Chapter 37
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Summer
I woke up to the sound of my phone vibrating aggressively against my nightstand, its incessant buzzing drilling into my half-conscious mind.
Groaning, I turned over, my limbs heavy with exhaustion, and blindly reached for it, squinting at the screen through sleep-blurred eyes.
Olivia. Seventeen missed calls. My stomach twisted with unease.
Olivia didn’t call like this unless it was something major.
Before I could even process what time it was, my phone buzzed again, and I swiped to answer, already bracing myself for whatever chaos she was about to unload on me.
“Olivia, it’s too early for this,” I muttered, my voice thick with sleep.
“Summer, get up. We need to act fast,” she snapped, her tone sharp, filled with urgency.
I sat up immediately, pushing the blanket off me, my heart already racing. “What’s going on?”
“I’ve been thinking,” she said quickly, the sound of her pacing audible through the phone. “Peter’s family is powerful, Summer, but they’re not untouchable. We need proof. Something solid. Something they can’t cover up.”
I ran a hand through my hair, trying to force my brain to catch up. “And how exactly are we supposed to get that?”
She let out a frustrated sigh, like I was missing something obvious. “We go public.”
I blinked, my sleep-addled brain trying to make sense of her words. “What?”
“Think about it,” she continued, her voice gaining momentum.
“People are already talking about you. The attention is still there even if the relationship rumors are calming down. If we make a post explaining what happened at the park—without naming Jake, obviously—someone who was there might step up. Someone might have evidence.”
I froze.
That… actually made sense.
“We’d have to be careful,” I said slowly, my mind whirling with possibilities. “We can’t give too much detail, but if we frame it right…”
“Exactly,” Olivia confirmed, sounding triumphant. “We make it personal. Make people care.”
I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, already feeling the shift in my determination. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
“Good. I’ll be at your place in twenty,” she said, hanging up before I could argue.
I exhaled, my pulse pounding as I set my phone down. This was risky. But it was also the best shot we had.
By the time Olivia arrived, I had already written a rough draft of what I wanted to say. She barged into my apartment with her laptop, a notepad, and two iced coffees, tossing one in my direction as she plopped onto the couch.
“Alright, let’s make history,” she said, grinning.
I rolled my eyes but took a sip of the coffee before handing her my phone. “I need this to be concise but powerful. I don’t want to sound like I’m accusing someone outright, but I want people to understand how serious this is.”
She nodded, her expression surprisingly serious. “Okay, read it to me.”
I took a deep breath, scanning my words one last time before speaking.
"Hi, my name is Summer Adkins. I’m a social worker, and I need your help.
Recently, an incident occurred at Ridgeview Park involving a child.
I can’t give details, but I’m reaching out in the hope that someone who was there that night might have seen something.
If you were in the area and have any information, photos, or videos from that evening, please reach out.
Your help could make a difference in protecting someone who desperately needs it. "
I looked up, nerves twisting in my stomach. “Too much?”
“No.” Olivia shook her head, her voice firm. “It’s perfect.”
I hesitated for a second longer before taking a deep breath, picking up my phone, and pressing post.
We didn’t have to wait long.
The post started gaining traction almost immediately.
Thousands of likes. Thousands of shares.
People started tagging news outlets, legal experts, and advocacy groups.
Twitter exploded with discussions, Instagram stories were flooded with reposts, and TikTok videos started breaking down what little information we had provided.
It was spreading faster than I had even dared to hope.
And then?—
A notification popped up.
A direct message.
My breath hitched, my hands tightening around my phone.
“Someone messaged,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.
Olivia practically lunged forward, her eyes wide with anticipation. “Open it.”
I swallowed hard, my fingers shaking slightly as I clicked on the message.
A video file.
My heart pounded against my ribs as I stared at the screen, suddenly afraid to press play.
But I did.
The screen flickered, and shaky footage filled the frame. A dark evening. The park. The confrontation.
And then—the man.
His voice. His threats. The way he raised his hand.
Everything.
It was all there.
My hands trembled as Olivia let out a strangled gasp beside me.
“Summer…” she breathed, her fingers gripping my arm. “This is it.”
I couldn’t speak. My throat was tight, my pulse deafening in my ears.
Because we had just found the proof we needed.