Chapter 6 - THE GASLIGHTING CAMPAIGN
Within twenty-four hours of Chloe’s arrest, the Vance family’s PR machine roared into motion with terrifying efficiency.
Richard Vance didn't just hire a defense attorney; he retained Barton & Sterling—a high-priced corporate defense firm notorious for burying whistleblowers and manipulating local media narratives. By Monday morning, local news outlets and social media feeds were flooded with opinion pieces painting a very different picture of the tragedy at our home.
The headlines read:“Tragedy in Suburbia: Pregnant Woman’s Accidental Fall Sparks Family Feud.”“Local Heiress Wrongfully Detained in Domestic Dispute Over Inheritance.”
My phone buzzed incessantly with text messages from mutual acquaintances, distant relatives, and business associates. Some expressed fake sympathy, while others parroted the family’s narrative: “Is it true Emily had a psychotic break?”, “Poor Chloe must be so traumatized being locked up like a criminal.”
My father had weaponized gaslighting on a municipal scale.
I sat in the hospital cafeteria with my laptop open, watching a local news segment featuring a statement from Barton & Sterling.
“Mrs. Emily Vance,” a slick lawyer in an expensive Italian suit announced to a bank of microphones outside the courthouse, “has suffered from severe prenatal psychosis and postpartum depression symptoms well in advance. On the evening of November 7th, a tragic accident occurred when Mrs. Vance tripped over her own garments while carrying heavy dinnerware. The Vance family is deeply distressed that false allegations involving security footage—which our experts have proven to be non-existent or heavily edited—are being weaponized by disgruntled parties seeking financial leverage.”
"They're lying," Emily whispered. She had been wheeled down from the ICU into a private recovery room, her face pale, watching the same broadcast on the wall-mounted television. Her hands shook as she gripped the blanket. "Ryan, they're turning the whole town against us."
"Let them talk," I said, pulling my chair closer to her bed and taking her hand. "Officer Miller has the raw, unedited master file from the micro-SD card. The state’s attorney has already reviewed it. No amount of PR spin can erase what Chloe did on that camera."
"You don't know your father," Emily said, her voice cracking with fear. "Richard Vance has buried federal investigations before. If he owns the prosecuting DA—"
The door to the hospital room clicked open.
A tall woman in a crisp navy-blue trench coat stepped inside. She flashed a laminated badge before sliding it back into her pocket.
"Mr. and Mrs. Vance? I'm Special Prosecutor Evelyn Vance—no relation to Richard, I assure you," she said with a dry, humorless smile. "I'm handling the state's case against Chloe Vance."
I stood up immediately, shaking her hand. "Thank God you're here, Prosecutor Vance. Have you seen the video?"
"I've seen it," Prosecutor Vance said, pulling a leather folio from under her arm. "And it's as damning a piece of evidence as I've seen in my career. But I came here to warn you about what’s coming next."
She glanced at the door to make sure it was latched securely before leaning in closer.
"Richard Vance filed an emergency motion this morning in family court," she continued quietly. "He is petitioning for emergency guardianship and temporary custody of your newborn daughter, citing that you are both psychologically unfit and emotionally compromised by this 'domestic dispute'."
Emily let out a sharp, choked cry, clutching her stomach where her surgical stitches throbbed. "He wants to take our baby? He can't do that!"
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"He's arguing that as a multi-millionaire industrialist with an established household, he can provide immediate, stable care while you recover," Prosecutor Vance said grimly. "And unfortunately, family court judges lean heavily toward established financial stability when emergency petitions are filed without a fierce contest."
I felt the blood drain from my face. My father wasn't just defending Chloe; he was holding our newborn daughter hostage to force us to drop the charges.
