The chat feed erupted with comments as viewers waited for the live stream to begin.

[Why is the screen still dark? I thought this was supposed to be a memory livestream.]

[These special glasses are meant to show us someone else's perspectiveimagine how immersive that'll be.]

[Wouldn't mind a peek into some rich person's life, if you know what I mean.]

A rich, baritone voice filled the silence. "Welcome to Memory Livestream, where you'll experience every sight, sound, and sensation exactly as our memory owner once did."

Stellan Rookwood, the host, continued, his tone carrying absolute conviction, "I stake my life on the authenticity of this live streamno scripts, no editing, no fabrication."

He paused for dramatic effect. "And today's memory contributor is... Elysia Drayton."

The chat feed froze. Three seconds of absolute silence stretched into eternity before exploding into chaos.

[A criminal's memories? I'm out of here!]

[Are they serious? This monster doesn't deserve airtime!]

[Waityou're missing the point. She's the first test subject for Memory Viewer. Think about the pain involved. This is her punishment.]

[Exactly! After what she did to her sister, life in prison was too good for her. Let her suffer as a lab rat.]

Meanwhile, in the penthouse studio above the city, three men sat bound to chairseach a striking figure in his own right, capable of sending fans into a frenzy with a single glance.

"Stellan, what's your game?" Caellan Drayton, red-haired, exploded as he realized he'd been kidnapped. "We won't let this slide!"

Disgust flashed in his eyes at the mere mention of Elysia. Stellan had invented some contraption called the Memory Viewer and was now forcing them to watch her crimes.

A cold laugh escaped Caellan's throat as he continued, "How many nights did she spend in your bed to earn this kind of devotion? Breaking off the engagement with my sister, getting Elysia out of prison, now kidnapping uswhat's your endgame? Speak up!"

He thrashed against his restraints, the specialized VR glasses wobbling precariously on his head.

The other two men remained silent as their half-brother shouted abuse at Stellan.

In the past, both Torin and Fenwick Drayton, the eldest and second sons of the family, might have stopped Caellan for the sake of the business alliance between the two families. Today, their eyes held the same revulsionall directed at their shared sister, Elysia.

Stellan's brow furrowed at Caellan's crude implications. His finger tapped the microphone once before he responded, voice level. "You're here to watch the live, nothing more. I'll release you after dark. Whether you continue watching afterward is your choice."

With that final warning, he initiated the stream.

*****

[OMG! The stream is on. Look, that mansion is huge.]

[Ugh, how does that witch get to live in such a sweet pad?]

The viewers' cynicism faded momentarily as the darkness gave way to a gentle, swaying motiona child's perspective from a swing set.

"Time to wrap up. Let's wash hands and get you ready for dinner," a boyish voice said.

"Okay!" came the cheerful reply.

The view shifted, revealing a cherubic face, perhaps seven or eight years old.

"But you don't have to carry me," Elysia said, her voice filled with concern. "I don't want to tire you out."

"You weigh nothing," her brother assured her, scooping her up with practiced ease.

The chat exploded again.

[That boy has to be Torin!]

[Those gorgeous looks? Gotta be Fenwickmy man's literally a famous actor! No way that's either of his brothers.]

[Trust me, I work at Drayton Group. That's definitely our boss, if you can believe it. Who knew Mr. Stern-and-Serious used to be such a softie?]

A younger boy bounded into view, barely six years old. "Elysia, sit with me. I learned so many cool things at school today."

"She's sitting with me," the older noy countered. "I can feed her properly."

"No, no!" Elysia protested. "You guys need to eat well to grow strong. I can take care of myself now."

The scene widened to include their parents, every face glowing with contentment.

[Hard to believe this monster had such a perfect childhood. I thought trauma might explain her actions.]

[She was born evil. Sign my petition for life imprisonment! Stop her from hurting my idol.]

[But... doesn't she seem really thoughtful here?]

In the studio, all eyes turned to Torin and Fenwick.

Fenwick snorted. "I was blind back then. Don't look at me."

After a long pause, Torin spoke, his voice distant. "I once thought Elysia was kind, innocent, lovable..." A flicker of tenderness crossed his face, gone so quickly it might have been imagined. His expression hardened, lips twisting into a bitter smile.

He continued, "Then we were kidnapped, trapped in a truck. I managed to force the door open and got hurt in the process. She pushed me aside and ransaved herself without a second thought."

The studio fell into a heavy silence, broken only by the soft hum of broadcasting equipment.