Chapter 4: The Name on the Screen
My father stared at his phone like it was something dangerous.
The ringing continued.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
I looked at the screen from across the table.
I couldn’t see everything, but I saw enough.
A name.
*Mark Reynolds.*
My father finally answered.
“Hello?””
His voice was different.
Not angry.
Not confused.
Worried.
I watched him walk toward the living room, turning his back to me as if that could hide the conversation.
It didn’t.
I could hear every pause.
Every sharp breath.
“Mark, I told you not to call me about this.””
Silence.
My stomach tightened.
About what?
After a few minutes, Dad ended the call and stood there.
He looked older.
Like the last twenty-four hours had added years to him.
“Dad?””
He turned around.
“I’m sorry, Emily.””
Those words scared me more than anything.
“Sorry for what?””
He sat down slowly.
“When I helped you open that savings account, I made a mistake.””
I waited.
“What mistake?””
He looked at the papers on the table.
“Your account was connected to a family banking profile.””
I frowned.
“So?””
“So when I opened it, the bank linked it under my main account because you were a minor.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“But you said it was my money.””
“It was.””
“Then how could Vanessa take it?””
He looked away.
“Because she had access to the family profile.””
I stared at him.
“You gave her access?””
“No.””
His answer came quickly.
Too quickly.
Then he sighed.
“She had access to some things after we got married.””
My eyes filled with tears.
“So she could just take my money whenever she wanted?””
“No.””
Dad leaned forward.
“She wasn’t supposed to.””
“But she did.””
He nodded.
“I know.””
The worst part was seeing the disappointment on his face.
Not because of me.
Because he realized he had trusted the wrong person.
That afternoon, Dad called the bank again.
I sat beside him while he asked questions.
Every few seconds, his expression changed.
Finally, he hung up.
“She moved more money than we thought.””
My heart sank.
“How much?””
He hesitated.
“Almost twenty thousand dollars.””
I stood up.
“Twenty thousand?””
Dad nodded.
“Some came from the emergency account. Some came from yours.””
“Why would she do that?””
He didn’t answer.
Because he didn’t know.
Later that evening, Vanessa came home.
She walked inside carrying shopping bags like nothing had happened.
Like she hadn’t destroyed everything.
She stopped when she saw Dad sitting in the living room.
“You called the bank.””
It wasn’t a question.
Daniel looked at her.
“Yes.””
She dropped the bags onto the counter.
“You had no right.””
My father stared at her.
“No right?””
“You embarrassed me.””
“You stole from my daughter.””
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“I took care of this family.””
“No.””
His voice was firm.
“You took from this family.””
Her face hardened.
“You don’t know what I’ve sacrificed.””
I stepped into the room.
“Sacrificed?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“Yes.””
“You bought Mia a laptop.””
“She needed it.””
“You used my money.””
“She’s my daughter.””
“And I’m not?””
The question stopped her.
For a moment, she had no answer.
Then she looked away.
That hurt more than an insult.
Mia appeared at the top of the stairs.
She had heard everything.
“Mom?””
Vanessa looked up.
“Go back upstairs.””
“No.””
Mia walked down slowly.
“Did you really take her money?””
Vanessa’s expression softened.
“Mia, don’t listen to this.””
“No.””
Mia shook her head.
“I want to know.””
The silence that followed was heavy.
Finally, Vanessa whispered:
“I did what I had to do.””
Mia looked at the laptop sitting on the table.
Then at me.
Her face changed.
“I don’t want it.””
Vanessa froze.
“What?””
“I don’t want something that came from Emily’s savings.””
“You’re being dramatic.””
“No.””
Mia’s voice trembled.
“I’m being honest.””
Vanessa looked furious.
But before she could respond, Dad’s phone buzzed.
A message appeared.
He picked it up.
His face changed instantly.
“What is it?”” I asked.
He didn’t answer.
He just stared at the screen.
Then he slowly turned the phone toward me.
It was a message from the bank.
*Additional account activity detected.*
Below it was a transaction.
A transfer made that morning.
May you like
And the recipient name was not Vanessa.
It was someone else.
