Chapter 4 - The Fall of the Emerald Queen
The climax came in the form of a public hearing. Vanessa Hale, believing she could spin the narrative of the "jilted fiancée," appeared on national television, painting Nathan as a controlling, unstable tyrant.
But Nathan was ready. He released the ballroom footage—not just the moment she crushed the rabbit, but the audio from her private phone calls, the evidence of her embezzlement, and the testimonials from the staff she had systematically tormented.
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The public perception shifted in minutes. The "Emerald Queen" became a social pariah. Her designer sponsors dropped her, her family disavowed her, and the legal team Nathan had assembled ensured that her reach didn't extend past the nearest jail cell.
Claire watched the broadcast from the conservatory, Lily on her lap. She felt a strange, melancholy relief. The house was finally quiet. The staff began to return, no longer walking on eggshells. The atmosphere of terror had been replaced by a tentative, growing warmth.
