Chapter 3: The Footage Nobody Wanted Him to See
Daniel's phone continued vibrating.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
He finally silenced it.
Richard stood motionless in the middle of the lobby.
“Daniel, I asked you a question.””
Daniel forced a smile.
“It's a personal call, sir.””
Richard nodded slowly.
“That's fine. You can answer it after we finish reviewing the footage.””
Thomas Reed stepped between them.
“Richard, perhaps we should move everyone into the management office.””
“No.””
Richard's voice was firm.
“This happened in front of these people. My daughter was humiliated in front of these people. I want the truth established in front of these people.””
A woman in a blue evening gown raised her hand slightly.
“Mr. Carter?””
Richard turned.
“Yes?””
“I recorded part of what happened.””
Evelyn's head snapped toward her.
“You did what?””
The woman held up her phone.
“My name is Patricia. I was standing near the staircase. I recorded the slap.””
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Please don't circulate that. It could be misleading without context.””
Patricia frowned.
“Misleading? I recorded your hand hitting a woman who was holding a baby.””
Evelyn pointed at her.
“You don't understand the situation.””
Patricia shook her head.
“I understand exactly what I saw.””
A second guest spoke.
“I recorded it too.””
Then another.
“I have the part where she told security to throw the mother out.””
The atmosphere shifted.
People who had laughed minutes earlier were now looking at Evelyn with open disapproval.
Richard glanced at the phones.
“Please preserve those recordings. Our legal department will contact you if necessary.””
Vanessa looked around in disbelief.
Just minutes ago, nobody had helped her.
Now several people were willing to speak.
She tightened her hold on Noah.
Her father noticed.
“Come sit down, sweetheart.””
Marcus brought over a chair.
Richard helped Vanessa lower herself into it, then removed his suit jacket and placed it around her shoulders.
“Are you cold?””
“No.””
“Then keep it anyway.””
He turned toward Thomas.
“Where is the medical team?””
“On their way.””
“Good.””
Thomas nodded, then lowered his voice.
“Richard, I need to tell you something about the management situation.””
Richard looked at him.
“Go ahead.””
Thomas glanced toward Evelyn.
“I've received several complaints about her over the past few months.””
Evelyn immediately interrupted.
“That's ridiculous.””
Thomas continued.
“Three employees reported that she had instructed security to question certain guests more aggressively than others.””
Evelyn's face hardened.
“They were disgruntled employees.””
“Two guests also filed written complaints.””
“Those guests were difficult.””
Richard looked at her.
“Do you hear yourself?””
Evelyn folded her arms again.
“I have responsibilities. I cannot allow every person who walks through those doors to disrupt a private performance.””
Richard pointed toward Vanessa.
“She wasn't disrupting anything.””
“She was sitting in the wrong area.””
“She was holding a valid invitation.””
“I didn't know that!””
Richard's voice dropped.
“And that's your excuse?””
Evelyn's cheeks flushed.
Thomas opened his tablet.
“There's more.””
He scrolled through several emails.
“One complaint came from a woman who uses a wheelchair. She said Evelyn refused to let her use the accessible entrance because the entrance was reserved for VIP guests.””
Richard's expression changed.
“When?””
“Three months ago.””
“Was it investigated?””
Thomas hesitated.
“An internal review was opened.””
“And?””
“It was closed.””
Richard looked at him.
“Who closed it?””
Thomas didn't answer immediately.
Then he said, “Daniel Price.””
Everyone turned toward the assistant.
Daniel's face lost color.
Richard looked at him.
“You closed a complaint against your own manager?””
Daniel adjusted his tie.
“I followed the reporting procedure.””
Thomas shook his head.
“No, Daniel. You marked the complaint as resolved without interviewing the guest.””
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Thomas, you don't need to discuss internal matters in front of customers.””
Richard interrupted.
“Apparently, I do.””
The medical team arrived with a small examination bag.
A female nurse introduced herself and gently checked Vanessa's cheek.
“I'm going to look for swelling. Does your jaw hurt when you open your mouth?””
“A little,” Vanessa replied.
“Any dizziness or blurred vision?””
“No.””
The nurse nodded.
“I recommend that you get checked at the hospital, especially since you've experienced a forceful impact.””
Richard immediately agreed.
“Arrange transportation.””
Vanessa looked at him.
“Dad, I can take care of myself.””
“I know.””
“Then stop acting like I'm made of glass.””
Richard paused.
Then he smiled faintly.
“Fair enough.””
He kissed her forehead.
“But you're still getting checked.””
For the first time that evening, Vanessa smiled.
Then a sharp voice interrupted them.
“Mr. Carter?””
A young security technician approached, holding a tablet.
