She asked Ellen to retain the full file and the secure copies, available if needed for legitimate proceedings.

Vanessa still had the recording from her phone.

Maya’s lawyers had the supplied original-quality file and documentation of how they received it.

Public copies of the edited clip had not all disappeared, and Maya did not pretend her decision could make them vanish.

She could decline to add to them.

“I want Lily protected,” she told Claire.

“I’m not making the next chapter another video.”

Claire nodded.