Chapter 6 - The Digital Jury
Vesper tapped the screen of her tablet.
Instantly, the high-definition video Maya had sent me began playing on the massive flat-screen monitor mounted behind the terrace bar—a monitor that had been looping wedding slideshow photos just moments before.
The audio filled the open-air terrace with startling clarity.
Clack, clack, clack.
The sound of my cautious footsteps on the marble staircase.
Then Sutton rushing past. The deliberate pivot of her stiletto heel. The vicious shove of her shoulder into my back. My crutch flying through the air. The sickening crack of bone.
And then, ringing out across the luxury resort in crystal-clear, unedited surround sound:
“It was just for content! Fallon, why are you crying for attention?”
The video looped back to the beginning and played a second time.
Nobody moved. Nobody breathed.
Althia covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes bulging in horror as she realized the entire guest list—including Arthur Sterling and his entire family—had just watched her golden child commit a vicious, unprovoked assault.
Stellin stumbled backward, his hip hitting the edge of a marble cocktail table, sending a glass of champagne crashing to the floor.
And Sutton? Sutton let out a high-pitched, hysterical shriek. ""That's edited! That's AI! Someone deepfaked that! It's fake!""
""It's not fake, Ms. Mercer,"" a calm, professional voice spoke from behind the crowd.
Two men in sharp dark suits stepped through the glass doors, holding leather folders bearing official federal seals. Special Agent Vance of the U.S. Department of Commerce Financial Crimes Division stepped forward, flashing a gold badge.
""Sutton Mercer? Althia Mercer? Stellin Mercer?"" Agent Vance asked, his eyes scanning the terrified family. ""We have federal warrants for your arrest relating to wire fraud, interstate financial embezzlement, and corporate identity theft. And local police have been dispatched regarding the felony assault recorded on that monitor.""
Sutton let out a blood-curdling scream and burst into hysterical tears, sinking to her knees right on the terrace floor, ruining the hem of her expensive designer rehearsal dress. ""Alden! Alden, help me! Tell them it's a lie!""
All eyes turned to Alden.
He had been standing quietly near the edge of the terrace the entire time. His face was pale, his jaw set so tightly his cheek muscles twitched. He looked down at Sutton sobbing on the floor, then looked across the terrace at me sitting in the medical transport chair.
May you like
He walked over slowly, stopping three feet away from my chair.
""I saw her do it,"" Alden said quietly, his voice shaking with suppressed rage. ""From the top of the stairs. I saw her look right at your knee, Fallon, and I saw her shove you. I pretended I didn't see it yesterday because I was coward enough to want to avoid the scandal before the wedding."" He looked down at Sutton with absolute disgust. ""There is no wedding, Sutton. Pack your bags. You're leaving the resort tonight.""