“I'm Marcus's supervisor. We retrieved the footage you requested.””
Richard stood.
“Show me.””
The technician looked uncomfortable.
“There's something you should know before you watch it.””
“What?””
“The main entrance camera captured the entire incident. But the footage from the east lobby shows something that happened before your daughter arrived.””
Evelyn suddenly stepped backward.
Daniel stared at the tablet.
Richard noticed both reactions.
“Play it.””
The technician tapped the screen.
The first video showed Vanessa entering through the main doors.
She was carrying Noah.
Her beige blouse was neatly tucked into her dark trousers. A cream invitation envelope was visible in her hand.
She paused near the information desk and asked an employee for directions.
The employee pointed toward the east entrance.
Vanessa thanked her and walked away.
Nothing unusual.
The next camera showed Evelyn standing near the velvet rope.
She was speaking to Daniel.
The audio was unclear, but the subtitles generated by the security system captured enough of their conversation.
Evelyn pointed toward the entrance.
Daniel nodded.
Then Evelyn said something that made Thomas's expression tighten.
The technician enlarged the screen.
A line appeared beneath the video.
*EVELYN WHITMORE: "I don't want her near the executive balcony tonight.""*
Richard looked at Thomas.
“What does that mean?””
Thomas said nothing.
The footage continued.
Daniel looked at Evelyn.
*DANIEL PRICE: "Should I check her invitation?""*
Evelyn shook her head.
*EVELYN WHITMORE: "No. Just keep her downstairs. We have enough problems tonight.""*
Vanessa frowned.
She looked at her father.
“Dad, what is she talking about?””
Richard didn't answer.
The next clip showed Evelyn approaching Vanessa.
The slap.
The fall.
The baby crying.
The guests laughing.
The entire lobby watched in silence.
When the footage ended, Richard stood perfectly still.
Then he turned toward Evelyn.
“You knew who she was before you hit her.””
Evelyn shook her head rapidly.
“No. That's not what that means.””
“You knew she had been directed toward the executive entrance.””
“I was trying to maintain order.””
“You told Daniel not to check her invitation.””
“Because I was busy!””
Richard looked at Thomas.
“Why would she want my daughter kept away from the executive balcony?””
Thomas rubbed his forehead.
“Richard, there's something I should have told you earlier.””
Richard stared at him.
“I'm listening.””
Thomas took a deep breath.
“Tonight's performance isn't just an ordinary theater event. The board is meeting upstairs afterward to approve the final acquisition agreement.””
Richard nodded.
“I know that. I signed the preliminary documents.””
Thomas glanced toward Evelyn.
“Evelyn has been working with the acquisition team for several weeks.””
Richard's expression became cold.
“She's a venue manager. What does she have to do with the acquisition?””
Thomas hesitated.
“She's been helping coordinate access to the private executive rooms.””
“And?””
Thomas lowered his voice.
“And Vanessa's name is connected to one of the documents being presented tonight.””
Vanessa stared at him.
“Mine?””
Richard turned toward his daughter.
“What document?””
Thomas looked at the tablet.
“I'm not entirely sure. But I saw your name on a confidential file yesterday.””
Evelyn interrupted sharply.
“That file has nothing to do with this incident!””
Richard turned toward her.
“Then why are you so frightened of us looking at it?””
Daniel suddenly moved toward the staircase.
Marcus stepped in front of him.
“Sir, please remain here.””
Daniel stopped.
Richard looked at the assistant.
“Where were you going?””
“I need to speak with the legal department.””
“You'll have that opportunity.””
Richard turned to Thomas.
“Bring me the acquisition file.””
Thomas nodded.
“I'll get it.””
But as he started toward the elevator, his phone rang.
He checked the screen.
His expression changed instantly.
“Richard?””
“What now?””
Thomas slowly turned the phone around.
An email notification filled the screen.
The sender was the chairman of the theater's board.
The subject line read:
*URGENT: DO NOT SIGN THE ACQUISITION AGREEMENT.*
Richard read the message.
Then he looked at Vanessa.
His daughter was sitting quietly, rocking Noah.
He looked back at the screen.
A second notification appeared.
This time, it was a message from an unknown number.
*IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY EVELYN WAS TOLD TO KEEP YOUR DAUGHTER AWAY FROM THE EXECUTIVE BALCONY, CHECK THE NAME ON PAGE 47.*
Richard's fingers tightened around the phone.
He looked toward Evelyn.
She was no longer pretending to be confident.
She was staring at the message.
And when Richard slowly raised his eyes to meet hers, she whispered four words.
“Please don't open that.””
Thomas went pale.
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Because he knew exactly what was written on page 47.
And it had nothing to do with theater tickets.