Chapter 2 - The Hidden Feed

In the cold guest bedroom, Paola’s hands shook as she zipped up Emiliano’s spare fleece sleeper. The baby had finally stopped crying, exhausted into a heavy, fitful sleep against Miguel’s chest.
"We are never coming back here, Miguel," Paola whispered, tears of pure humiliation stinging her eyes. "Not for Christmas, not for birthdays, not ever. If you want to visit them, you can go alone. But my son will never be exposed to this circus again."
Miguel kissed the crown of his son's head. His jaw was locked so tight a muscle twitched in his cheek. "You don't ever have to worry about that again, Paola. I'm done. Tonight opened my eyes to things I refused to see for thirty years."
Before Paola could ask what he meant, Miguel’s phone buzzed violently in his pocket. It wasn't a call; it was an automated notification from a family-shared Google Drive folder that Diego managed for archiving holiday videos. But beneath it flashed a text message from a local paramedic colleague, Carlos, who lived two blocks away and had been idly watching Diego’s public channel while on standby.
Bro, check Diego’s public feed right now, Carlos’s text read. He forgot to end the stream. Everyone back in the living room is talking. The mic is picking up everything.
Miguel tapped the link. The livestream video was still active, broadcasting a wide-angle view of the dining table where Marta, Raúl, and Diego thought they were completely alone while the guests were still outside in the driveway parking their cars.
The phone audio crackled to life in the quiet bedroom:
"—idiot doesn't even know how much money we're skimming from the old man's real estate trust," Diego’s voice echoed clearly through the phone speaker. "As long as he keeps working 80-hour weeks on the highway, he’ll never look at the ledger."
Marta let out a sharp, dismissive scoff. "Let him be angry. He's always been too sensitive, just like his wife. Once we liquidate the Guadalajara property next month, we'll transfer the remainder to your account in Miami, Diego. Your father already signed the power of attorney over to me."
Raúl’s voice rumbled in agreement. "Miguel is a paramedic. He saves lives for pennies. You have a future, son. You're building an empire. A few tears from a baby won't hurt your brand."
May you like
Paola froze, her breath catching in her throat. She looked up at Miguel. The man she thought was merely exhausted and emotionally detached from his family was suddenly staring at his phone screen with a look of absolute, chilling devastation.
It wasn't just a toxic family obsessed with social media clout. It was financial fraud, betrayal, and a calculated plot to strip Miguel of his rightful inheritance to fund Diego’s superficial lifestyle.