Chapter 7 - The Uncut Truth
The video projected onto the large screen was taken from the villa’s high-resolution outdoor security system—a 4K wide-angle camera mounted directly beneath the patio roof that recorded continuously with full audio.
The entire boardroom watched in complete silence as the scene unfolded.
On the screen, little Liam sat weeping over his empty plate. The audio picked up his stomach rumbling clearly. Everyone in the room watched as Liam reached toward the platter, and they saw—in crisp, unmistakable clarity—Diane’s hand fly out and strike the child’s small wrist with sharp force.
They heard Diane’s voice echo through the speakers: “Greedy little beggar!”
A collective gasp rippled through the ten board members sitting around the table. Marcus Vance leaned forward, his face turning dark with fury as he stared directly at Diane.
The video continued, showing Bruna stepping in to defend her son, followed by Caleb flipping the grill tray and ordering his sisters off the property. The footage clearly showed Valerie stepping to the side, deliberate in her effort to frame only Bruna’s reaction while ignoring her sister's assault on a toddler.
Bruna paused the video on a clear frame of Diane striking Liam’s hand.
“This is the unedited footage from my home security system,” Bruna stated, her voice cutting through the silent room like a razor. “Diane physically abused an eight-month-premature five-year-old child for wanting food. Valerie recorded a cropped version to commit public defamation against me and blackmail my husband.”
Marcus Vance stood up from his chair, slamming his palms onto the mahogany table.
“Is this true, Diane?” Marcus demanded, his voice trembling with anger. “You hit a child? On corporate-monitored property?”
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Diane’s face had drained of all color. She stammered, looking frantically toward Valerie and Eleanor for support. “I… I was just… he was being impolite!”
“He is five years old!” Marcus snapped. “This board will not be weaponized for your personal vendettas!”
