The Livestream Sloane Could Not Delete
Chapter 02 - The Livestream Sloane Could Not Delete
Sloane lunged for the phone.
Daniel held it beyond her reach.
“End it!”
“You started it.”
“It was supposed to be private.”
The comments moved too quickly to read. Viewers demanded police, tagged veterans’ groups, and reposted clips of Evelyn saying no.
Daniel ended the broadcast but knew the video had already escaped the device.
Three different accounts had copied it before the stream stopped.
The housekeeper, Rosa Medina, appeared at the terrace doors holding Daniel’s duffel.
“I called you,” she said.
Sloane turned on her.
“You had no right.”
Rosa ignored her.
Daniel had received a short message during his layover in Washington:
COME HOME THROUGH THE GARDEN. DO NOT TELL SLOANE.
He assumed his mother had suffered another fall.
Now he understood why Rosa had used an encrypted number.
Evelyn touched the uneven edge of her hair.
“She was going to show the video to the court.”
Daniel looked at Sloane.
“What court?”
Sloane folded her arms.
“Your mother needs a guardian.”
Daniel stood slowly.
“You filed for guardianship?”
“I prepared an emergency petition. You were unreachable.”
“I spoke to you yesterday.”
“You were exhausted. I did not want to burden you.”
Evelyn reached inside her cardigan and removed a folded piece of paper.
Sloane moved toward it.
Daniel stepped between them.
The paper was a notice from the county probate court. A hearing was scheduled for Monday morning—three days before Daniel and Sloane’s wedding.
The petition claimed Evelyn suffered severe dementia, physical aggression, financial paranoia, and repeated self-neglect.
It requested that Sloane Mercer be appointed temporary guardian over Evelyn’s health, residence, and assets.
Daniel read the final paragraph twice.
The petition also sought authority over Carter House and the Carter Veterans Foundation.
“My mother’s assets?”
Sloane gave a practiced sigh.
“This is why I didn’t tell you yet. She believes everyone is stealing from her.”
Evelyn looked at Daniel.
“She is.”
The garden gates opened.
Two police officers entered with Rosa’s son, a county detective named Mateo Medina.
Sloane looked toward the phone.
May you like
For the first time, she understood the livestream had not only embarrassed her.
It had created witnesses she could not intimidate.
