The law required evidence. Without the security footage, the police's hands were tied, unable to instantly clear Juniper's name.
The officer clicked his pen, jotting down notes in his ledger while offering some reassurance. "We'll keep investigating the area, Ms. Lane. We're going to check if there are any other surveillance cameras nearby."
Juniper quickly caught on. She wasn't the type to sit around and wait for a miracle. "There were a lot of cars parked on that street that night. Some of them might have had their dashcams running. Please, see if you can track any of them down."
"Don't worry, Ms. Lane. We'll be canvassing the area extensively over the next few days."
Knowing it was dangerous to show her face, Juniper kept her cap pulled low and her mask securely on.
Leaning on her crutch, she had no choice but to head back home for now.
Meanwhile, Jade watched the internet burn. Seeing the sheer volume of people screaming for Juniper's blood, combined with the sensational rumors of her college days, filled Jade with immense satisfaction.
Wanting to pour more gasoline on the fire, she quickly posted another anonymous tip online.
"It's true she didn't get her degree. She only has a high school diploma, yet she somehow waltzed into a top-50 auction house. And now she's living in a luxury villa? Does anyone actually believe she earned that house honestly? Who knows how far she went with her boss to get it. But her boss has been struggling lately, so by the looks of it, Juniper is already out hunting for her next wealthy target."
Because her tone sounded like someone who intimately knew Juniper's day-to-day life, netizens flocked to her account.
Her inbox exploded with private messages.
"Where does she live right now? Give us the address!"
"That bitch deserves to die! Drop the address! Someone needs to go teach her a lesson!"
"She's only getting away with this because of a pretty face! I hope someone slashes that homewrecking face to pieces!"
Within minutes, Jade received hundreds of violent, enraged messages. The absolute fury of the internet was palpable.
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