Chapter 4
I spent that night in Aunt Renee's guest bedroom.
But I didn't sleep.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Mom throwing the travel envelope into the trash.
I heard her screaming.
The family trip is canceled because of YOU.
I remembered the way Tasha smiled.
The way Dad stayed silent.
The way everything changed when I opened that envelope.
At two in the morning, I sat beside the window and called Dad.
He answered immediately.
"Maya?"
"Are you awake?"
"Yes, sweetheart."
I swallowed.
"Did I really sign something?"
His voice softened.
"No."
"But that man said—"
"I know what he said."
I stared at the dark street.
"Then why does he think I did?"
Dad was quiet for a moment.
"Because someone used your name."
My stomach tightened.
"Mom?"
"I don't know yet."
I wiped my cheeks.
"Am I in trouble?"
"No."
"Promise?"
"I promise you haven't done anything wrong."
I closed my eyes.
Then I asked the question that had been hurting me all day.
"Dad, do you still love Mom?"
He exhaled slowly.
"Maya, that's complicated."
I stared at the ceiling.
"I hate that word."
He was silent.
"Everyone keeps saying things are complicated when they don't want to tell me the truth."
Dad's voice broke.
"You're right."
I waited.
He continued.
"I love the woman I married. But I don't know how to feel about the choices she's made."
I understood.
Because I felt the same way.
I loved my mother.
But I was afraid of her.
Not because she would hit me.
Because she could look into my eyes and lie without blinking.
Dad spoke again.
"Tomorrow, we're meeting Mr. Bennett."
I nodded.
"Can I come?"
"Yes."
"Even though I'm sixteen?"
"Especially because you're sixteen."
For the first time that night, I felt a little stronger.
The next morning, Aunt Renee drove me to Jonathan Bennett's office.
Dad was already there.
Mom sat beside him.
She looked exhausted.
Her eyes were swollen.
When she saw me, she stood.
"Maya."
I stepped closer to Aunt Renee.
Mom stopped.
Her face crumpled.
I hated seeing her hurt.
But I wasn't ready to pretend everything was normal.
Mr. Bennett greeted me gently.
"Maya, your grandmother was very proud of you."
My eyes filled.
"Thank you."
He pointed toward a chair.
"Please sit. There are things you deserve to understand."
We sat around a large conference table.
Mr. Bennett opened a thick folder.
"Your grandmother established an educational and support trust for you."
I nodded.
"Your father was named as the primary trustee."
Dad looked down.
"But the trust's administration included a limited authorization allowing your mother to communicate with the financial institution."
Mom wiped her cheeks.
Mr. Bennett continued.
"That authority did not permit her to withdraw funds for unrelated business investments."
I looked at Mom.
She wouldn't meet my eyes.
"Then how did she get the money?" I asked.
Mr. Bennett opened another page.
"That's what concerns me."
He showed Dad a transfer request.
At the bottom was a signature.
Marcus Carter.
Dad stared at it.
"That's not mine."
Mr. Bennett nodded.
"I suspected that."
I leaned forward.
"Someone copied Dad's signature?"
"Possibly."
Dad looked at Mom.
"Denise?"
She covered her face.
"I signed it."
The room went silent.
Dad leaned back.
"You forged my signature?"
Mom began crying.
"Raymond said it was temporary."
Aunt Renee shook her head.
"Unbelievable."
Mom looked at her.
"Please don't judge me."
Renee's voice hardened.
"You tried to send your daughter away."
Mom looked down.
Mr. Bennett raised his hand gently.
"We need to stay focused."
He turned toward me.
"Maya, there's another document."
My stomach tightened.
"What?"
He opened a second folder.
"This one contains a purported authorization under your name."
I stared at the page.
My full name appeared near the bottom.
Maya Evelyn Carter.
I felt tears rising.
I had never seen that document.
"That's not my signature."
Mr. Bennett nodded.
"We'll document that."
Dad leaned closer.
"What does it authorize?"
The attorney looked serious.
"A transfer of future trust distributions into an investment account."
I felt sick.
"So they wanted to take the rest too?"
"That appears to have been the intention."
Dad covered his face.
Mom whispered, "I didn't know Raymond would do that."
Mr. Bennett looked at her.
"Did you sign this document for Maya?"
Mom shook her head.
"No."
I stared at her.
For the first time since yesterday, she sounded genuinely frightened.
"Then who did?" Dad asked.
Mom looked toward the window.
"Raymond."
Aunt Renee stood.
"That man needs to be arrested."
Mr. Bennett nodded slowly.
"We'll be making the appropriate reports."
Then he turned toward Dad.
"Marcus, there's another issue."
Dad looked up.
"What?"
"The house."
My stomach tightened.
Mr. Bennett studied the documents.
"I don't see evidence that your house was validly pledged as collateral."
Mom looked confused.
"But Raymond said—"
"He may have been pressuring you."
Dad exhaled.
"So we aren't losing the house?"
"We need to verify the property records, but based on what I've reviewed, there is no completed mortgage or lien."
I felt a rush of relief.
At least one nightmare might not be real.
Then Mr. Bennett looked toward Mom.
"Denise, I need you to tell me exactly what Raymond promised."
She wiped her face.
"He said the investment would triple in six months."
Dad closed his eyes.
"He told me we could repay Maya's trust and still have enough money for a family vacation."
I stared at her.
"So the Hawaii trip was supposed to come from my money?"
Mom nodded.
My heart broke again.
"And you weren't even taking me?"
She began crying.
"I know."
I looked away.
Mr. Bennett continued.
"Raymond's company appears to have transferred substantial funds to several accounts. We need bank records to determine where the money went."
Dad nodded.
"Can we recover it?"
"Possibly. But we should act immediately."
After the meeting, I walked outside with Aunt Renee.
The sun was bright.
Cars passed along the street.
People walked into nearby stores.
The world looked normal.
But my family had changed forever.
Aunt Renee touched my shoulder.
"How are you feeling?"
I swallowed.
"Angry."
She nodded.
"That's understandable."
"And sad."
She pulled me into a hug.
"You can be both."
I cried against her shoulder.
Then I asked something I had been afraid to say.
"Do you think Mom hates me?"
Aunt Renee pulled back.
Her expression softened.
"No, sweetheart."
"Then why did she do all this?"
She took a breath.
"Sometimes adults make selfish choices that hurt people they love."
I wiped my cheeks.
"That doesn't make it okay."
"No. It doesn't."
We were walking toward her car when my phone vibrated.
A message from Tasha.
Maya, please don't be mad. I found something in Mom's room.
I stopped.
Another message appeared.
It's about Hawaii.
I stared at the screen.
Then Tasha sent a photograph.
It showed a small black notebook.
On the open page were several names.
Mom.
Raymond.
A man named Victor.
And beside my name were two words written in red ink.
REMOVE BEFORE DEPARTURE.
My stomach dropped.
I called Tasha immediately.
She answered in a whisper.
"Maya?"
"What is that notebook?"
She sounded terrified.
"I don't know."
"Where is Mom?"
"Downstairs."
I looked at Aunt Renee.
"Tasha, listen carefully. Don't touch anything else."
She began crying.
"Maya, there's another page."
My heart pounded.
"What does it say?"
She whispered, "It says they were going to tell Dad you ran away."
I couldn't breathe.
Aunt Renee reached for my phone.
But Tasha was still talking.
"And Maya?"
"What?"
"I think Mom heard me."
May you like
A door slammed in the background.
Then my sister screamed.
