Chapter 4 - The Exposure
Headline: "The Video Was Never Meant for the Police—It Was Sent to the World!""What did you just do?" Robert asked, his voice dropping to a panicked whisper as he watched my eyes lock onto the glowing phone screen.
"Do you remember six months ago when you used your influence to block my promotion at the county library board?" I asked, standing up and zipping my coat. "You told the director I wasn't 'stable' enough for a management position, simply because I refused to loan Vanessa twenty thousand dollars to pay off her credit card debts."
"That was family business!" Robert shouted.
"No, that was sabotage," I corrected him. "You’ve used your power in this town to crush anyone who didn't bow down to your golden child. But you forgot one thing, Dad: the internet doesn't answer to a county judge."
I held up my phone.
The video—titled "Prominent Judge's Family Sabotages 16-Year-Old Finalist's Project"—had already been uploaded to a brand-new social media page I had created two hours prior.
In less than forty-five minutes, the view counter was spinning out of control:
10,000 views. 85,000 views. 320,000 views.
The comments were rolling in like a tidal wave:
"Is that Judge Robert Hayes in the background watching his daughter burn a child's work?!"
"Look at the mother holding her wine glass while the kid cries! Cruel monsters!"
"That poor girl! I hope she gets full justice and they all go to prison!"
Elaine lunged off the sofa, trying to grab my phone, but I easily stepped out of her reach. "Take it down! Take it down right now, Mara! You are ruining our lives!"
"You ruined your own lives the second you let hatred drive your choices," I said, backing toward the front door with Lily. "The local news just picked it up. They’re running it on the 6:00 AM morning broadcast. You might want to fix your hair, Mom. The camera crews will be parked at the end of your driveway in about three hours."
Madison started screaming hysterically, covering her face. "My friends are going to see this! Everyone at school is going to see this!"
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"Then maybe you should tell them the truth for once, Madison," Lily said from the doorway, looking back at her cousin without a shred of malice—only pity. "Tell them you tried to steal my life because you were too lazy to build your own."
We walked out into the crisp, freezing night, leaving the front door wide open behind us. As we pulled out of the driveway, I could see my father through the large front window, furiously dialing numbers on his phone, trying in vain to stop a digital avalanche that had already crushed his empire.
