Chapter 16 - Two Hundred Witnesses
"TURN IT OFF!"
Marcus's scream echoed through the ballroom.
Nobody obeyed.
The footage repeated.
Lily climbed.
Leo approached.
Two hands.
One violent shove.
A child's body disappeared beyond the railing.
A woman near the front began crying.
Several guests recorded the screen with their phones.
Marcus saw them.
"Put those phones away!"
That command made more people start recording.
Sarah opened the booth door.
She walked into the ballroom.
The catering tray slipped from her hand.
Crystal shattered across the marble.
Everyone turned.
Marcus stared at her.
"You."
Sarah removed her cap.
"Yes."
Security guards began moving.
Sarah raised her voice.
"My name is Sarah Vance."
"My daughter is Lily Vance."
"Seven years old."
"Broken arm."
"Severe concussion."
"Hospitalized because the boy sitting in front of you decided she wasn't obeying him."
Guests looked toward Leo.
The child glared at Sarah.
Marcus stepped from the stage.
"This woman is a fugitive."
"She planted evidence."
Sarah laughed.
"Interesting."
"Because your security team planted five kilograms of drugs inside my apartment."
The room erupted.
Marcus pointed at security.
"Remove her!"
Two guards moved forward.
A prominent attorney stepped between them.
"Don't."
Another guest followed.
Then another.
Marcus looked stunned.
His power worked when people were isolated.
Here, they were watching one another.
Nobody wanted to become part of the cover-up.
Sarah continued.
"Leo has hurt children before."
"Your money erased complaints."
"You bought silence."
"You threatened witnesses."
"You protected him so completely that he began believing consequences were something only poor people experienced."
"Shut up!"
The voice did not come from Marcus.
It came from Leo.
Everyone turned.
The boy stood.
His face was red with rage.
Sarah looked directly at him.
"Why?"
Marcus immediately shouted.
"Leo, don't answer."
Sarah ignored him.
"Why did you push Lily?"
Leo's hands curled into fists.
"Because she was stupid."
Marcus rushed toward him.
"Stop."
Leo pulled away.
"She wouldn't jump."
The ballroom became utterly silent.
Sarah took another step.
"So you pushed her?"
Marcus grabbed Leo's shoulder.
The boy screamed.
"YES!"
A hundred phones captured the word.
Leo pointed at Sarah.
"She deserved it!"
Marcus tried covering his son's mouth.
Too late.
Leo twisted free.
"Nobody tells me no!"
Sarah felt chills rise along her arms.
Leo shouted the final confession directly into a room full of witnesses.
"Dad always fixes it!"
May you like
Marcus's face collapsed.
And somewhere outside the estate, police sirens began screaming through the night.
