Chapter 6 - Vanessa Started Losing Control Before The Gala
Vanessa’s behavior became worse as the foundation election approached.
Pressure made her sharper.
More obsessive.
Everything had to be perfect.
The house.
The photographs.
Richard’s speech.
Lily.
Especially Lily.
One week before the gala, Lily refused to rehearse the onstage hug.
Vanessa stared at her.
“What is wrong with you?”
“I don’t want to do it.”
“You’re hugging me.”
“I don’t want everyone taking pictures.”
“This event pays for counseling programs for children who actually have problems.”
Lily looked at her.
“I have a problem.”
Vanessa’s expression went cold.
“No. You have privilege and an unhealthy need for attention.”
That sentence ended up on another recording.
Lily had begun keeping her phone in the pocket of her sweatshirt with the camera facing outward.
She was not trying to trap Vanessa into doing something worse.
She simply stopped protecting Vanessa from being documented.
Then came the afternoon before the gala.
Richard received an emergency call from work.
He would arrive at the venue only shortly before the program.
Vanessa realized she would have nearly three hours alone with Lily backstage.
She used those hours to control every detail.
Hair.
Posture.
Makeup.
Smile.
When Lily flinched away from a makeup artist, Vanessa waited until the staff member left.
Then whispered:
“You will not ruin tonight.”
That was when Lily decided she would leave the phone recording throughout the dressing-room preparation.
She also made another decision.
If Vanessa crossed a line again, Lily would stop taking the evidence home.
She would put it where everyone could see it.
The ballroom projection system had been linked to the gala presentation app.
Lily knew because she had helped the event technician test a photo slideshow earlier.
One tap from the authorized event phone could send a prepared clip to the screen.
Lily added the latest video to the presentation queue.
She did not know whether she would actually use it.
May you like
Until Vanessa slapped her.
Then the decision became easy.
