and looked completely justified.

"She's my daughter. What's wrong with taking pictures of my own kid? If she can't handle a bit of online attention, how will she manage in the real world?" Tammy grew more agitated as she spoke. "People praise me, and instead of being genuinely happy for me, she blames me instead. Doesn't it seem ungrateful to you? If so, raising a pet would be better!"

4

She finished her tirade with a face full of grievance, wiping away tears incessantly.

Rick, who could never stand seeing her like this, immediately went over to comfort her without a second thought.

He then turned to me. "Karlie, what she did was inappropriate, but she's still your mom. We need to allow her some small mistakes."

I watched them with cold detachment, with no desire to be trapped in their deep affection for each other. After a moment, I picked up my phone and walked out.

Behind me, I could still hear Tammy's voice. "I told you we should have given her away back then, but you insisted on keeping her. She's just an ungrateful brat..."

For a while after that, I chose to avoid seeing Tammy.

Although I had suggested staying at school, Tammy outright rejected the idea.

Her reasoning was simple. It was not safe for a girl to live alone at school dormitory.

Yet she never mentioned how she never picked me up after evening classes, leaving me to walk home alone, which was more dangerous than living at the dorm.

Of course, I had some money of my own, but it was saved for college, and I couldn't use it now.

Tammy liked to sleep early for beauty's sake, so if I stayed up a bit after evening classes to read and woke up early in the morning, I could perfectly avoid her.

I was striving for my college entrance exams, feeling a bit anxious as I watched the countdown on the wall decrease day by day.

But I knew I had to seize this opportunity to escape Tammy.

Just then, Mr. Black found me, saying Rick had called.

When I answered, an unexpected news stroke me.

Tammy was pregnant.

5

In terms of the reason why rick called me was simple.

"Your mom is pregnant now, and her mood swings are unpredictable. She keeps saying she wants you to come back and stay with her. I know this is an important time for your exams, but your mom keeps making a fuss, and I can't do anything about it..."

Rick's tone was troubled, but his words clearly implied that I should go back to appease Tammy.

I initially wanted to refuse outright, but then I thought, if I ignored it, Tammy might just cause a scene at school.

In the end, I had to ask Mr. Black for a day's leave, determined to resolve this mess as quickly as possible.

On the way home, I checked Tammy's account.

Sure enough, several new posts had been updated.

"Seeking advice from all the ladies. does two lines on a pregnancy test mean I'm pregnant? Starting today, I'm a little pregnant mom! With a fertile body, I have been blessed by hubby again! Hoping for a baby boy this time to fulfill my dream. I am craving ice cream during pregnancy, but hubby says it's too cold for the tummy. He's so thoughtful and loving! I am thirty-seven years old and pregnant for three months. Should I call my daughter, who's about to take her college entrance exams, home to take care of her younger brother?"

Honestly, reading through these posts, I almost felt gross about her hypocrisy.

When I got home, I heard Tammy's irritated voice as soon as I entered.

"You better drag her back home. If she refuses, just go to her school and withdraw her. What's the point of her studying if she can't even come back to take care of her pregnant mother? She's got no sense of filial duty!"

I didn't know what Rick said, but suddenly there was the sound of something shattering inside.

Half a minute later, Rick came out looking dejected, but his eyes lit up when he saw me.

"Karlie, you're back."

He glanced nervously toward the room and added, "Your mom's been missing you a lot lately. She's... upset. Go in and talk to her, okay?"

Missing me?

Even if I hadn't overheard her earlier rant, I wouldn't have believed it for a second.

Under Rick's urging, I reluctantly pushed the door open, only to duck just in time as a vase came hurtling toward me.

If I hadn't moved, it would've smashed right into my face.

Rick gasped, "What are you doing?!"

Tammy barely flinched. Seeing I was unharmed, she shot me a look of pure annoyance, her expression tinged with something almost like disappointment.

"It wasn't on purpose," she muttered, her tone devoid of any real apology.

Rick, clearly wanting no part of this, mumbled an excuse and slipped away, leaving me alone with her.

"Just say what you need to say," I snapped. "I have to get back to class." I didn't want to be here, but with exams looming, I couldn't afford her causing more chaos.

"Karlie, watch your tone! I'm your mother!"

she barked, trying to assert her authority. But when she saw my cold, unmoved expression, her demeanor shifted.

"Karlie," she began, her voice softening, "I'm not trying to force you into anything. But being pregnant is so hard. This isn't just my son-he's your brother too. Don't you think you should help take care of him?"

I couldn't help but laugh inwardly. "So?" I asked, my voice flat.

"So," she continued, her tone now almost pleading, "I think it's best if you take a break from school for now. We can talk about you going back after your brother is born."