Year 2050, at the Memory Tribunal.

The young woman in the defendant's chair sat completely out of it, her face blank as her eyes stared into nothing. Her features were delicate, but her body was frail—signs of being malnourished for way too long. Her wrists, thin as dead twigs, were covered in scars.

The gallery was packed, and the huge screen flooded with live comments. Almost the whole country was watching the livestream, because the woman on trial was Riley Walker—the infamous girl accused of setting fire to a children's center in Boston three years ago. A fire that led to a car crash costing her biological sister her legs, and a whole mess of plotting against her own blood family.

"Finally, we get to see Riley the liar's memories. She's been playing the appeal card forever, swearing she didn't do it. Let's see how she spins this now!"

"A hundred kids, burned alive, and only two survivors! And there's Cleo—once a dancer with a real future, now stuck in a wheelchair because of her!"

"The Walkers deserved none of this. They raised Riley like their own, even with her being deaf in one ear. And how does she pay them back? By nearly destroying the whole family!"

"I heard her real mom was just a cleaner. Low-class trash from the start! Probably switched the babies on purpose!"

From the jury bench, the Walker family glared at Riley with pure hatred burning in their eyes. Mrs. Walker's eyes were bloodshot, like she wanted to devour Riley alive. "What's there to judge? Just let her face justice! She destroyed us... If I'd known what she'd turn into, I'd have ended this nightmare early!"

Sean Walker and Riley's brother, Liam, spoke coldly. "The evidence against her is crushing. These memory trials just reopen wounds. Why drag this out?"

Memory trials were tech developed twenty years back—they let you tap straight into a criminal's mind using electromagnetic waves, pull out memories, and project them for everyone to see. Since that tech hit the scene, any claims of innocence had become a joke.

The presiding judge slammed the gavel. "This trial was requested by the defendant herself. The gallery will remain silent. We'll now begin, reviewing memories for each charge brought by the plaintiff."

"The trial is now in session."

The Walker family was stunned.

Memory extraction was a long process that could seriously fry the brain—risking memory loss, or even turning someone into a vegetable. Riley was clearly desperate, ready to throw everything away rather than plead guilty!

Liam let out a bitter laugh. "Does she think playing the victim is gonna soften us up? That's laughable."

But then, the big screen flickered to life.

The judge said, "The first accusation involves the alleged switch of Riley's biological mother and another infant, resulting in Cleo enduring years of hardship."

"This accusation is somewhat vague since everyone involved was just a baby, but the overall sequence of events is still clear."

The Walkers' faces turned to stone.

Cleo's switch was their deepest regret—a wound they could barely stand to reopen now.

Sean Walker held his wife close, his voice sharp as a blade. "What good does digging up this old crap do? We spared that cleaner mother from justice for switching the kids, letting Cleo suffer like this. But Riley had zero excuse to turn on us just because she was jealous of Cleo!"

The judge stayed quiet, simply starting the playback.

The images began to move.

Several infants were sleeping peacefully in the hospital nursery. One baby, with angelic little features, stood out as especially beautiful.

A woman in humble clothes stepped in, gently lifted a baby, and looked down at her with so much tenderness it hurt.

The comments started buzzing.

"Is that the cleaner? Did she take Cleo? She's about to swap the babies now, right?"

"Even as a baby, Cleo was gorgeous—miles above the rest!"

But Mrs. Walker couldn't tear her eyes from the child next to her own. Her voice trembled, her eyes growing misty. "That's my Cleo... Why didn't I notice the switch right then? It cost my girl everything!"

"That monster! If she wasn't already dead, I'd make her pay just like Riley's going to!"

The crowd slowly caught on: the woman holding the baby was Riley's mom.

"My sweet darling, my little one. Daddy and the grandparents will come take us home soon."

The woman kissed Riley's forehead. Just then, a nurse called from outside, "Room 39, time for your check-up. If all looks good, you can be discharged today."

The woman nodded, set the baby down gently, and left the room.

Not long after, a woman with narrow, shifty eyes slunk in, back bent.

"Think you're something special 'cause you got money? What's so great about a stuck-up little girl? Let me toss this brat out, and we'll see how proud you are then!"

The old lady muttered under her breath, scanning the babies' wristbands.

When her eyes landed on Cleo next to Riley, they turned dangerous. In a flash, she swiped the tag, scooped Cleo up, and slipped out of the room.

Sean's face drained of color. "Cleo!"

"Why did that person take my child?! We don't even know her!"

