As mentioned earlier, in the world of American politics, shamelessness and blatant lies are essential skills. For Ver, a politician who clawed her way up through deceit and the so-called "blade-punch" ideology, it didn't matter what evidence Castle had produced. While being interviewed on live television, Ver knew one thing for sure: she absolutely couldn't show fear or guilt. Even the slightest slip would alert the shrewd host to the cracks in her story. That would be a public execution for her career.
So, no matter what, she had to deny everything and go on the offensive. After all, she had the "blade-punch" and "feminist" organizations backing her. All she needed to do was survive this round of scrutiny.
This was a live interview with over a hundred studio audience members watching. Even if her heart quivered with guilt, she couldn't let it show. Internally, Ver gave herself a pep talk, repeating her mental affirmations until, bizarrely, she started to feel more confident.
But the host's expression was growing increasingly peculiar. After receiving new information through his earpiece from the producers, his sharp gaze unsettled Ver. Even though she tried to continue her impassioned speech about being a victim of discrimination, she couldn't help but sense that something wasn't right. The shift in the studio atmosphere became even more apparent when audience members began pulling out their phones to look something up. Her confidence faltered.
Ver, thrown off her rhythm, grew nervous. This was live television, and she had no idea what Castle might have unveiled. The truth of what happened during her visit to his estate was crystal clear to her. She had always relied on the fact that her accusations would go unanswered, using her race and the threat of social backlash to silence opponents. But did Castle truly have recordings of their entire encounter?
If so, and if those tapes were exposed, her carefully constructed image would be utterly destroyed.
No, she couldn't sit still. She had to find out exactly what kind of evidence Castle had released. Then she could dismiss it as fabricated—just another tool of oppression by a privileged white man against a vulnerable Black woman. Once her plan was set, Ver prepared to speak, but the host cut her off first.
"Senator Ver, you've been claiming for days that you were the victim of racial discrimination. You've also stated that you were treated unfairly when you visited renowned author Richard Castle's home. However, there's a set of videos circulating online right now—four different angles, all timestamped and synchronized—recording your entire visit to Castle's estate from start to finish. These videos seem to tell a very different story from the one you've been sharing. How do you respond to that?"
Ver's vision darkened momentarily. Her worst fear had come true—Castle did have evidence, and not just one video but four synchronized recordings. Who could have guessed that the writer would have such comprehensive surveillance in his home?
No matter. She couldn't admit defeat. She had to adamantly insist that the footage was fake. If she didn't, it would all be over.
Drawing upon her instinct for survival, Ver suppressed her panic and responded forcefully, "Those videos are fake! That writer must have fabricated them to retaliate against me for exposing his true colors. Think about it—if he had such videos, why didn't he release them when I first accused him? Clearly, he felt cornered by my accusations and rushed to create these fake videos to confuse the public!"
Her voice rose with each word, and Ver began to believe her own narrative. She convinced herself that anyone trusting Castle's so-called "evidence" was an idiot. As her volume grew, so did her resolve.
But Castle's counterattack wasn't just about posting a video online and leaving it at that. With Jarvis at his disposal—equivalent to an army of 100,000 trolls—he had orchestrated a carefully timed offensive. The videos had been released alongside certifications from several Hollywood legends, experts deeply critical of modern "political correctness," who attested to the authenticity of the recordings. Castle even paid them generously to write detailed analyses confirming that the footage was unaltered, and that Ver's voice and lip movements matched perfectly. He wanted to crush her with irrefutable evidence.
While Ver relied on her racial identity and deflection tactics, the host had already received confirmation through his earpiece that the videos were genuine. Recognizing the opportunity for a massive scoop, he decided to strike.
"Senator Ver," the host interrupted her tirade, "if you insist that the videos are fake, would you object to us playing them right now for you to review live on air?"
Ver's heart sank. The self-delusion she had been relying on to bolster her confidence began to crumble. Her mind raced as she noticed the host's mischievous expression. Unable to think of a better response, she defaulted to her usual tactic: "How can you believe that writer over me? Is it because I'm Black? This… this is racism!"
The room fell silent. Even the audience, sympathetic moments earlier, seemed stunned. What did racism have to do with reviewing the videos? Her panicked reaction only made her look more guilty.
The host, now confident of Ver's deceit, saw his chance. The producer had just confirmed the videos' authenticity, and the network's own team of editors had independently verified that the footage was unaltered. With four synchronized angles and matching audio, the truth was undeniable. Ver's lies were about to collapse under the weight of evidence.
The studio's producers, smelling blood in the water, instructed the host to press Ver further. They understood the magnitude of this moment. While Americans were well aware of the hypocrisy and deceit in their political system, it was rare to see a politician exposed so thoroughly in real time. This was television gold.
The host, emboldened by the directive, delivered the final blow with a grin: "Well then, Senator Ver, let's play the videos and let the viewers decide. After all, if you have nothing to hide, there's nothing to fear, right?"
(End of Chapter)
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