My bully, Rafael, had always loved control. He thrived on the quiet panic his words could seed. I thought his target was only me; that I could weather the whispers alone. Then he found a new lever: my mother. He started sending messages — sly, insinuating texts to her social accounts; a private story that showed up at midnight; a manipulated screenshot with my name and a scandalous lie. It was no longer just about making me feel small. It was about unmooring my home.