{"id":452,"date":"2026-04-17T15:22:03","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T15:22:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ustinh.top\/?p=452"},"modified":"2026-04-17T15:22:04","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T15:22:04","slug":"my-neighbor-turned-my-family-against-me-with-a-rumor-15-years-later-she-begged-me-to-help-her-in-court-and-my-one-condition-made-her-turn-white","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ustinh.top\/?p=452","title":{"rendered":"My Neighbor Turned My Family Against Me with a Rumor \u2013 15 Years Later, She Begged Me to Help Her in Court and My One Condition Made Her Turn White"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A lie my neighbor spread when I was a child destroyed everything my family had. Years later, she came to me for help in court, but I had to teach her a lesson first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My name is Emily. Fifteen years ago, my life was torn apart by a lie that never should’ve existed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I still remember the exact moment everything began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a warm afternoon, and we were at our small-town grocery store. My visibly pregnant mom, Laura, stood beside the checkout lane holding a carton of eggs while chatting with the cashier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mom had always been friendly. She smiled at everyone, remembered birthdays, and never walked past someone without saying hello.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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My life was torn apart.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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That day, Mom wore a simple summer skirt and a white blouse. Nothing unusual or improper. But apparently, that was enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Across the aisle, Mrs. Holland, our neighbor, stood with two other women from church. Her voice carried farther than she probably realized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Laura walks around in a short shirt and smiles at men in the store. I’m telling you, those kids aren’t his.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The words sliced through the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was only 10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mom froze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“I’m telling you, those kids aren’t his.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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“What did she say?” I whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mom forced a smile. “Nothing, honey. Let’s just go home.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it wasn’t “nothing,” not even close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

***<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rumors in a small town move faster than the truth ever can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within a week, everyone had heard the story, but none of it was true. My mother cared deeply for my father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But people just repeated what they’d heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“What did she say?”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At school, the whispers followed me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Hey Emily,” one boy laughed on the playground. “Which dad are you going home to today?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another girl leaned across her desk and whispered, “My mom says your mom sleeps around.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The kids started calling me names.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I tried to ignore them, but the harassment wouldn’t stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I got off the bus one afternoon, I ran straight inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The whispers followed me.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Mom stood at the sink, washing dishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Mom,” I asked quietly, “why are people saying those things about you?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She stopped moving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then she turned, her eyes glossy with tears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Because sometimes people tell stories they wish were true,” she said softly. “But it doesn’t make them real.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I nodded, but the knot in my chest didn’t loosen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the days that followed, I also noticed how the women in town stopped greeting my mom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Her eyes glossy with tears.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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The real damage came when my father heard the gossip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dad worked long hours at the local machine shop, and by the time the rumors reached him, they’d already grown twisted and ugly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One evening, he came home angry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mom greeted him at the door as she always did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Dinner’s ready,” she said gently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He dropped his keys onto the counter and stared at her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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My father heard the gossip.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Is it true?” My Dad asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mom blinked in confusion. “Is what true?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“The things people are saying.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Mom looked stunned. “You know exactly what I’m talking about!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I stood halfway down the hallway, clutching the wall, too afraid to step forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mom shook her head quickly. “Tom, listen to me. None of that’s true. I would never…”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Dad had already stopped listening. “You embarrassed me,” he snapped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“Is it true?”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mom’s voice broke. “Please, just talk to me.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, he grabbed a suitcase from the closet and started throwing clothes into it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Tom!” she cried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the time the sun went down, he was gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dad never said goodbye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

***<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The weeks that followed felt like a slow collapse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mom tried to hold everything together, but at night, I heard her crying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Please, just talk to me.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stress does terrible things to a body, and one night Mom woke up in pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I remember the ambulance lights and sitting in the hospital hallway<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Dad arrived, they told him that the baby was gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two days later, complications took my mother too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After Mom died, Dad changed. He started drinking heavily and eventually lost his job. My Dad stopped paying bills, and the house fell apart as he lost everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One night Mom woke up in pain.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One evening, a social worker knocked on the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Emily,” she said kindly, “we need to take you somewhere safe for a while.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I looked back at my Dad sitting on the couch. He didn’t even lift his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was the last time I saw him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

