Chapter 4

At eight that night, the livestream began. Warren sat front and center, Renee on his right. Simon never once looked at me.

Nathan Cole, the livestream host, played the kiss video with its millions of views first. When it ended, he asked me, "Zoe, did you film this?"

I nodded, and Nathan pressed on. "Did you keep the camera trained on Mr. Doyle and Ms. Quinn the whole time?"

"I only filmed what I was directed to," I said.

Warren turned to Simon. "Did you give the order? Did you tell her to shoot row seven? Did you tell her to keep filming?"

Simon's lips were pale. "No."

The live chat flooded the screen in an instant. Everyone was reveling in the circus.

Nathan played the edited recording. "Camera locked on row seven. Keep rolling. Don't cut."

Warren looked at me. "Is that your voice?"

I nodded. Renee suddenly burst out, "You locked onto us on purpose! I kept dodging once I spotted the camera, and you never stopped!"

Warren took over, speaking straight into the camera. "She had the means to film and the chance to distribute. Simon confirms there was no order, and the recording proves she chased the shot. I think the facts are clear."

Victor slid the confession statement in front of me and set a pen by my hand. "Zoe. Your apology, please."

I picked up the statement, every word of it a fabrication, and the next second, tore it in half in front of the cameras.

The room went silent for a beat. The smile vanished from Warren's face completely.

I tossed the scraps back on the table and said to him, "You just said Simon never gave me any order."

I turned to Simon and asked him one more time. "And you're certain you never told me to shoot row seven?"

Simon's nails dug into his palm. Through gritted teeth he said, "Certain."

I let a smile curl my lips. "Good. Now that you're all so certain, maybe it's time we take a look at my evidence."

I set the flash drive in front of Nathan. Warren's hand came down on the table at once, stopping him. "Unverified material can't be played."

"Was the recording you just played verified?" I shot back.

Nathan had no answer for a moment.

Warren's face went cold. "She could easily have recorded it after the fact."

I didn't argue. I just looked at Nathan. "What he played starts at second fourteen. If you want to convict me, then play the missing thirteen seconds that come before it."

Simon's head snapped up, his eyes on me full of disbelief.

He started forward to stop it, but his own voice was already coming through the speakers. "Camera 7, turn to row seven."