Mrs. Walker shook, her voice cracking. "I remember now..."

"When I had Cleo, this old woman's grandson nearly ran into me. I reprimanded him a little. For something this petty, she took my baby?"

"Then how did Riley end up as my child..."

The judge resumed the playback.

Soon, the Walkers' nanny rushed in. She spotted only an empty baby wristband on the bed, and her face went ghost white.

"Miss Cleo's gone... I'm dead. If the Walkers find out their baby's missing, they'll kill me!"

She spun around to search for the kid, but then heard Mrs. Walker's voice from the hallway. "Auntie Smith, bring the baby out. We're leaving."

The nanny's lips quivered with terror. "...Yes, ma'am, right away!"

She glanced around fast, saw no one, then snatched up Riley, slapped Cleo's wristband on her, and marched out of the ward.

All three Walkers were speechless. The screen blew up with shocked reactions.

"Wait—so the switch wasn't Riley's mom's doing? That crazy old lady did it out of spite, and the nanny swapped Riley for Cleo just to save her own skin?"

"By that logic, Riley and her mom were totally innocent. They got shoved into a fake life they never asked for."

"Are you all insane? Riley grew up in luxury as a Walker! If it were me, I'd be kissing the ground! Riley and her mom should have been grateful!"

"Is nobody wondering how the hell Cleo ended up with Riley's mom?"

The Walkers shifted their focus to the judge. "Why did Cleo get raised by Riley's mom? Maybe this whole thing was a setup from the get-go!"

The judge slammed the gavel again. "For this accusation, we've gathered memories from other involved parties. This will help us piece the full truth together. Please continue to observe."

The screen keeps playing—Riley's mother returns in a panic, realizing her daughter is missing. Back then, the hospital didn't have CCTV, and nobody would've guessed a baby swap with the Walkers had taken place.

Riley's mother reports it to the police and searches frantically in the rain for an entire day and night—until she finally finds an almost lifeless Cleo in a trash bin. After investigating, the cops can't identify the child and plan to send her to an orphanage. But Riley's mother insists on adopting Cleo.

"I've already lost my own child. This abandoned girl... she's a blessing. I'll raise her as my own daughter," she pleads. The officers grant her request, and the screen starts flashing memories from Riley's childhood neighbors.

As these images play out, both the Walkers and the audience are taken aback. The couple adored Cleo, spoiling her rotten. Even with their modest means, they backed her dreams in dance and piano. And after Riley's father died in a car accident, her adoptive mom worked herself to the bone to make sure Cleo never went without.

Comments roll in: "Honestly, Cleo's adoptive parents treated her really well—no wonder she turned out so cheerful and full of life." Another chips in, "And if Riley's mom hadn't found her, Cleo would've died in that trash bin during those brutal winter days—she'd never have gotten this chance to reunite with her real family."

The Walkers realize their mistake, and they can't hide their embarrassment. Especially Mrs. Walker—she looks completely dazed, hit by the truth that their nanny was the one who swapped her daughter. Liam clenches his jaw, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. "So what if Riley's mom didn't swap my sister? That doesn't change the fact that she's straight-up evil!"

"She always thought our parents favored me over her. Ever since I was born, she hated my guts—she even tried to sell me to traffickers when I was little!"

"If the cops hadn't stepped in, who knows where I'd be now!"

The judge addresses the Walkers, "Are you certain the accusations are accurate?"

Mrs. Walker snaps back, her face hardening with that same cold hatred. "How could they not be? Liam was only four! Riley took him out to play and almost got him kidnapped."

"That neighborhood was so sketchy—if a good Samaritan hadn't reported it, we could've lost both of our biological kids!"

Sean Walker echoes, "Yeah, she was only nine, but already so devious, so conniving! She's rotten to the core!"

Riley sits in the defendant's chair, her expression still numb, but tears slide down her face. Her eyes are red, raw with emotion. She can't speak, though. Her body is about to give out—making it through this memory trial is already a cruel twist of fate. But she refuses to give in... She knows she's done nothing wrong. Why is she being branded as evil through and through? Even if she dies on this stand, she'll prove her innocence!

The Walkers and the audience catch her tears, and their faces twist with scorn. "Riley, now you're scared? Too late!"

"Your crimes are about to be exposed. Let's see you slink away with whatever dignity you have left! This is just the beginning of your punishment!"

Comments pile on: "That's the face of guilt, right? Acting all innocent and defiant—until now! That's regret hitting her!"