***<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Foster care wasn’t easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some homes were kind. Others weren’t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“We need to take you somewhere safe.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One afternoon in high school, a teacher stopped me after class. “Have you ever thought about becoming a lawyer? You’re very good at arguing your points.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The idea stuck with me. If lies could destroy a family, maybe truth deserved someone willing to fight for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From that moment on, I worked harder than anyone expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scholarships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Late nights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Part-time jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eventually, I made it through college and law school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The idea stuck with me.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

***<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fifteen years after my mom’s death, I’d built a reputation as one of the most successful attorneys in the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, my assistant gave me a case file that looked complicated. A grandmother was trying to win custody of her grandson from the child’s father, who apparently had a long record of violence and neglect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those cases were never simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The boy’s father was unfit but had a strong lawyer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, I was determined to win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Those cases were never simple.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then I noticed the name printed on the folder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Holland.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I modified the paperwork she had to sign for me to accept the case. Then I called my assistant to let her in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the door creaked open, an older woman stepped inside, her hands trembling slightly as she clutched her purse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time had aged her, but I recognized her immediately as my old neighbor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I called my assistant to let her in.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Holland looked at me with wide, uncertain eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I know it’s you,” she said quietly. “And I know what I did to your family.” Tears slid down her cheeks. “But I need your help.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Old memories pressed against my chest, but surprisingly, I didn’t feel the rage I once expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, I felt a strange sense of life coming full circle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Holland sat down slowly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“I know it’s you.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“My daughter’s gone because of my son-in-law (SIL),” she whispered. “He’s a terrible man. He hurts my grandson. I’m the only one left who can protect that boy.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then I signed the legal agreement sitting on my desk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I’ll take your case,” I said calmly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her eyes widened. “I… I never even hoped you would. Not after everything I did to your family.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Read the end of the document,” I interrupted. “I have one condition you must meet. If you don’t, I won’t help you.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“He’s a terrible man.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Holland took the paper with trembling fingers. She read part of the final page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then she gasped as she realized what I was demanding. “You want me to admit it in public?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“Yes,”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Her eyes lifted slowly toward me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The condition in the agreement was simple. Mrs. Holland had to sign a sworn public statement admitting that the rumors she spread about my mother all those years ago were completely false.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“You want me to admit it in public?”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I’ll do that,” she said quickly. “If that’s what it takes.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her voice sounded rushed, almost relieved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But I tapped the page. “Keep reading.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She read the next paragraph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The document also required Mrs. Holland to submit the statement to the same local newspaper and community board where the gossip had spread all those years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The apology also required her to acknowledge that those lies destroyed my family and my mom’s reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Keep reading.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“That would be… very public,” she said carefully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Silence settled in the office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I’m not refusing,” My former neighbor<\/a> said after a moment. “I just have to ask… wouldn’t something like that look bad for my custody case?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I watched her carefully. Years as a lawyer had taught me to recognize when someone was trying to steer a conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“Wouldn’t something like that look bad for my custody case?”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

“You’re wondering if admitting to lying publicly might hurt how a judge sees you,” I said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She nodded quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“If you refuse to correct the record publicly,” I said evenly, “I will withdraw from the case immediately.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She flinched. “But that boy needs help!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“I know. Which is exactly why I’m giving you the choice.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Her hands trembled again as she looked down at the document. “You’re asking me to humiliate myself in front of the entire town.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“But that boy needs help!”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I didn’t soften my voice. “You humiliated my mother in front of them.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The words sat between us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, she picked up the pen. “If I sign this… you’ll fight for my grandson?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“With everything I have.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

She closed her eyes briefly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then signed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“You humiliated my mother in front of them.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

***<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following morning, Mrs. Holland kept her word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Later that afternoon, my phone rang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I went to the newspaper office,” Mrs. Holland said. “They didn’t want to publish it at first. Small-town newspapers chase new stories, not old ones.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wasn’t surprised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“What changed their minds?” I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Mrs. Holland kept her word.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

