He Let My Daughter Die, I Took His Fortune

Chapter 3 Online Smear and Veiled Threats

While I scrambled to gather money for legal fees, Rebecca went live on social media from her home.

She hung the commemorative plaque I'd given her years ago front and center on her living room wall.

Her stream's headline read: The family we saved is suing me. I can't afford a lawyer, so I'm streaming to get by.

Her view count exploded within an hour.

Tips poured in nonstop from viewers, and multiple lawyers left comments offering to represent her free of charge.

Rebecca cried harder for the camera, playing the part of a helpless widow perfectly.

Bruce posted edited surveillance footage online soon after, claiming the clips proved Rebecca's son never laid a hand on Amelia.

Alexander made a public social media post tagging Rebecca, stating that he stood for justice and would defend her and her child.

Sebastian used the official Quinn Group account to openly take sides. He announced that he would clear Rebecca's name and cut all family ties with me if I refused to admit I was in the wrong.

Internet users quickly dug up the story behind the plaque I'd sent years ago.

My social media pages were flooded with cruel insults and harassment.

Some cruel strangers even mailed dead animal remains to my address.

I screamed and dropped the package the second I tore it open.

A low chuckle sounded from right behind me.

Alexander's voice dripped with menace, like a whisper straight from hell. "Scared now? Going to stop causing trouble?"

Goosebumps crawled all over my skin.

He stepped close behind me and murmured against my ear in a suggestive tone, yet his words carried a terrifying threat. "Keep this up, and I can't promise what these online trolls will do to you next."

My legs gave out, and I sank to the floor, my eyes filled with utter despair.

I thought Alexander was gentle and refined, Bruce honest and upstanding, Sebastian kind and warm.

I was foolish to forget that men who build such powerful empires never play nice.

They only hid their cruel sides because they chose to spoil me.

"What exactly are you after now?" I whispered hoarsely.

A satisfied smile spread across Alexander's face. "There we go. You were always going to cave eventually. All that fighting was pointless. A press conference is happening tomorrow. As Amelia's immediate family, you'll stand in front of the reporters and announce that her death was a pure accident. You'll say Rebecca and her son had no part in it and issue a formal apology for lying about them."

I opened my mouth to refuse, but Alexander clamped a hand over it before I could speak. "Don't say no right away. Think hard about what will happen if you do."

Then he pulled out his phone and tapped the screen, bringing up real-time surveillance footage from a nursing home.