Chapter 2
The first thing I noticed was my father's hand.
It was shaking.
Dad never shook.
He was the kind of man who stayed calm when everything went wrong.
When our kitchen flooded, he shut off the water and started cleaning.
When I broke my wrist at eleven, he carried me into the emergency room without showing fear.
But now he was staring at his phone as though he'd discovered something terrible.
"Claire," he said quietly, "where did this money go?"
My stepmother crossed her arms.
"What money?"
Dad turned the screen toward her.
"Twenty-eight thousand dollars."
My stomach dropped.
Twenty-eight thousand.
That sounded impossible.
I didn't even know whether my savings account held that much.
Claire laughed nervously.
"You're misunderstanding the statement."
"Then explain it."
She glanced toward the relatives gathered around us.
"Not in front of everyone."
Dad looked toward me.
I saw something painful in his eyes.
Shame.
He lowered the phone.
"Denise, would you take the children into the kitchen?"
Claire immediately protested.
"Lily isn't going anywhere."
My aunt ignored her.
She approached us gently.
"Lily, sweetheart, come help me with the cupcakes."
Lily looked confused.
"But the party..."
"We'll finish getting ready together."
My stepsister looked toward Claire.
For once, her mother didn't tell her what to do.
Lily followed Aunt Denise.
Dad looked at me.
"Maya, you can go too."
I tightened my grip around the purple costume.
"No."
He sighed.
"Sweetheart..."
"It's my money."
His expression softened.
I swallowed.
"And everybody keeps talking about me like I'm not standing here."
Grandma Ruth walked over and placed a hand on my shoulder.
"She's right, Marcus."
Dad closed his eyes briefly.
Then nodded.
"Okay."
He looked at Claire.
"Start explaining."
Claire dropped onto the cream sofa.
Her expression changed from anger to wounded innocence.
"I was trying to help this family."
Dad stared at her.
"By taking money from my daughter's account?"
"I borrowed it."
"Without permission?"
"I was going to replace it!"
I felt tears building.
"Why didn't you ask me?"
Claire turned toward me.
"Because you're thirteen, Maya. You don't understand adult finances."
The words stung.
I looked at Dad.
He immediately answered.
"Being thirteen doesn't make her money yours."
Claire's eyes widened.
"I am your wife."
"And she's my daughter."
"I know that!"
"Then start acting like it."
Grandma Ruth made a quiet sound of approval.
Claire looked furious.
Dad sat at the kitchen island and opened his banking application.
He asked me to come closer.
I hesitated.
Then sat beside him.
He showed me the account.
My name appeared at the top.
Maya Johnson Education Savings.
Below it was a list of transactions.
Some were small.
Forty dollars.
Ninety-six dollars.
Two hundred dollars.
Others were enormous.
Five thousand dollars.
Seven thousand dollars.
Eleven thousand dollars.
I couldn't understand.
"Those aren't Halloween costumes."
Dad shook his head.
"No."
Claire stared at the floor.
I looked at one transaction.
BRIGHT FUTURE ACADEMY.
Seven thousand dollars.
I frowned.
"What's Bright Future Academy?"
Claire spoke quickly.
"Lily's school."
I turned toward her.
"What?"
She straightened.
"It's an excellent private school."
My stomach twisted.
"You paid for Lily's school with my money?"
Claire looked offended.
"Your sister deserves a good education."
Dad's expression became hard.
"So does Maya."
Claire waved a hand.
"She's already in a perfectly good public school."
I stared at her.
For two years, I'd begged Dad to let me attend a summer engineering program.
It cost eight hundred dollars.
Claire always said it was unnecessary.
She called it a waste.
She said I should find a free activity.
I slowly looked at Dad.
"The robotics camp."
He turned toward me.
"What?"
"Claire said we couldn't afford it."
His face changed.
I swallowed.
"She said there wasn't enough money."
Dad looked toward his wife.
"Claire?"
She said nothing.
I felt tears rolling down my cheeks.
"You told me I was selfish for asking."
Claire snapped.
"Stop making everything about you!"
Dad slammed his palm against the counter.
"Enough!"
I jumped.
He immediately looked at me.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart."
I nodded.
But my chest hurt.
Dad turned back toward Claire.
"Where's the rest of the money?"
She looked away.
He tapped another transaction.
"Eleven thousand dollars to Kensington Property Services."
Grandma Ruth frowned.
"Property services?"
Claire suddenly stood.
"I'm not discussing this."
Dad rose too.
"You're going to explain every transaction."
She reached for her purse.
"I need air."
He didn't block her.
But he said something that stopped her.
"I've already contacted the bank."
Claire froze.
Dad continued.
"The account is restricted while they review what happened."
She turned slowly.
"You did what?"
"I reported the unauthorized transfers."
Her expression became terrified.
"Marcus, you can't do that."
"Why?"
She swallowed.
"Because..."
Dad waited.
Claire looked toward me.
Then toward Grandma Ruth.
Finally, she whispered, "It's complicated."
I wanted to scream.
Everything was complicated when Claire was caught doing something wrong.
But my birthday gifts weren't complicated.
My mother's money wasn't complicated.
Taking something that belonged to me was wrong.
Dad looked at the phone again.
"There's another payment."
Claire closed her eyes.
"Marcus..."
He read the name aloud.
"Elaine Mercer."
Grandma Ruth went completely still.
Dad noticed.
"Mom?"
Grandma's face had turned pale.
I looked between them.
"Who's Elaine Mercer?"
Nobody answered.
Then Grandma whispered something I had never heard her say before.
"Oh, that woman."
Dad frowned.
"You know her?"
Grandma nodded slowly.
"Marcus, Elaine Mercer was the attorney who handled your first wife's estate."
My heart stopped.
My mother.
I looked toward Claire.
She had begun backing toward the hallway.
Dad stared at her.
"Why are you sending Maya's money to her mother's former attorney?"
Claire shook her head.
"I can explain."
Grandma Ruth stepped forward.
"Then explain why that woman was paid after she was dismissed."
Claire's face collapsed.
She looked toward the front door.
May you like
And suddenly, I wasn't thinking about Halloween anymore.
I was wondering whether the money my mother left me had been disappearing for years.
