Faulsly accused

My parents sat across from me on a live TV court show, their faces a mask of practiced sorrow for the cameras.

They publicly condemned me as a thief and a heartless daughter, accusing me of abandoning them after my father's "accident" and demanding my entire inheritance.

The scrolling comments behind them called me a "MONSTER." My mother cried fake tears while my cousin, Karsyn, offered her a comforting hand, her eyes glinting with triumph. They painted a picture of a family on the brink of ruin, all because of my supposed selfishness.

They looked at me as if I were something rotten, and a familiar ache filled my chest. Why did my own family hate me so much?

But this was a show designed to break me. When the host asked for my plea, I met the camera's gaze.

"Not guilty," I stated clearly. "And I request the court use the memory retrieval device."

Chapter 1

My parents, Don and Fronie Lowe, sat across the stage from me, their faces a mask of practiced sorrow for the cameras, while they publicly condemned me as a thief and a heartless daughter. All I could see were the scrolling comments on the massive screen behind them, each one a fresh stab to my already fractured soul.