Chapter 3
I ran downstairs with my laptop.
Dad was still in the kitchen.
Grandma had gone to bed.
Vanessa was nowhere in sight.
“Dad.”
He heard something in my voice and immediately stood.
“What happened?”
I turned the screen toward him.
He read the email.
His face changed.
“What anonymous complaint?”
“I don't know.”
He pulled the chair beside him.
“Sit.”
I couldn't.
My heart was pounding too hard.
“The email says somebody claimed I lied about my household income.”
Dad frowned.
“That isn't possible.”
“They said Mom sends us money every month.”
His entire body went still.
My mother had left when I was nine.
She lived in Arizona now.
We spoke maybe four times a year.
She had never sent monthly support.
Occasionally she mailed a birthday card.
That was it.
Dad stared at the email.
“Who knows your mother doesn't live here?”
“Everyone.”
“That isn't what I asked.”
I understood.
Who knew enough about the scholarship application to know that Mom's financial support mattered?
Dad.
Me.
Grandma.
And Vanessa.
I suddenly felt sick.
Dad must have seen it on my face.
“Don't accuse anybody yet.”
“She cut my letter.”
“I know.”
“She hates that I got the scholarship.”
“I know.”
“Dad—”
“We need proof.”
His calm voice steadied me.
He picked up his phone.
“First thing tomorrow, we'll call the financial aid office.”
“What if they cancel it?”
“They won't.”
“You don't know that.”
“No.”
He looked straight at me.
“But I know you didn't lie.”
That helped.
A little.
Footsteps creaked above us.
Vanessa appeared at the top of the stairs.
She looked down.
“What are you two whispering about?”
Dad closed my laptop.
“Come here.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“Now.”
She came downstairs slowly.
Dad gestured toward the chair.
“Sit.”
Vanessa folded her arms.
“I'd rather stand.”
Dad opened the laptop again.
He turned the screen toward her.
I watched her face closely.
Her eyes moved across the email.
For one tiny second, something flickered there.
Fear.
Then it disappeared.
“What does this have to do with me?”
Dad didn't answer immediately.
“Did you contact Maya's university?”
Vanessa laughed.
“What?”
“Did you send an anonymous complaint?”
“No.”
“Think carefully.”
“I said no.”
Dad studied her.
Vanessa looked offended.
“You seriously think I would do that?”
“You cut her scholarship letter today.”
“That was stupid, okay?”
She pointed toward the screen.
“But this is completely different.”
“Is it?”
“Yes!”
Her voice cracked.
I watched her hands.
They were shaking.
“Vanessa,” I said quietly.
She looked at me.
“If you did it, tell me now.”
“I didn't.”
“Please.”
“I didn't!”
Grandma appeared in the hallway wearing her robe.
“What is all this noise?”
Vanessa turned toward her immediately.
“They're accusing me of trying to steal Maya's scholarship.”
Grandma looked confused.
Dad showed her the email.
Grandma read it.
Then she went pale.
So pale that Dad noticed.
“Mom?”
Grandma stepped back.
“Oh.”
One word.
Barely a whisper.
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
She shook her head.
“Nothing.”
Dad stood.
“Mom.”
“I said nothing.”
But she wouldn't look at me.
Dad walked closer.
“Do you know something?”
Grandma gripped the front of her robe.
Vanessa stared at her.
“Grandma?”
The silence stretched.
Then Grandma sank into a chair.
“I didn't think they would investigate.”
My knees weakened.
“What did you do?”
Grandma began crying.
Dad looked stunned.
“Mom.”
She covered her face.
“I sent an email.”
Everything inside me stopped.
Vanessa whispered, “You?”
Grandma nodded.
I couldn't understand.
“Why?”
Grandma lowered her hands.
Her eyes were wet.
“I was trying to help Vanessa.”
Nobody spoke.
That answer made so little sense that I thought I had heard it wrong.
“By reporting my scholarship?”
Grandma shook her head quickly.
“I didn't think they would take it away.”
“What did you think would happen?”
“I thought maybe they would delay things.”
I stared at her.
“Why?”
Her voice became smaller.
“Because Vanessa has been struggling.”
Dad's expression hardened.
“So you sabotaged Maya?”
“No.”
Grandma reached toward me.
I stepped back.
She dropped her hand.
“Vanessa has been depressed.”
Vanessa's face changed.
“Grandma, don't.”
“I saw how badly she reacted every time everybody talked about Maya leaving.”
I looked at Vanessa.
She stared at the floor.
Grandma continued.
“I thought if Maya stayed home another semester, maybe Vanessa could figure things out first.”
I couldn't breathe.
“You wanted me to lose my scholarship so Vanessa wouldn't feel bad?”
“When you say it like that—”
“How else can I say it?”
Dad slammed his palm against the counter.
Everyone jumped.
“Enough excuses.”
Grandma flinched.
“I wasn't trying to destroy her future.”
“You contacted a university and falsely accused your granddaughter of fraud!”
“I thought they would ask questions.”
“They did!”
Dad pointed toward me.
“And now she has forty-eight hours to defend something she earned honestly.”
Grandma started crying harder.
Vanessa stood completely still.
Then something unexpected happened.
She looked at Grandma.
“What exactly did you tell them?”
Grandma hesitated.
“Grandma.”
“I said your mother supported the household.”
Vanessa's eyes widened.
“That isn't true.”
“I know.”
“So you lied?”
Grandma looked ashamed.
“Yes.”
Vanessa slowly sat down.
For the first time that night, anger left her face.
She looked sick.
I stared at both of them.
One had cut my letter.
The other had attacked the scholarship itself.
Dad took out his phone.
“What are you doing?” Grandma asked.
“Documenting everything.”
Her face changed.
“Marcus.”
“You're going to write exactly what you did.”
“You wouldn't report your own mother.”
“If the university asks, I will tell them the truth.”
Grandma stared at him.
Dad handed her a sheet of paper.
“Write.”
Grandma began trembling.
And that was when Vanessa suddenly said something none of us expected.
“She wasn't the only one.”
Dad turned.
“What?”
Vanessa looked at me.
Tears filled her eyes.
“I didn't send the complaint.”
She swallowed.
“But I knew Grandma was going to.”
My chest tightened.
“You knew?”
May you like
Vanessa nodded.
“And I didn't stop her.”
