Chapter 5 · The Verdict Is My Script

After dropping Lily off at school, I headed home and started recording my second video.

On camera, I laid out the court ruling.

"It's the second day, and I will continue to apologize to Mr. Charles Pierce," I said, staring straight into the camera.

I looked straight into the camera. "I shouldn't have labeled all those unusual money transfers as extramarital gifts without the judge's full backing."

I flipped the page. "The judgment stated that during the marriage, Charles had made multiple transfers to Kinsley, including several payments of 143 dollars."

Comments started popping up in real time.

[Wow, that's crazy generous for a coworker.]

[This apology thing is starting to sound like a legal drama.]

I kept reading. "There's some disagreement between Charles and me about how some of the money was used. I respect the judge's ruling and will continue to fulfill the order to apologize."

After I finished recording, I sent it to Anna for her to check.

She replied: [You can post it.]

Less than half an hour after I posted the video, screenshots from Kinsley's social media started spreading online.

She posted a photo of herself with an IV in her arm.

Her caption said: [Those who are innocent need no defense. I wish the world could be a little kinder.]

Netizens were on it before I realized.

Someone found an old pic of her rocking a gold bracelet.

Someone commented under her post: [Is it innocent to take several payments of 143 dollars?]

At noon, Charles called me.

I picked up and started recording the call.

His voice was icy. "Julia, are you happy now? Kinsley got dragged so hard online that she had to go to the hospital."

I asked, "Which hospital?"

He paused. "Why do you want to know?"

"If my public apology really caused her any serious trouble, show something to prove it."

There was silence on the other end.

After a few seconds, he spoke through clenched teeth, "You're really scary now."

I replied, "You haven't seen scary yet."

Then I hung up.

At four in the afternoon, Lily came home from school.

She set her backpack down and pulled a phone watch out of her pocket. "Mom."

I looked up.

Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Dad called me yesterday, and I recorded the call."

The recording on the phone watch was pretty short.

Charles's voice came through, way gentler than he usually was with Lily. "Lily, your mom's been feeling down lately. Try to be extra understanding, okay?"

Lily asked in a small voice, "Why is Mom feeling down?"

"Because she thinks I did something wrong."

"So, wasn't it wrong for you to go to the hotel with another lady?"

There was a brief silence on the other end.

Charles said, "Grown-up stuff is complicated. You're still too young to get it."

Lily asked again, "Is it bad that Mom posted that video?"

"It could affect my job. If I lose my job, I can't buy you things or send you to a good school."

By this point in the recording, my fingertips were starting to go cold.

His voice dropped to a whisper. "Lily, can you help me talk to your mom and ask her to delete the video? Please?"

Lily didn't say anything.

Charles continued, "Don't you want Mom and Dad to be on good terms? If your mom stops, I'll come home to see you more often."

The recording ended there.

The only sound in the living room was the low hum of the fridge.

Lily stood in front of me, her face pale.

She looked guilty, like she'd messed up. "Mom, I didn't say yes to Dad."

I set the phone watch down on the table and pulled her into a hug. "You did great."

She burst into tears. Her sobs were muffled, like she didn't want to upset me.

I rubbed her back.

In my previous life, I always thought that as long as I didn't argue with Charles in front of Lily, she wouldn't get hurt.

But later, I realized that she knew everything.

She just couldn't put it into words.

I backed up the recording and sent it to Anna.

She called me back right away. "This is huge. If he tries to fight for custody later, this proves he's trying to involve Lily in the parental conflict."

I glanced at Lily's firmly shut door. "Can we not go public with this yet?"

"Absolutely. Anything about Lily stays private. We'll only bring it up in court."

I let out a sigh of relief.

No matter how much online backlash I faced, I could take it. But I couldn't let Lily be dragged into this as evidence.

Chapter 5

After dropping Lily off at school, I headed home and started recording my second video.

On camera, I laid out the court ruling.

"It's the second day, and I will continue to apologize to Mr. Charles Pierce," I said, staring straight into the camera.

I looked straight into the camera. "I shouldn't have labeled all those unusual money transfers as extramarital gifts without the judge's full backing."

I flipped the page. "The judgment stated that during the marriage, Charles had made multiple transfers to Kinsley, including several payments of 143 dollars."

Comments started popping up in real time.

[Wow, that's crazy generous for a coworker.]

[This apology thing is starting to sound like a legal drama.]

I kept reading. "There's some disagreement between Charles and me about how some of the money was used. I respect the judge's ruling and will continue to fulfill the order to apologize."

After I finished recording, I sent it to Anna for her to check.

She replied: [You can post it.]

Less than half an hour after I posted the video, screenshots from Kinsley's social media started spreading online.

She posted a photo of herself with an IV in her arm.

Her caption said: [Those who are innocent need no defense. I wish the world could be a little kinder.]

Netizens were on it before I realized.

Someone found an old pic of her rocking a gold bracelet.

Someone commented under her post: [Is it innocent to take several payments of 143 dollars?]

At noon, Charles called me.

I picked up and started recording the call.

His voice was icy. "Julia, are you happy now? Kinsley got dragged so hard online that she had to go to the hospital."

I asked, "Which hospital?"

He paused. "Why do you want to know?"

"If my public apology really caused her any serious trouble, show something to prove it."

There was silence on the other end.

After a few seconds, he spoke through clenched teeth, "You're really scary now."

I replied, "You haven't seen scary yet."

Then I hung up.

At four in the afternoon, Lily came home from school.

She set her backpack down and pulled a phone watch out of her pocket. "Mom."

I looked up.

Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Dad called me yesterday, and I recorded the call."

The recording on the phone watch was pretty short.

Charles's voice came through, way gentler than he usually was with Lily. "Lily, your mom's been feeling down lately. Try to be extra understanding, okay?"

Lily asked in a small voice, "Why is Mom feeling down?"

"Because she thinks I did something wrong."

"So, wasn't it wrong for you to go to the hotel with another lady?"

There was a brief silence on the other end.

Charles said, "Grown-up stuff is complicated. You're still too young to get it."

Lily asked again, "Is it bad that Mom posted that video?"

"It could affect my job. If I lose my job, I can't buy you things or send you to a good school."

By this point in the recording, my fingertips were starting to go cold.

His voice dropped to a whisper. "Lily, can you help me talk to your mom and ask her to delete the video? Please?"

Lily didn't say anything.

Charles continued, "Don't you want Mom and Dad to be on good terms? If your mom stops, I'll come home to see you more often."

The recording ended there.

The only sound in the living room was the low hum of the fridge.

Lily stood in front of me, her face pale.

She looked guilty, like she'd messed up. "Mom, I didn't say yes to Dad."

I set the phone watch down on the table and pulled her into a hug. "You did great."

She burst into tears. Her sobs were muffled, like she didn't want to upset me.

I rubbed her back.

In my previous life, I always thought that as long as I didn't argue with Charles in front of Lily, she wouldn't get hurt.

But later, I realized that she knew everything.

She just couldn't put it into words.

I backed up the recording and sent it to Anna.

She called me back right away. "This is huge. If he tries to fight for custody later, this proves he's trying to involve Lily in the parental conflict."

I glanced at Lily's firmly shut door. "Can we not go public with this yet?"

"Absolutely. Anything about Lily stays private. We'll only bring it up in court."

I let out a sigh of relief.

No matter how much online backlash I faced, I could take it. But I couldn't let Lily be dragged into this as evidence.