"Seriously, she should've just confessed instead of wasting public resources on this circus."

"Only nine and already that vicious—calling her inherently evil isn't off the mark!"

Unimpressed, the judge adjusts the timeline to the relevant moment, and the footage resumes. A villa comes into view. Young Riley, maybe eight or nine, sits dutifully at her desk, working on homework. A little boy barges into her room and snatches the notebook right out of her hands. "Sis, come play with me!"

Riley hesitates. "But I have to finish my homework, or the teacher's gonna be mad..."

Before she even finishes, the boy rips her homework to shreds. "I don't care! You have to play with me! Who cares about homework? Mom said girls don't need to study anyway! I'm gonna inherit the family business!" He crosses his arms and adds, "Come play, or I'll tell Mom you bullied me!"

Staring at the shredded notebook, Riley's eyes brim with unshed tears. But looking at the unyielding boy, she quietly gathers the pieces. "Okay, I'll come play."

Liam's body stiffens. His expression grows uneasy as the comments pour in: "Wait, isn't that Little Liam?"

"Little Liam now acts all polite and classy, but he was a total brat as a kid."

"The Walkers obviously raised him with clear boy favoritism! 'Girls don't need to study'—what kind of BS is that?"

"For real—Liam was out of line. Already acting like he owned the world, no respect for his sister."

"But he was just a kid, come on. So what if he was bratty? Riley trying to sell him over that? That's straight-up malicious."

Liam quickly adds, "Yeah, I was naive back then. Even if I was in the wrong, Riley could've just scolded me instead of trying to rip our family apart."

The judge gives him a cursory glance and resumes the playback. Riley holds Liam's hand as they step outside. She glances at the darkening sky. "Liam, can we just play in the garden? It looks like rain."

But Liam refuses. "I want candy! Take me downtown!"

Riley tries to reason with him, but Liam throws a fit. Giving in, she takes him downtown, holding his hand tightly, terrified he might wander off. At the candy store, right as Riley's about to buy the candy, Liam insists, "I wCleo check out the toys. You buy it and then find me!"

Riley hesitates. "Promise you won't wander off. Just wait here for me, okay?"

Liam agrees eagerly, but moments after Riley walks away, a man approaches him with a grin. "You like remote-controlled cars?"

Liam nods.

The man coaxes, "These toys are boring. WCleo try something way better?"

Intrigued, Liam asks, "How much better?"

The man leans in, whispering, "Come with me and see. My place isn't far."

Without a single hesitation, Liam follows him toward a van parked outside.

The audience erupts. Riley returns with the candy, panic sparking in her eyes when she sees Liam about to climb in. "Stop! Where are you taking my brother?!"

The man freezes, unsure what to do, while Liam mutters, "Ignore her, let's just go. She's such a nag."

The crowd gasps. Liam goes dead pale as the screen keeps rolling.

How the hell did this happen?

It was supposed to be Riley Walker selling him out—so how did things flip like this?

"At first, I thought they might be in cahoots, but this clearly shows Liam getting himself into hot water…"

"Honestly, how can anyone say his sister tried to sell him?"

Riley is visibly freaking out. She dashes over, grabbing Liam by the arm. "Liam, where are you going? I got the caramel apples. It's time to go home."

"Get off me! Who says you're my sister?"

Liam, hyped up to be out and about, doesn't want the fun to end. He shoves her away, ready to jump into the stranger's car.

Tears of desperation well up in Riley's eyes as she pleads with the shop owner. "Ma'am, that man's a kidnapper—he's trying to take my brother. Please, stop him!"

But Liam ignores her, even rolling his eyes.

A flicker of doubt crosses the shopkeeper's face, but seeing Liam so calm, she hesitates. "Kiddo, you really being taken against your will?"

Liam shakes his head. "No."

Riley can't believe it. "Liam, stop messing around! Come home with me!"

The man seizes the moment to cut in. "Don't listen to this girl. He's my nephew, and I'm just taking him home. I don't know where this crazy chick came from."

And just like that, the shopkeeper sides with the man, thinking Riley's just causing a scene.

"This little girl's lost it, grabbing some random kid off the street and claiming he's her brother. Maybe she's the one who's unhinged."

"I've heard about kids being used to kidnap other kids. She's probably the real kidnapper, playing all innocent."

Liam looks at Riley with total indifference, like she's a complete stranger.

