He tapped the screen. The hallway footage appeared—distorted, but clear enough: Vivian leading Mara toward the standards room, Mara visibly distressed, Vivian blocking the door.
The color drained from her face. "That footage is taken out of context," she said quickly. "She came willingly."
"Audio says otherwise," Rowan replied. He tapped again. The restored fragments played, her voice sharp, commanding, cold: "Distracting... violation... fix this now..."
Her lips parted, a breath caught between denial and panic. "That audio is manipulated!"
"It's from your system," Rowan said.
"And your override logs," Donovan added. "We have your code signatures."
Residents gathering nearby exchanged shocked glances. Some gasped softly; others stared at Vivian with a mounting sense of betrayal.
Vivian stepped back. "This is a misinterpretation. I am responsible for maintaining standards."
"You're responsible for the safety of residents," Donovan cut in, "not harming minors."
Her mask cracked. "She was disrupting—"
"She's a child," Ethan said, voice even.
Vivian flinched, as though the calmness was sharper than shouting.
Donovan stepped forward. "Vivian Cross, you need to come with us for questioning."
Her breath hitched. "This isn't... this can't—"
Rowan stepped in, gently but firmly: "It's over."