Chapter 14
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Before Emily could finalize any decision regarding Daniel, Harrison Thorne launched the next phase of his assault. This time, he didn't use legal paperwork; he used the media.
Emily and Nathan were sitting in the kitchen the following morning when Katherine walked in, holding a tablet with a grim expression on her face. Her speech, though improved over the years, carried a sharp edge of anger.
"You need to see this," Katherine said, placing the tablet on the table and pressing play.
It was a clip from a highly-rated morning news broadcast. Senator Harrison Thorne sat in a comfortable armchair, looking somber, empathetic, and perfectly composed. He was giving an exclusive, heartbreaking interview about his "missing" wife.
"My wife, Sarah, has been struggling with severe mental health issues for the past year," Thorne lied smoothly to the camera, his voice dripping with fabricated sorrow. "Two days ago, she suffered a terrible breakdown and was manipulated into seeking refuge at a facility known as Clearview. I love my wife deeply, and my only concern is getting her the psychiatric medical care she desperately needs."
The interviewer leaned in sympathetically. "Senator, Clearview claims to be a sanctuary for survivors of abuse. Are you saying they are holding her against her will?"
"I am saying that Clearview is a radical, unregulated organization that preys on vulnerable women experiencing mental health crises," Thorne stated with absolute, chilling conviction. "They isolate these women from their loving families to justify their own exorbitant state funding. I am calling for a full congressional investigation into their practices. I just want my wife to come home so she can heal."
Emily turned off the tablet, a wave of profound disgust washing over her.
"He is brilliant," Nathan admitted reluctantly, rubbing the back of his neck. "He just preemptively discredited anything Sarah might say. If she comes forward now and accuses him of financial fraud, the public will just see a mentally unstable woman having a paranoid delusion, exactly as he scripted."
"He is trying to make us look like the abusers," Rachel said, walking into the kitchen and looking at the dark screen of the tablet. "Our donor hotline has been ringing all morning. People are confused. Some of our corporate sponsors are threatening to pull their backing until the 'situation' is resolved."
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Katherine placed a warm, steady hand on Emily's shoulder. "He is using your own reputation for safety as a weapon against you. He wants you to panic."
"I am done panicking," Emily said, standing up and grabbing her coat. "He wants to play a game of public perception, but he forgets that we hold the truth. I am not going to let him turn Sarah into a tragedy. Rachel, get the car. We are going to the prison."
