Chapter 2: The Missing Money
“Daniel, what does he mean by ‘you weren't supposed to see that’?””
My voice echoed through the nearly empty hallway.
Graduation families were still laughing outside, but inside, everything had gone strangely quiet.
Daniel came back slowly.
Richard stayed beside me.
Too close.
“Let's go home,” Richard said.
I turned toward him.
“No.””
He blinked.
“No?””
“I want an answer.””
Daniel looked at the floor.
“Your father told you he paid your tuition?””
“Yes.””
Richard immediately interrupted.
“I did pay it.””
I held up my phone.
“Then why did Daniel's name show up on every tuition payment?””
Richard sighed.
“Because your mother left arrangements.””
“My mother died when I was seventeen.””
“I know.””
“You didn't even know where I was until six months ago.””
His face hardened.
Daniel stepped between us.
“Don't do this here.””
I stared at him.
“You knew?””
Daniel swallowed.
“I knew some of it.””
“How much?””
He didn't answer.
“Daniel.””
He finally looked at me.
“All of it.””
The words made my stomach drop.
Richard grabbed my elbow.
“That's enough.””
I pulled away.
“Don't touch me.””
A few people turned to look.
Richard lowered his voice.
“You're upset. You're tired. You just graduated.””
“No. I'm finally paying attention.””
Daniel closed his eyes briefly.
“I should have told you years ago.””
“Why didn't you?””
“Because I promised your mother.””
“What promise?””
Daniel looked at Richard.
Richard's expression had gone pale.
“Don't,” Richard said.
Daniel ignored him.
“She made me promise that if he ever came back, I would show you everything.””
Richard stepped forward.
“You're twisting what happened.””
Daniel laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“I kept every receipt.””
I stared at him.
“Receipts for what?””
“Your tuition. Your apartment. Your textbooks.
Your health insurance. The car you drove during college.””
My mouth fell open.
“You paid for my car?””
Daniel nodded.
“Your mother left a small life-insurance policy. I used most of it for you. After that, I worked two jobs.””
Richard shook his head.
“That isn't what happened.””
Daniel reached into his jacket.
He pulled out a folded envelope.
Then another.
Then another.
“Every year,” he said, “I put copies in here.””
I took the envelope.
Inside were bank statements.
My hands trembled as I read.
*$38,600 — Education Expenses*
The exact amount Richard had claimed to have paid.
I looked at Richard.
“You lied to me.””
“I protected you.””
“From what?””
“From him.””
Richard pointed at Daniel.
“He wanted you to think he was your father because it benefited him.””
Daniel's face went still.
“I never told her I was her biological father.””
“No,” Richard snapped.
“You just acted like it.””
Daniel looked at me.
“You called me Dad when you were little.””
My eyes burned.
“And you never corrected me.””
“You were eight.””
“You could have told me.””
“You weren't asking for biology. You were asking for someone to be there.””
That sentence broke something inside me.
I remembered fevers.
Science fairs.
Late-night pancakes.
Daniel asleep at the kitchen table while waiting for me to come home.
Richard had been telling me those memories were manipulation.
But the bank statements were real.
I looked down at my phone again.
The account balance had changed.
*$12,400.00*
Then another alert appeared.
*Outgoing transfer: $38,600.00*
My blood went cold.
I refreshed.
The money was gone.
Transferred to *Richard Carter*.
I stared at him.
“You took it.””
Richard's face changed.
“Listen to me.””
“You took my money.””
“I was a joint owner.””
“You told me to add you in case of an emergency.””
“It was an emergency.””
“What emergency?””
Richard didn't answer.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Check the account owner details.””
I opened the settings.
There it was.
*Primary Owner: Me*
*Joint Owner: Richard Carter*
I looked up.
Richard slowly reached into his pocket.
“I can explain.””
Then his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
The name displayed there was one I had never seen before.
*Margaret Lewis.*
Richard declined the call.
May you like
It rang again.
And this time, he looked terrified.
