Chapter 6 - The Trial of Public Opinion
The grand ballroom of the Montgomery Plaza Hotel was jammed with over two hundred journalists, news camera crews, and live-stream broadcasters from around the world. The room hummed with chaotic energy as reporters shouted to test their microphones.
Sitting on the raised stage behind a long oak table were Arthur, Attorney Vance, and me. I wore a modest, elegant navy blue dress that Arthur’s personal stylist had selected for me. My hair was pulled back neatly, and though my heart was hammering against my ribs, I kept my posture straight and my chin lifted.
At two o'clock sharp, Arthur leaned toward his microphone. The room instantly fell into dead silence.
"Thank you all for coming," Arthur began, his deep voice filling the auditorium with effortless authority. "Over the past forty-eight hours, several tabloid outlets have published malicious, fabricated stories regarding Miss Elena Vance—the courageous woman who rescued my son, Leo, from a life-threatening situation."
A reporter from The City Daily immediately stood up, holding a microphone. "Mr. Montgomery! Isn't it true that Miss Vance applied for the catering position through an agency that specializes in high-net-worth estates? Isn't it possible she knew Leo’s trust fund structure beforehand?"
Arthur didn't lose his temper. He simply raised a single piece of paper.
"Miss Vance was assigned to my house forty-eight hours before the event because three regular catering staff members called in sick with the flu," Arthur stated calmly. "Here is the certified log from the third-party catering agency, timestamped and verified by federal investigators."
Arthur set the paper down and tapped his laptop screen. Behind us, a massive fifty-foot LED screen illuminated, displaying high-definition video footage.
The room gasped collectively.
The screen displayed internal security footage from the Montgomery Estate kitchen on the night of the gala. The video clearly showed Isabella Montgomery locking the heavy iron ventilation grate from the outside using a specialized key, then dragging a heavy industrial prep table in front of the wall to conceal the access panel.
"This footage was recovered from a hidden cloud server that Isabella did not know existed," Arthur revealed, his voice ringing with cold triumph. "It clearly shows my former wife sealing my six-year-old child inside a wall while he was actively screaming for help."
The reporters began furiously snapping photos of the screen, the room erupting into excited murmurs.
"Furthermore," Arthur continued, leaning closer to his microphone, "regarding the slanderous claims made by Miss Vance's estranged stepfather... I have personally instructed my legal team to file a fifty-million-dollar defamation lawsuit against Victor Vance, the PR firm, and every media outlet that published those lies without verification."
Arthur paused, turning his head to look at me with a warmth that was visible to every camera in the room.
"Elena Vance is not a servant, nor is she an infiltrator," Arthur declared into the microphones, his voice echoing with absolute pride. "She is the savior of my family. She possesses more integrity, courage, and grace than any person in this city. And anyone who attempts to slander her name will answer directly to me in a federal court of law."
The auditorium erupted into wild applause. The reporters who had come to tear me apart were now standing, firing questions about Isabella's imminent criminal trial.
Beside me, Arthur reached beneath the table and gently squeezed my hand.
May you like
I looked at him, tears of relief shining in my eyes, and whispered, "Thank you, Arthur."
"You don't ever have to thank me, Elena," he whispered back. "We're just getting started."