“I told them they could have the first interview about the custody case,” she explained. “No matter how it ends.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That actually made me smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“The apology will be printed tomorrow morning,” Mrs. Holland said. “I posted it on the community board, too.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Good,” I said quietly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we hung up, I opened my laptop and began preparing for court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now I had more than just a custody argument. I had something far more powerful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“No matter how it ends.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The courtroom felt tense that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Holland sat beside me at the defense table. Across the room, her SIL, Henry, leaned back in his chair, looking irritated and confident. His lawyer stood beside him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hearing began quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Henry’s attorney started first. “Your Honor, while my client admits that his financial situation has been unstable, removing a child from his father would be an extreme step. Mrs. Holland may love her grandson, but she’s not his parent.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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His lawyer stood beside him.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Mrs. Holland’s fingers tightened beside me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Stay calm,” I whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lawyer continued. “My client believes his son belongs with him.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it was finally my turn, I stood and walked toward the center of the courtroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Your Honor,” I began, “this case isn’t about who loves the child more. It’s about who can provide a safe home.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The judge watched quietly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Stay calm.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I began laying out the facts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Police reports.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

School records.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medical visits that suggested neglect.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Henry’s confidence slowly faded as the evidence stacked up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But his lawyer still fought back hard. “Even if mistakes were made,” he argued, “Mrs. Holland’s past behavior raises serious questions about her judgment.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

I began laying out the facts.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was the moment I’d been waiting for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Your Honor,” I said calmly, “I’d like to submit a document as evidence.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The clerk handed the paper to the judge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The judge began to read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The courtroom remained silent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then the judge looked up. “What exactly is this?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“A sworn public confession,” I explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“I’d like to submit a document as evidence.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Holland shifted nervously beside me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I continued speaking. “Fifteen years ago, Mrs. Holland spread a false rumor about my family that caused terrible damage.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several people in the courtroom glanced toward me with surprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“But recently,” I said, “she publicly admitted the truth.” I held up a copy of the newspaper article. “She corrected the lie in the same newspaper where the gossip had originally spread.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Mrs. Holland spread a false rumor about my family.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Henry’s lawyer frowned. “And how is that relevant to custody?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I met his gaze. “It shows character. This woman made a terrible mistake. But she was willing to face her entire community and admit it.” I turned slightly toward Mrs. Holland. “She didn’t have to do that. But she did it because she wanted to make something right.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then I faced the judge again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“A person willing to accept responsibility and change is exactly the kind of person who should be trusted to raise a child.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“And how is that relevant to custody?”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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The judge leaned back thoughtfully. “In light of the evidence presented… custody will be awarded to Mrs. Holland,” the judge declared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Holland gasped softly beside me. Across the courtroom, Henry slammed his fist on the table, but the case was over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Holland turned toward me with tears streaming down her face. “I don’t know how to thank you.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“You already did.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

She shook her head. “No. I mean for everything.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“I don’t know how to thank you.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I finally understand what you did. That confession,” Mrs. Holland said softly. “It wasn’t just punishment. It gave you leverage and showed the judge I was willing to change.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I smiled slightly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs. Holland’s eyes filled with regret. “Emily… I’m so sorry for what I did to your family.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hurtful memories flashed through my mind momentarily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then I looked at the woman standing in front of me. “I know.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

“I finally understand what you did.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Advertisement<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She wiped her eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to do better.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I nodded slowly. “That’s all anyone can do.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the first time in years, the weight I had carried felt a little lighter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes justice doesn’t erase the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it can help people finally move forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

The weight I had carried felt a little lighter.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A lie my neighbor spread when I was a child destroyed everything my family had. Years later, she came to me for help in court, but I… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":453,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-452","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ustinh.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ustinh.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ustinh.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ustinh.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ustinh.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=452"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ustinh.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":454,"href":"https:\/\/ustinh.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/452\/revisions\/454"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ustinh.top\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/453"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ustinh.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ustinh.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ustinh.top\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}