Chapter 4 - The Viral Firestorm
By the time we got back to our small apartment, it was past midnight.
Emma fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow, exhausted from the trauma of the evening.
I made myself a cup of black coffee and finally opened my laptop to check the news.
My jaw dropped as I opened social media.
A guest from the banquet had uploaded a perfectly clear video of the entire incident, including the laptop footage showing Julian planting the jewelry.
The video had over ten million views in less than three hours.
The hashtag #JusticeForEmma was trending number one worldwide.
People were furious, dissecting Julian’s arrogant demeanor and Beatrice’s cold reaction.
Internet sleuths had already identified Julian's company and were organizing massive boycotts.
My inbox was flooded with thousands of messages of support from strangers across the globe.
Among the messages, one email caught my eye because of the sender's name.
It was from Marcus Sterling, a notoriously ruthless civil rights attorney who only took high-profile cases.
His email was short and straight to the point.
"Clara, do not sign anything, do not speak to the Vance family, and call me at this number immediately. I will take your case pro-bono."
I felt a surge of hope wash over me.
Julian’s father might have billions of dollars and corrupt politicians on his payroll.
But I had the internet, the truth, and now, the most feared lawyer in the state on my side.
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I picked up my phone and dialed Marcus Sterling's number, ready to organize our counterattack.
The Vance family was about to learn that a mother’s fury is far more dangerous than a billionaire's bank account.
