Chapter 5: The Money Trail
The name on the screen stayed in my mind all night.
Someone else.
Someone besides Vanessa.
Someone who had been connected to our family’s money.
Dad barely slept.
I knew because I heard him walking around downstairs at three in the morning.
The next day, he called me into the living room.
A stack of papers sat on the coffee table.
“I need to tell you everything.””
I sat down.
I had heard that sentence before.
And every time, it meant something worse was coming.
Dad opened the folder.
“After your mother passed away, I created a separate savings plan for you.””
I looked at him.
“You never told me.””
“I wanted it to be a surprise when you started college.””
My throat tightened.
“You saved money for me?””
He nodded.
“Every month.””
I looked at the papers.
“So what happened?””
His expression became painful.
“Vanessa found out about it.””
My hands curled into fists.
“How?””
“I don’t know.””
Dad looked frustrated.
“But she knew.””
A horrible thought entered my mind.
“Did she take that too?””
He didn’t answer immediately.
That was enough.
I felt sick.
“She took money from my college savings?””
“She didn’t take all of it.””
“That’s not the point.””
Dad closed his eyes.
“I know.””
The front door opened.
Vanessa walked in.
She stopped when she saw us.
“What’s going on?””
Dad stood.
“Sit down.””
She looked at him.
“No.””
“Vanessa.””
Something in his voice made her stop.
She slowly sat.
Dad placed the documents in front of her.
“You transferred money from Emily’s education account.””
Vanessa didn’t look surprised.
That scared me.
“You weren’t using it yet.””
I couldn’t believe what I heard.
“What?””
She looked at me.
“You had time before college.””
“So you thought it belonged to you?””
“It belonged to the family.””
Dad slammed his hand on the table.
“No.””
The sound made Vanessa flinch.
“Stop saying that.””
She stared at him.
“You married me because you wanted a family.””
“Yes.””
“And now you’re acting like I’m some stranger.””
“You became a stranger when you started hiding money.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“You think Emily is innocent?””
I froze.
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa looked directly at me.
“She’s been keeping secrets too.””
My father immediately stepped forward.
“Don’t change the subject.””
But I felt something cold.
“What secret?””
Vanessa smiled.
Not kindly.
“You never told your father about the scholarship letter.””
I blinked.
“What?””
Dad looked at me.
“Scholarship letter?””
I felt my face heat.
“I was going to tell you.””
Vanessa laughed.
“Of course you were.””
I looked at her.
“That has nothing to do with you stealing my money.””
“No.””
She leaned back.
“But it proves you don’t trust this family either.””
My father looked confused.
“Emily?””
I swallowed.
“I got a letter from a college.””
“Which college?””
I hesitated.
“Texas State.””
Dad’s face softened.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
“Because I wanted to know if I could do it myself.””
The room became quiet.
Then Dad nodded slowly.
“That was your dream.””
“Yes.””
Vanessa interrupted.
“And she was hiding it.””
Dad looked at her.
“Not the same thing.””
She looked away.
For the first time, I saw her losing control.
But then she reached into her purse.
She pulled out her phone.
“I have proof.””
Dad frowned.
“Proof of what?””
She unlocked the screen.
“I’m not the only person who accessed Emily’s account.””
My heart stopped.
“What are you talking about?””
Vanessa held up the phone.
“There was another login.””
Dad stepped closer.
“Show me.””
She hesitated.
Then turned the screen around.
A notification showed:
*Account accessed from Daniel Cross’s device.*
My father went completely still.
I looked at him.
“Dad?””
He didn’t speak.
Because he was staring at the date.
The date of the first withdrawal.
And that was when I realized something.
The money story was not just about Vanessa.
May you like
Someone else had been involved.
Someone I trusted.
