The Wyld Girls

Chapter 21 - Michelle

Wyld Times, Special Episode – The Whole Wyld Story

"Welcome back, everyone." The woman in the interviewer's chair is the most trusted face on Australian TV. Her beautiful curves are contained in a lavender knit dress, while her mahogany hair tumbles down her back in sultry waves. Behind her is the Wyld Life Park lagoon; seals splash merrily in the background. She speaks to the camera in a lyrical, kind voice. "Before the break, we recapped the Wyld family history, the meteoric rise of their series, and the cultural phenomenon that is Bruce, Michelle and Kylie Wyld. We've also watched footage from the day he died. There's a lot to discuss."

She addresses Michelle and Kylie, sitting together across from her. "It's been six months since the story broke about Bruce's affairs – and less time since the two of you came forward to speak publicly about your side of the story. Can you talk me through what it's been like for you both?"

"It's been challenging, Evianna," says Michelle diplomatically.

Kylie snorts. "Challenging? It has sucked!"

Michelle laughs. "That too. The backlash against me after the women came forward wasn't unexpected – but it lasted a lot longer and was far more intense than I could have anticipated."

Evianna asks, "Why didn't you tell your story earlier? When Bruce died or immediately after the story broke?"

"Because I understood that the role Bruce played in my life was very different to the place he held in other people's hearts." Michelle smiles sadly. "He was physically, sexually and emotionally abusive towards me, but for Kylie, he was the brother she loved. For the conservation community, he was an eco-warrior. For Australian women, he was a tragic, romantic figure, and for Australian men, he was an icon of masculinity. Speaking openly about my experience would have destroyed their beliefs, and that wasn't something I was willing to do – unless I had to."

"Your hand was forced by the backlash. Kylie, how did you feel upon finding out that your brother wasn't who you thought he was?"

Kylie rolls her dark eyes, so much like Bruce's. "Honestly? I didn't believe it. I needed Michelle to be the bad guy, because then I wouldn't have to face the idea that Bruce wasn't perfect. Like, no one wants to smack talk dead family members."

"And what changed your mind?"

"The footage you've just seen." Kylie grimaces. "It's pretty hard to keep someone up on a pedestal when you've seen them admit to using and abusing others with pride."

"Let's talk about the footage. Why are you choosing to release this now?"

Michelle looks tired. "We waited for the uproar about Bruce to die down – but it didn't. I was the direct target of a hate campaign by his die-hard fans. They broke into my home, threw blood and fish guts on me at my place of work, harassed my parents and my friends. And when Kylie defended me, they turned on her too."

"So, we told Michelle's side of the story," says Kylie, reaching for Michelle's hand.

"And that only made things worse – especially when people found out that I was romantically involved with Parker, Bruce's best friend." Michelle's eyebrows crease in concern. "It's been months, and we still receive dozens of death threats every day, we all have to have security around the clock, and just yesterday, someone broke into my office and left the gutted body of a pig wearing a blonde wig on my desk."

Evianna's mouth drops open, her professionalism slipping for a moment in her shock. "Oh, god! I'm so sorry for everything you've both gone through. What do you hope will happen once people see this footage? Bruce's own words condemn him – his manipulation of you, marrying you for money, refusing to allow you to separate – but beyond that, this clearly shows the side of him you have been trying to tell people about. Do you think it will make a difference?"