Victoria: What... what camera?
Maya: The high-definition ceiling camera right above your head!
Victoria's face turned completely pale as she stared at the flashing red light on the wall.
Victoria: That camera isn't operational! It's just a dummy camera for security presentation!
Maya: Is it? Why don't we ask the estate manager?
A tall man in a dark grey suit stepped out from behind the heavy velvet curtains near the entrance. It was Mr. Vance, the head of security for the entire estate trust.
Mr. Vance: The system is fully operational, Miss Victoria. It records twenty-four hours a day directly to our cloud backup server.
Victoria: Mr. Vance! This waitress just assaulted me in front of all our guests! Call the police immediately!
Maya: Yes, please call the police! I want them here right now so they can watch the recording with everyone else!
Guest 1: Look at Victoria... she looks terrified.
Guest 2: Why would she be scared if she's the victim?
Victoria's mother, Eleanor, stepped forward wearing an expensive diamond tiara and an icy glare.
Eleanor: Silence, all of you! This girl is a common thief trying to cause a scene to save herself!
Maya: I am a university student working two jobs, Mrs. Sterling. I don't need to steal diamond trinkets from your dishonest daughter.
Eleanor: How dare an employee speak to me with such disrespect!
Mr. Vance: Mrs. Sterling, if I may... I already pulled up the footage on my tablet when the commotion started.
Victoria: Vance, shut up! You work for my father! Put that away right now!
Maya: Let him show the room, Victoria. What are you hiding?
Mr. Vance tapped his tablet screen, tapping a button that broadcast the video directly onto the large high-definition display screen above the fireplace.
The screen flickered to life. The video showed the living room five minutes earlier. Victoria was standing near the tray table, looking around nervously while Maya was across the room serving drinks.
Guest 1: Wait... look at what Victoria is doing!
On the screen, Victoria pulled the diamond necklace out of her own dress pocket and slipped it into Maya's open leather bag.
The entire room gasped in loud shock.
Victoria: That... that's a fake video! It's AI generated!
Maya: You framed me so you could get me fired before the charity audit tomorrow morning!
Eleanor: Audit? What audit are you talking about, girl?
Maya: Ask your daughter why she was so desperate to get me out of this mansion tonight!
Victoria backed away toward the hallway, her hands shaking as every eye in the room stared at her in disgust.
Victoria: Mom... don't listen to her...
Maya: Tell her, Victoria! Or should I tell the board members myself?
Eleanor: Victoria, what is this girl talking about?! Answer me right now!
Victoria: She's lying, mom! I swear she's lying!
Maya: Mr. Vance, play the audio recording from the security feed as well.
Mr. Vance pressed another button on his tablet, and Victoria's panicked voice blasted through the mansion's surround sound speakers.
Victoria's Voice (Recording): "If that catering girl stays in the room, she'll notice the missing three hundred thousand dollars from the charity foundation account! I need her gone right now!"
The entire room fell into dead silence. Eleanor stared at her daughter as if she were looking at a complete stranger.
Eleanor: You... you stole from our family's charity foundation?
Victoria: Mom, please! I had to pay off my casino debt in Macao!
Maya: You tried to send an innocent girl to prison just to cover up your own criminal greed.
Victoria: Shut up! You're just a filthy waitress!
Maya: I might be a waitress tonight, Victoria. But tomorrow morning, I'm the forensic accountant hired by your father's estate board.