Chapter 7
Dad didn't let Claire return to the house that weekend.
Instead, he arranged a meeting with both attorneys.
Rebecca represented our family's financial interests.
Claire hired her own lawyer.
Grandma Ruth came with us.
I asked to attend.
Dad hesitated.
Then agreed that I could be present for the parts that concerned my inheritance, with breaks whenever I needed them.
The meeting took place in a quiet conference room.
Claire arrived wearing a beige coat.
She looked tired.
Her makeup couldn't hide the dark circles beneath her eyes.
For a moment, I almost felt sorry for her.
Then I remembered the costume.
The robotics camp.
The beach house.
Mom's money.
I looked away.
Claire noticed.
"Maya..."
I didn't answer.
Her attorney asked everyone to sit.
Rebecca opened the meeting.
"We need to establish the full extent of the unauthorized transfers."
Claire crossed her arms.
"I've already explained that I borrowed money."
Rebecca remained calm.
"Borrowing requires authorization."
Claire looked toward Dad.
"Marcus knows I handle the household finances."
Dad shook his head.
"Not Maya's trust."
Rebecca placed a spreadsheet on the table.
There were dozens of transactions.
Some were directly connected to Claire.
Others went to Trevor's companies.
Several appeared to have been approved by Elaine Mercer.
I stared at the numbers.
The total made my stomach drop.
One hundred and thirty-seven thousand dollars.
I looked at Dad.
He closed his eyes.
Rebecca continued.
"This is the amount currently identified as improperly transferred or spent."
Claire looked stunned.
"That can't be right."
Rebecca slid the records toward her.
"Then we need your explanation."
Claire stared at the page.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she whispered, "Elaine told me the account could cover family expenses."
Rebecca nodded.
"We've heard that claim."
Claire looked up.
"She said Maya wouldn't need the money for years."
I felt tears rise.
Dad leaned forward.
"Claire, you knew it belonged to my daughter."
She started crying.
"I thought we could pay it back."
He shook his head.
"With what?"
Silence.
Then Rebecca asked about Silver Oak Consulting.
Claire's expression changed.
She looked toward her attorney.
He quietly asked whether she wanted a private moment.
She nodded.
They stepped outside.
I stared at the closed door.
Dad touched my shoulder.
"You okay?"
I shook my head.
"I don't understand."
He waited.
I swallowed.
"How could she spend that much money and still tell me I was asking for too much?"
His eyes filled.
"I don't have an answer that makes it right."
I looked down.
"She made me feel greedy for wanting an eight-hundred-dollar camp."
Dad pulled me into his arms.
"I'm sorry."
I began crying.
He held me until I could breathe.
When Claire returned, her attorney spoke first.
"Mrs. Johnson is prepared to provide information about the transactions involving Trevor Mercer."
Rebecca nodded.
"Good."
Claire looked toward me.
Her eyes were wet.
"I didn't know Trevor was keeping most of the money."
I stared at her.
"What?"
She explained that Trevor had convinced her to invest in a vacation property.
He promised the rental income would repay what she'd taken from the trust.
Instead, he moved money through several accounts.
Some went toward the property.
Some paid his personal debts.
And some disappeared.
Dad looked furious.
"You gave him access to Maya's inheritance?"
Claire began crying.
"Yes."
Rebecca asked whether Trevor knew the money belonged to a minor's trust.
Claire nodded.
My stomach twisted.
He knew.
Everyone knew.
And they spent it anyway.
Rebecca closed her folder.
"We'll provide these records to the appropriate authorities."
Claire looked terrified.
"Am I going to jail?"
Her attorney touched her arm.
"Let's discuss that privately."
I watched her.
For the first time, I understood something important.
The consequences weren't my responsibility.
Claire had made the choices.
Not me.
After the meeting, Dad took me to lunch.
We sat in a small diner near his office.
He ordered my favorite grilled cheese sandwich.
I barely touched it.
He noticed.
"Sweetheart, what's wrong?"
I stared at my plate.
"What happens to Lily?"
Dad took a slow breath.
"Claire and I are discussing separation."
My stomach tightened.
"Divorce?"
"Possibly."
I looked down.
"Will I still see Lily?"
Dad's expression softened.
"I know you love her."
I nodded.
He continued.
"We'll do our best to make sure the adults don't damage that relationship."
My eyes filled.
"Promise?"
He hesitated.
Then said something honest.
"I promise I'll try."
I nodded.
That was enough.
For now.
Over the next several weeks, the investigation grew.
Trevor's company records were examined.
Elaine's role as trustee came under scrutiny.
The bank restricted the remaining trust funds.
And Rebecca filed the necessary legal requests to protect the accounts.
I started seeing a counselor at school.
Her name was Ms. Thompson.
She helped me understand that favoritism could hurt deeply even when nobody used physical violence.
She also helped me stop blaming myself.
One afternoon, she asked me a question.
"Maya, what would you tell a friend who experienced this?"
I thought about Jasmine.
If Claire had taken Jasmine's money, I'd be furious.
I'd tell her she deserved better.
I'd tell her she hadn't done anything wrong.
I looked at Ms. Thompson.
"I'd tell her it wasn't her fault."
She smiled gently.
"Can you tell yourself that?"
My eyes filled.
I tried.
At first, the words felt strange.
Then I whispered, "It wasn't my fault."
She nodded.
"Again."
I swallowed.
"It wasn't my fault."
For the first time, I began to believe it.
That weekend, Lily came to visit.
Claire had agreed to a supervised afternoon at Grandma Ruth's house.
Lily ran toward me the moment she arrived.
"Maya!"
I hugged her.
She wore a pink sweatshirt and jeans.
No expensive costume.
No glittering accessories.
Just my little sister.
She pulled a folded paper from her pocket.
"I made you something."
I opened it.
It was a drawing.
Two girls stood beneath a huge orange pumpkin.
One had long dark hair.
The other had curly hair.
Above them were the words:
BEST SISTERS FOREVER.
My throat tightened.
I hugged her again.
"Thank you."
She looked up.
"Are we still sisters?"
I nodded.
"Of course."
She smiled.
Then she whispered, "Mommy says she made mistakes."
I looked at her carefully.
"She did."
Lily lowered her eyes.
"She says she needs to fix them."
I swallowed.
"I hope she does."
Lily hugged me.
"I missed you."
I held her tightly.
"I missed you too."
Later, while we decorated cookies, Dad received a call from Rebecca.
He stepped into the hallway.
When he returned, his expression had changed.
I looked up.
"Dad?"
He sat beside me.
"There's news."
My stomach tightened.
"What?"
"Elaine has agreed to cooperate with investigators."
I stared at him.
"And?"
Dad swallowed.
"She says Claire wasn't the only person who knew about the withdrawals."
I felt cold.
"Who else?"
He hesitated.
Then answered.
"Trevor's business partner."
I frowned.
"Who?"
Dad looked at the phone again.
His expression darkened.
"Someone named Daniel Price."
I didn't recognize the name.
But Grandma Ruth did.
May you like
She dropped the cookie tray.
And whispered, "That man worked for Nicole before she died."
