Chapter 4 - The Viral Post
Arthur Sterling was pacing his cramped office. "They have money, Rachel. They have the local judges in their pockets. We need public opinion. We need proof."
Rachel knew the kitchen had no cameras. Her parents hated the idea of being recorded. But then she remembered something.
"The smart fridge," Rachel gasped. "My dad loves his tech. The refrigerator in that kitchen has a voice assistant. It’s always listening for commands, and it records ambient audio when activated. If Vanessa shouted anything that triggered it..."
Arthur’s eyes lit up. "I'll draft the subpoena right now."
While Arthur fought in court for the audio files, Rachel took out her phone. Her family was already smearing her name in their elite country club circles, painting her as a crazy, jealous sister.
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Rachel took a photo of her hand holding Emma’s tiny, bandaged hand in the hospital bed. She wrote a raw, unfiltered Facebook post detailing exactly what happened that morning. She didn't name her parents, but she told the truth about the skillet, the silence, and the lack of empathy.
She hit "Post." By morning, it had 50,000 shares. The public was out for blood.
