Chapter 5 - The Fall Of The House Of Hale
By the end of the week, the video was national news.
The internet had dubbed Margaret “Soup Nana.”
It was not a term of endearment.
People had tracked down her social media accounts.
They found the boutique she owned downtown.
The Google reviews plummeted to one star overnight.
“The owner hits toddlers over spilled soup.”
“Do not shop here if you care about child safety.”
The boutique was forced to close its doors temporarily.
Margaret’s friends from the country club began distancing themselves.
No one wanted to be associated with the woman from the viral video.
Evan was not spared either.
His LinkedIn profile was flooded with angry comments.
His company, a prestigious real estate firm, put him on administrative leave.
They released a generic statement about “investigating personal matters.”
The silence from their end was deafening.
They were suffocating under the weight of their own actions.
I, on the other hand, stayed completely silent.
Sarah had advised me not to post anything.
No statements.
No interviews.
Let them dig their own graves.
One afternoon, a package arrived at Chloe’s house.
It was a massive bouquet of white roses.
The card was signed by Margaret.
“Dearest Maisie and Daughter-in-law, I was merely startled. Please, let us heal together. The public cruelty is too much.”
I took a picture of the flowers and the card.
I sent it to Sarah.
Then I threw the roses in the trash.
Margaret wasn't sorry she hit Maisie.
She was sorry people found out.
She was sorry her reputation was ruined.
She wanted me to fix it for her.
Just like she always expected Evan to fix things.
But I was not Evan.
And I was done fixing their messes.
That evening, a knock came at Chloe’s door.
We checked the security camera.
It was Evan.
He looked disheveled.
His hair was uncombed, and his suit was wrinkled.
“I know you’re in there,” he said to the camera.
“Please. Just talk to me. Mom is talking about suing you for defamation.”
I pressed the intercom button.
“You can tell your mother she can’t sue for defamation if the video is the truth.”
“Go away, Evan.”
“Or I will call the police.”
May you like
He stood there for a long time.
Then he turned and walked away into the dark.
