Chapter 3
"Claire, what did you tell Trevor to take?"
My father's voice was quiet.
That frightened me more than shouting.
Claire stood beside the front door with her arms folded tightly across her chest.
"I didn't tell him to take anything."
Maya looked at her mother.
"But you told him—"
"Maya!"
Dad raised one hand.
"Don't interrupt her."
Claire turned toward him.
"Daniel, she's confused."
I stared at my stepmother.
Confused?
Maya had just admitted her mother knew Trevor was entering my room.
My flash drive was missing.
And Claire still wanted us to believe this was a misunderstanding.
Dad moved toward the sofa.
"Everyone sit down."
Nobody moved.
He repeated himself.
"Sit."
Maya obeyed first.
Claire sat beside her.
I remained standing near the computer.
Dad looked at me.
"Michael, do you want to sit?"
I shook my head.
My legs felt weak, but I couldn't stand the idea of sitting beside them.
Dad nodded.
Then he turned toward Maya.
"Start from the beginning."
She wiped her face.
"I didn't want any of this."
Claire grabbed her hand.
"Maya, you don't have to—"
Dad interrupted.
"She has the right to speak."
Maya looked toward me.
For the first time, she seemed ashamed.
"Trevor came over this morning."
I nodded.
"I saw that."
She swallowed.
"He needed something."
"What?"
"My mom said Michael had a file that could help him."
I stared at her.
"Help him with what?"
Maya lowered her head.
"His competition."
My stomach tightened.
Trevor had entered the same engineering competition.
I'd seen his name on the preliminary registration list.
But his project was completely different.
He was developing a smart irrigation controller.
At least, that's what he'd told our science teacher.
I looked at Dad.
Then back at Maya.
"Are you saying Trevor wanted my design?"
She began crying again.
"I didn't know he was going to take it."
Claire spoke sharply.
"That's enough."
Dad turned toward her.
"No. It isn't."
His expression hardened.
"Why did Trevor know Michael had a project file in his desk?"
Claire looked away.
Dad waited.
Finally, she whispered, "I mentioned it."
My throat tightened.
"You told him?"
She nodded reluctantly.
I couldn't believe it.
For months, Claire had treated my engineering project like a waste of time.
Whenever I worked late, she complained about the lights.
When I brought home a certificate from a regional science fair, she barely glanced at it.
Once, she asked Dad why he was spending money on equipment for a hobby that probably wouldn't lead anywhere.
But somehow, she knew exactly where I kept my project files.
And she'd shared that information with Trevor.
"Why?" I asked.
Claire looked at me.
Her expression shifted.
For one moment, I thought she might apologize.
Instead, she said, "Because Trevor needed help."
I stared at her.
"So you gave him permission to steal my work?"
"I didn't say steal."
"What would you call it?"
Her face flushed.
"Don't speak to me like that."
Dad stepped between us.
"Claire, stop."
I felt tears burning behind my eyes.
He turned toward me.
"Michael, take a breath."
I shook my head.
"Dad, she let someone into my room!"
"I know."
"She let him take my work!"
"I know."
"And then she hit me!"
My voice broke on the last word.
Dad's expression changed.
He reached toward me.
I stepped away before I could stop myself.
For a second, we both froze.
I had never pulled away from my father.
But everything felt wrong.
My room wasn't safe.
My things weren't safe.
Even my reputation could be destroyed by one accusation.
Dad lowered his hand.
"Son, I'm sorry."
I looked down.
He continued.
"I should have recognized sooner that things weren't right in this house."
Claire stood abruptly.
"Oh, so now everything is my fault?"
Dad slowly turned.
"You struck my son because of a claim that wasn't true."
She opened her mouth.
He continued.
"You knew someone had entered his room without permission."
Claire looked away.
"And instead of telling me, you accused him of something serious enough to damage his life."
Maya began sobbing.
"Mom, tell him."
Claire looked at her.
"Tell him what?"
Maya wiped her cheeks.
"Why Trevor needed the files."
The room went silent.
Dad stared at her.
"Maya?"
She took a shaking breath.
"Trevor's project wasn't working."
I felt my stomach tighten.
"He told me he'd lose his scholarship chance if he couldn't fix it."
I swallowed.
"And?"
"He said Michael's design could help him."
I stared at her.
"My design doesn't even do the same thing."
She nodded.
"I know."
Then she whispered, "He wanted the sensor calibration system."
My breath caught.
That system was the most complicated part of my project.
I'd spent nearly four months improving it.
The design used inexpensive sensors and a correction method I'd developed through repeated testing.
Dad helped me buy components.
But the calculations were mine.
Trevor couldn't simply borrow them.
He would be copying my work.
I looked at Maya.
"Did he tell you he planned to submit my design?"
She lowered her eyes.
"He said he'd change it enough."
My stomach dropped.
Enough.
As if months of work could be stolen and disguised with a few changes.
Dad took out his phone.
"I'm calling Trevor's parents."
Claire immediately stood.
"No!"
Everyone looked at her.
She froze.
Dad stared.
"Why not?"
Claire swallowed.
"Because we can handle this privately."
Dad shook his head.
"No, we can't."
He looked at Maya.
"Does Trevor still have the flash drive?"
She hesitated.
"I think so."
Dad nodded.
"Then his parents need to know."
Claire suddenly moved toward him.
"Daniel, please."
Her voice had changed.
The anger was gone.
Now she sounded frightened.
Dad looked at her.
"What aren't you telling me?"
Claire covered her mouth.
Maya began crying harder.
I watched them both.
Then I remembered something.
Three weeks earlier, Claire had hosted a dinner for several people from her consulting firm.
One guest had been a man named Robert Collins.
Trevor's father.
He owned a technology supply company.
Claire introduced him as an important business partner.
At the time, I didn't think anything of it.
But now the connection seemed strange.
I looked at Dad.
"Robert Collins."
Dad frowned.
"What?"
"Trevor's father. He's one of Claire's business partners."
Dad slowly turned toward his wife.
Claire closed her eyes.
My heart began pounding.
"Dad, didn't Claire say Robert was helping her apply for a new contract?"
He nodded.
Then looked at Claire.
"What contract?"
She whispered, "Daniel, please don't do this."
Dad took a step closer.
"What contract?"
Claire's lips trembled.
Finally, she spoke.
"The city technology contract."
Dad went completely still.
I knew why.
My father's engineering company was also involved in that procurement program.
He had spent months preparing a proposal for a municipal water-monitoring initiative.
My student project wasn't part of his company's bid.
But some of the ideas came from watching Dad work.
Now I wondered whether Claire had been paying more attention to my project than I'd realized.
Dad looked at her.
"Claire, are you working with Robert Collins on the same contract my company is bidding for?"
She didn't answer.
Maya stared at her mother.
Then whispered, "Mom said the project would make everyone rich."
I felt cold.
Dad stepped backward.
He looked toward the security monitor.
Then at Claire.
His voice was barely audible.
"Did you use my son's work to help a competitor?"
May you like
Claire began crying.
And for the first time, I realized the stolen flash drive might be only one piece of a much bigger betrayal.
