Chapter 5
I read Lily's message three times.
Mommy says we're leaving because of you.
I stared at the words until they blurred.
Then I handed my phone to Dad.
His expression changed immediately.
He read the second message.
She says Daddy doesn't love us anymore.
Dad closed his eyes.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he whispered, "Oh, Claire."
I looked toward the school entrance.
Students were walking inside.
Some wore Halloween sweatshirts.
Others carried orange candy bags.
Everything looked normal.
But my stomach felt like it was full of stones.
"Did I make Lily sad?" I asked.
Dad turned toward me.
"No."
"But Claire says..."
He stopped me gently.
"Claire is responsible for what she tells Lily."
I swallowed.
"Is Lily really leaving?"
Dad hesitated.
"Claire said she wants to stay with her sister for a while."
My chest tightened.
I liked Lily.
Sometimes she drove me crazy.
Sometimes she followed me everywhere.
But she was still my little sister.
We watched cartoons together.
I helped her with spelling.
She gave me tiny drawings she'd made in school.
I didn't want her to disappear.
Dad noticed my expression.
"Sweetheart, you can love Lily without accepting how Claire treats you."
I nodded slowly.
That made sense.
But it still hurt.
I got out of the car.
Before closing the door, I turned back.
"Dad?"
"Yeah?"
"Please tell Lily I love her."
His eyes filled.
"I will."
At school, I couldn't concentrate.
During math, I stared at the same problem for fifteen minutes.
During lunch, my best friend Jasmine sat beside me.
She noticed my untouched sandwich.
"Maya, what's wrong?"
I shook my head.
"Nothing."
She raised an eyebrow.
"We've been friends since kindergarten."
I almost smiled.
She leaned closer.
"Talk to me."
I told her about the costume.
Then the bank account.
Then the insurance policy.
By the time I finished, Jasmine looked horrified.
"Your stepmom took your money?"
I nodded.
"And bought things for Lily?"
"Some of it."
Jasmine stared at me.
"That's messed up."
I looked down.
"I feel bad because Lily thinks it's my fault."
Jasmine shook her head.
"You're not responsible for what her mom did."
I swallowed.
"But Lily's crying."
"Then her mom should stop lying to her."
I stared at my friend.
She said it so simply.
Like the answer had been obvious all along.
Maybe it was.
That afternoon, Dad picked me up early.
He said Rebecca had arranged an emergency meeting.
I expected to wait outside.
Instead, Dad brought me into the conference room.
Rebecca greeted me warmly.
She had short silver curls and kind brown eyes.
"Maya, I'm glad you're here."
I sat beside Dad.
Rebecca placed several folders on the table.
"First, the bank has restricted access to the affected accounts while the transactions are reviewed."
Dad nodded.
"And Claire?"
"She no longer has independent authorization to move funds from Maya's accounts."
I exhaled.
For the first time, my money felt a little safer.
Rebecca continued.
"We're tracing the payments to Bright Future Academy, Kensington Property Services, and Elaine Mercer."
I looked up.
"Did Elaine take my money?"
Rebecca's expression became serious.
"We need to determine why she received payments."
Dad leaned forward.
"And the insurance policy?"
Rebecca opened another folder.
"The policy proceeds were paid into a trust account after Nicole died."
I swallowed.
"Was all the money there?"
"Not anymore."
My stomach dropped.
Dad's jaw tightened.
Rebecca continued.
"Some withdrawals appear to have been authorized using documents bearing Marcus's signature."
Dad immediately shook his head.
"I never signed anything."
Rebecca nodded.
"We're arranging an independent examination."
I looked at the papers.
There was Dad's name.
Marcus Johnson.
Written in dark blue ink.
I recognized his handwriting.
But something looked wrong.
The signature was too neat.
Dad always wrote quickly.
His letters leaned slightly to the right.
This signature looked careful.
Almost copied.
I pointed toward it.
"Dad doesn't write like that."
Rebecca looked at me.
"What do you mean?"
I showed her a birthday card Dad had signed for me.
I kept a photograph of it on my phone.
The difference was obvious.
Rebecca studied both.
"That's useful, Maya."
My chest tightened.
"Does it mean someone forged it?"
"Possibly. An expert will need to examine the originals."
Dad squeezed my hand.
I felt a tiny spark of hope.
Maybe I could help.
Maybe being thirteen didn't mean I had to stay silent.
Rebecca turned another page.
"There's also a transfer to a property holding company."
Dad frowned.
"Which company?"
"Kensington Property Services."
I remembered the name.
Eleven thousand dollars.
Dad looked confused.
"What property?"
Rebecca placed a printed record on the table.
"A vacation rental in North Carolina."
I stared at it.
Claire had taken Lily to North Carolina twice that summer.
She told Dad they were visiting relatives.
I remembered because I wanted to go.
Claire said there wasn't room in the car.
I looked toward Dad.
"That's where Claire took Lily."
He turned.
"What?"
"The beach house."
His expression changed.
"What beach house?"
I swallowed.
"Claire said her cousin owned it."
Dad looked back at Rebecca.
She opened another document.
"The property is registered to a limited liability company."
Dad leaned forward.
"Whose company?"
Rebecca hesitated.
"Claire's brother is listed as the manager."
I felt cold.
Claire's brother, Trevor.
He was always borrowing money.
He drove expensive cars but never seemed to have a steady job.
Dad looked furious.
"Trevor told me he didn't own any property."
Rebecca nodded.
"The ownership structure needs closer examination."
I stared at the documents.
My mother had saved money for me.
Claire had allegedly used some of it to help pay for a vacation property.
A property I wasn't even allowed to visit.
I felt tears rising.
Dad noticed.
"Maya..."
I shook my head.
"She really didn't want me there."
His face crumpled.
I wiped my cheeks angrily.
"I thought she just didn't like spending time with me."
Rebecca gently closed the folder.
"Maya, what someone else did with your money says nothing about your worth."
I looked at her.
She smiled sadly.
"Nothing."
I nodded.
I wanted to believe her.
Then Dad's phone rang.
Claire.
He answered on speaker.
"Hello?"
Her voice was sharp.
"Marcus, you need to come home."
Dad frowned.
"Why?"
"Because your mother is here, and she won't leave."
Grandma Ruth.
I sat up.
Claire continued.
"She's accusing me of things in front of Lily."
Dad's expression hardened.
"What things?"
Claire began crying.
"She says I stole Maya's money!"
Rebecca looked toward Dad.
Claire continued.
"Tell her to stop!"
Dad took a slow breath.
"Claire, we've already seen the transactions."
Silence.
Then Claire whispered, "You don't understand what Elaine made me do."
The room went still.
Dad leaned forward.
"What did Elaine make you do?"
Claire began sobbing.
May you like
And the next words she spoke made my hands turn cold.
"She told me Nicole's final instructions weren't supposed to reach you."
