Marcus: Lily, sweetie, step back. This isn't something you need to be involved in right now.
Lily: No, Dad. You're making a massive mistake, and you need to look at this phone right now before you say another word to Mom.
Veronica: Lily, darling, you're upset. Why don't you go up to your room? Your father and I have to deal with this emergency.
Lily: Stop talking to me, Veronica. You're not my mother, and you never will be.
Marcus: Lily! Watch your tone! Veronica just saved your baby sister!
Lily: She didn't save anyone, Dad. She's lying to you. Look at the screen.
Marcus frowned, his anger momentarily faltering as he saw the absolute certainty in his eldest daughter's eyes. He stood up slowly from the floor, leaving Clara holding the baby. He walked over to Lily and looked down at the bright smartphone screen.
Marcus: What is this? Where did you get this footage?
Lily: I cast it to the wall TV in the living room too, so everyone can see it clearly.
A soft chime echoed through the house as the large flat-screen television mounted in the adjacent living room flickered to life. The security video playback displayed a clear high-definition view of the front foyer from five minutes ago.
Veronica: Wait... what security camera? You said the indoor cameras were turned off for maintenance this week!
Clara: The main system was off, Veronica. But the cloud backup system on the nanny cam in the foyer was still running automatically.
Marcus: Quiet, both of you. I want to watch this.
On the screen, the video showed Clara walking toward the kitchen to fetch a baby bottle, leaving the stroller securely parked on the flat marble rug, nowhere near the stairs. Veronica could be seen standing near the archway, glancing around nervously to ensure no one was watching.
Lily: Keep watching, Dad. Watch what your cousin does when Mom turns her back.
Marcus: My God...
On the screen, Veronica deliberately walked over to the stroller, released the safety brake with her foot, and forcefully shoved it toward the edge of the stone steps. Then, she threw herself onto the floor, knocking over a hallway table to create a loud crashing noise, and began screaming hysterically for help.
Clara: She set the whole thing up, Marcus. She risked our baby's life just to make me look like an unfit mother.
Veronica: That... that video is altered! It’s an AI edit! Lily must have fabricated it to protect her mother!
Lily: It’s a live cloud feed directly from the security server, Veronica. You can’t fake a timestamped security log.
Marcus: You... you actually pushed the stroller yourself?
Veronica: Marcus, listen to me! It’s not what it looks like! I was just trying to test her reactions! She isn't good enough for you or this family estate!
Marcus: Shut your mouth!
Marcus turned away from the television screen, his face draining of all color. His eyes widened in sheer horror and disbelief as heavy tears began streaming down his cheeks. The realization hit him like an physical blow to the chest—he had screamed at his innocent wife while defending the woman who had intentionally put his infant daughter in danger.
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