Chapter 7
The word surveillance hit Richard like a physical blow to the stomach.
A collective murmur finally broke through the crowd of wedding guests. Aunts, uncles, and family friends exchanged bewildered, nervous glances.
Victoria felt a fierce, triumphant surge of adrenaline flood her veins. She reached behind her, resting a reassuring hand on Lily’s head. The little girl had stopped crying, watching the Security Manager with wide, wet blue eyes, sensing the massive shift in the room's power dynamic.
"Surveillance?" Eleanor shrieked, finally managing to stand on her own two feet. She pointed a shaking finger at Marcus. "This is a private reception! You have no right to monitor our family!"
"This is a high-liability corporate venue, ma'am," Marcus replied smoothly, his tone devoid of deference. "For the protection of the property and the guests, there are 4K high-definition cameras installed in the chandeliers above every table. We have zero blind spots."
Richard took a stumbling step backward. He looked wildly toward the high vaulted ceiling, his eyes scanning the glittering crystal chandeliers above them. Hidden within the ornate glass and brass were tiny, dark lenses, staring down at him.
"There's... there's no need for that," Richard stammered, raising his hands in a frantic, placating gesture. Sweat began to bead on his forehead. "It was a misunderstanding. The phone was misplaced. We can just forget the whole thing."
"He doesn't want to press charges," Victoria announced loudly to the room. She took a step toward Marcus. "But I do. I want to press charges for child endangerment and attempted framing. Show me the video."
"You have no authority here!" Eleanor wailed, clawing at the air. "He altered the video! This is a conspiracy to extort money from my family!"
Marcus turned his broad shoulders, effectively blocking Eleanor’s line of sight to Victoria. "Ma'am, the footage has already been backed up to our cloud servers. Per venue protocol regarding incidents of physical violence, I am required to document the exact sequence of events."
He turned the tablet around so the screen faced outward, angling it perfectly so that Richard, Victoria, and the front row of gaping guests had a clear view of the high-definition playback.
"Let's see exactly how that phone got under the chair," Marcus said, pressing play.
The screen displayed a crystal-clear, top-down view of the family table. The footage showed Lily eating her cake quietly. Then, Richard walked into the frame. He leaned over, pretending to adjust a centerpiece, and smoothly dropped his silver phone directly beneath the child’s chair. A moment later, Eleanor marched forward and violently kicked the chair out from beneath the six-year-old.
"Oh my god," a woman in the crowd whispered loudly.
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"They planned it," an older man in a gray suit muttered in disgust.
Richard stared at the tablet, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly. The undeniable truth of his cruelty was playing on a loop, destroying his reputation in real-time.
