Chapter 8 - THE VIDEO THEY DIDN'T EXPECT
By sunrise, the video had been viewed more than two million times.
The first version showed only Rose throwing the pie.
Serena screamed.
Guests gasped.
Rose stood frozen.
The caption read:
JEALOUS BAKER ATTACKS WEALTHY WOMAN AT CHARITY DINNER.
Rose watched it once.
Then turned off her phone.
Tessa sat across from her in the bakery kitchen.
"I'm sorry," the teenager whispered.
Rose looked up.
"For what?"
"If I hadn't said anything—"
"No."
Rose reached for her sister's hand.
"You did nothing wrong."
Tessa's eyes filled.
"People are saying horrible things about you."
Rose nodded.
"I know."
The bakery's voicemail was full.
Several customers had canceled orders.
A corporate client threatened to terminate its contract.
And the bank had requested updated financial statements before continuing discussions about a possible business loan.
Rose stared at the empty display case.
She had survived years of exhausting work.
Rent increases.
Equipment failures.
A pandemic.
Her father's death.
Now one impulsive moment threatened everything.
At nine, Luca arrived.
He looked furious.
Rose stood.
"If you're here to tell me I embarrassed your family—"
"I'm not."
She stopped.
"Then why are you here?"
"Because someone edited the video."
Rose stared.
"What?"
Luca placed a tablet on the counter.
The screen showed a recording from a security camera positioned above the ballroom entrance.
It began twelve minutes before the pie flew.
Serena's insults were audible.
Her comments about Rose's body.
Her attack on Tessa.
Her mockery of Carmela.
Everything.
Rose watched silently.
Then looked at Luca.
"Who recorded this?"
"The estate's security system."
"Can we release it?"
"Yes. But I want you to decide."
Rose looked at the screen.
She could hear herself warning Serena.
Say fat one more time.
Then the impact.
She closed her eyes.
"I shouldn't have thrown the pie."
Luca nodded.
"No."
Rose looked up.
He continued.
"But Serena shouldn't get to erase what she did before it happened."
Rose studied him.
For the first time, she realized he was not trying to excuse her behavior.
He was trying to protect the truth.
She called Miriam.
Together, they prepared a statement acknowledging the pie-throwing, apologizing for the disruption, and explaining the circumstances without minimizing Rose's responsibility.
Then they released the full recording.
By noon, the story had changed.
Not completely.
Some people still criticized Rose.
Others defended her.
May you like
But millions could now see what Serena had tried to hide.
And Serena Vance was about to discover that a carefully edited video could become a very expensive mistake.