Riley's eyes grow even redder, but as just a kid, she can't out-argue the adults. Instead, she clings to Liam inside the car, insisting, "I'm not a kidnapper! He is my brother!"

The kidnapper, pissed that his plan's been blown, lashes out violently at Riley, dead set on taking Liam.

The shopkeeper, not wanting any trouble, just stands there watching Riley get dragged outside without lifting a finger.

Riley gets beaten brutally, yet she clings fiercely to Liam, refusing to let go.

That area is barely populated, and nobody seems to notice her desperate situation.

Finally, someone upstairs hears the ruckus and dials 911.

By the time the cops show up, Riley's barely conscious, still gripping Liam's hand, only letting go when she hears the sirens.

The Walkers are totally shell-shocked watching Riley shield Liam, unable to get a single word out.

Liam, his face going pale, shakes his head. "No... How can this be? Did I remember it wrong?"

His childhood memories are fuzzy at best; all he recalls is almost being kidnapped when he went out with Riley…

The comments start piling on.

"If Riley wanted to sell Liam, she could've just played dumb. Now she's beaten to a pulp and still getting vilified? I actually feel sorry for her."

"A little kid not knowing better is one thing, but how could the Walkers accuse Riley of trying to hurt her own brother?"

"Knowing Liam blamed her for this, I can't imagine what her life with the Walkers was like. No wonder she turned so bitter later."

The Walkers' faces go slack. "When we got there, Liam said Riley wasn't around, which is why we thought she didn't look after him properly…"

The judge resumes the video.

The cops rushed Riley to the hospital while bringing the kidnapper and Liam to the station, notifying the Walkers.

Liam, seeing Riley beaten up, is petrified, crying non-stop at the station.

When the Walkers show up, they focus entirely on their son, not even asking how Riley is, despite the police mentioning a young girl had protected Liam and was hospitalized. They show zero concern.

Liam doesn't dare speak the truth, and the family heads home without another word.

Meanwhile, Riley's left alone in the hospital, recovering with no one to care for her.

Upon discharge, she gets blamed for not looking after Liam, which almost led to his kidnapping.

No matter how she explains, the Walkers don't believe her.

The Walkers' faces are drained of color, and Liam shakes in his seat.

He'd thought Riley had wronged him, subjecting her to endless ridicule and humiliation, convinced she owed him.

But now, knowing it was his own damn foolishness, and Riley risked her life to protect him…

What about all the crap he's put her through ever since?

The judge's gavel comes down coldly. "Based on the evidence presented, the Walkers' accusations against Riley Walker for attempting to kidnap Liam Walker are unfounded."

The Walkers fumble for words, their emotions all tangled up. "We were wrong about that incident, but we didn't punish her too harshly for it… Later, when Cleo came back, whatever the siblings had, Riley got too. But she was jealous of Cleo. On Cleo's first day back, Riley pushed her down the stairs. Cleo never did anything to her; how could Riley be so heartless?"

Liam grudgingly admits, "Yeah, I went after her over that incident when I shouldn't have. But my sister was so kind—how could Riley be that cold-blooded?"

The judge stays silent, just continuing the footage.

Soon, teenage Riley appears on the screen, standing alone, while the Walker parents and Liam warmly surround Cleo on the couch.

"Cleo, now that you're home, we'll make sure you're never wronged again. We'll make it all up to you," they promise.

Mrs. Walker turns to Riley, her tone a clear warning: "Don't you dare bully Cleo, or I won't forgive you!"

Riley hangs her head even lower. "Okay, Mom, I'll go upstairs now."

As she turns to leave, Cleo rushes up, grabbing her arm. "Mom, I'm sure my sister won't bully me. We're going to the same school soon, so I'd like to chat with her and get familiar with everything."

Riley looks tense, but Mr. and Mrs. Walker don't even question it, urging her to get along with her sister.

The two sisters head upstairs. Once there, Cleo suddenly speaks up, "Riley, did you know your real mom was still looking for you when she died?"

"You stole my life of luxury, so it's poetic justice your parents died so miserably. It's all your karma. Be smart and get the hell out of my house, or you'll suffer even more later."

The screen glitches out momentarily, and when it clears, it shows the spiral staircase in the Walker mansion.

The two are standing at the stairs, Cleo looking down at Riley with an air of superiority, a total 180 from her earlier vulnerable act.

Cleo takes Riley's hand, her fingers ice-cold.

Riley instinctively tries to pull away, but Cleo tightens her grip.

Viewers watching the live broadcast begin to share their thoughts on the screen.