Chapter 7: The Name That Shouldn’t Have Been There
The name at the bottom of the page looked impossible.
I read it once.
Then again.
My hands became cold.
Because I knew that name.
Everyone in my line of work knew that name.
“Why is he on this list?”” I whispered.
Nobody answered.
My mother looked away.
That was the answer.
I placed the paper on the table.
“Mom.””
She stayed silent.
“Why is someone from my workplace listed here?””
Her lips parted.
Then closed.
Emily looked between us.
“You knew?””
My mother finally spoke.
“It wasn’t supposed to involve you.””
I felt something inside me snap.
“Everything you did involved me.””
My voice was quiet.
That seemed to frighten her more than shouting would have.
Clara stood beside me.
“What does the name mean?””
I looked at her.
I hated that she still looked worried about me.
After everything she had been through, she was still thinking about my problems.
“It means someone connected to my work has been lending money.””
Daniel frowned.
“And?””
“And people in my position aren’t supposed to have financial connections with certain individuals.””
The room became silent.
My mother looked nervous.
“Can’t you just fix this?””
I stared at her.
“Fix what?””
“The paperwork. The misunderstandings.””
I couldn’t believe she said it.
“You think this is a paperwork problem?””
She looked offended.
“I’m your mother.””
I shook my head.
“I don’t know what that means anymore.””
The words hurt her.
I saw it.
But for the first time, I didn’t take them back.
Emily sat down.
“I didn’t know about that part.””
I looked at her.
“What part did you know?””
She wiped her face.
“I knew Mom was borrowing money.””
“How much?””
She whispered:
“More than she told me.””
“How much?””
Emily looked at the floor.
“Three hundred thousand.””
The number landed like a physical blow.
Clara covered her mouth.
Daniel stepped back.
My mother immediately said:
“It wasn’t all debt.””
I turned.
“What does that mean?””
She hesitated.
“There were investments.””
“Whose money?””
She didn’t answer.
I laughed quietly.
Because I finally understood.
She had spent eleven months building a wall around herself.
Every person she hurt was just another brick.
And Clara had been the easiest person to blame.
The quiet one.
The loyal one.
The person who would rather suffer than destroy someone else.
I picked up the documents.
“I’m taking these.””
My mother reached for them.
“No.””
I moved back.
“Why?””
“Because you don’t understand what you’re doing.””
“No, Mom.””
I looked directly at her.
“I understand exactly what I’m doing.””
I walked upstairs.
Behind me, I heard Clara follow.
In our bedroom, I opened the closet.
Most of her clothes were missing.
The empty spaces looked worse than the mess downstairs.
“How long?”” I asked.
She knew what I meant.
“Almost nine months.””
Nine months.
She had lived like that for nine months.
While I was away.
While I was sending money home.
While I thought everything was normal.
“Why didn’t you leave?””
She looked surprised.
“Leave where?””
I turned.
“With me.””
Her eyes softened.
“I didn’t want to ruin your family.””
I stared at her.
“Clara.””
She looked down.
“I thought if I could survive until you came home, maybe I could explain.””
I sat on the edge of the bed.
“You thought I wouldn’t believe you.””
She didn’t answer.
She didn’t have to.
That hurt more than any accusation.
Then there was a knock.
Emily stood outside.
“I need to tell you something.””
I opened the door.
She looked terrified.
“I found something else.””
“What?””
She held up her phone.
“A message from Mom.””
My stomach tightened.
She showed me the screen.
It was sent two weeks before I returned.
*Make sure Clara takes the blame before he comes home. We cannot let him see the truth.*
I looked at Emily.
“When did you find this?””
“Tonight.””
“Why show me now?””
Her eyes filled.
“Because I finally realized she wasn’t trying to protect us.””
A pause.
“She was protecting herself.””
Before I could answer, another notification appeared.
This time on Emily’s phone.
A new message.
From my mother.
*You’re making a mistake. If you tell him everything, I’ll tell him what Clara did with the money.*
Emily’s face went pale.
May you like
Because there was something my sister still hadn’t told me.
And my mother knew it.
