Chapter 6: The Person Behind the Account
My father didn’t say a word for almost a full minute.
He just stared at the phone.
At the date.
At the login information.
At his own name.
“Dad?””
Finally, he looked at me.
“Emily, listen to me.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
My voice cracked.
“Explain.””
Vanessa crossed her arms.
“I told you.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Be quiet.””
She looked offended.
But she stopped.
Dad sat down.
“I need to check something.””
He opened his laptop and signed into the bank account.
I watched his hands.
They were shaking.
My father never shook.
Not when he lost his job years ago.
Not when we moved houses.
Not even when my mother died.
But now he couldn’t keep his hands still.
After several minutes, he whispered:
“This doesn’t make sense.””
“What?””
He turned the laptop toward us.
“The login was from my device.””
I stared.
“Then you accessed it?””
“No.””
His answer was immediate.
“I didn’t.””
Vanessa gave a small laugh.
“Convenient.””
Dad ignored her.
“Someone used my saved banking information.””
My stomach dropped.
“So someone pretended to be you?””
“Yes.””
The room felt colder.
Mia appeared again from the hallway.
“What’s happening now?””
Nobody answered.
She looked at the laptop.
Then at us.
“Is Mom in trouble?””
Dad looked tired.
“This is bigger than that.””
Vanessa stood.
“Don’t act like I’m the only problem here.””
Dad looked at her.
“You are still responsible for what you did.””
She grabbed her purse.
“I’m leaving.””
Mia looked shocked.
“Mom?””
Vanessa stopped.
For a second, she looked like she might cry.
Then her face hardened again.
“I need space.””
She walked toward the door.
But before she opened it, Dad spoke.
“Where is the rest of the money?””
She froze.
“What?””
“The money you transferred.””
She didn’t answer.
Dad stepped closer.
“I know you moved it somewhere.””
Vanessa slowly turned around.
“You really want to know?””
“Yes.””
She smiled sadly.
“Then ask your old business partner.””
Dad’s face changed.
“What did you say?””
Vanessa opened the door.
“Ask Mark Reynolds why he was so interested in your accounts.””
Then she walked out.
The silence after she left was unbearable.
I looked at my father.
“Who is Mark?””
Dad didn’t answer.
“Dad.””
He sat down heavily.
“Mark was my closest friend.””
“Was?””
He looked at the door.
“He helped me start my company.””
“And now?””
Dad swallowed.
“I haven’t spoken to him in years.””
“Why?””
He looked at the papers.
“Because he betrayed me.””
I felt a chill.
“Is he the one who took the money?””
Dad didn’t answer.
Instead, he opened another file.
Inside was a printed email.
He read the first line.
Then his face went pale.
“What?””
He handed it to me.
The email was from Mark.
The subject line said:
*The Emily Account Problem Has Been Handled.*
My breathing stopped.
Below it was a sentence that made my blood run cold.
*Vanessa did exactly what we needed.*
Dad grabbed the paper from my hands.
“No.””
His voice was barely a whisper.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Nobody spoke for several seconds.
Then a man’s voice came through.
“Daniel.””
My father went completely still.
The voice continued.
“You should have left the accounts alone.””
Dad’s face turned pale.
“Mark?””
The man laughed softly.
“You always were too trusting.””
Then the call ended.
And on my father’s phone screen appeared a new message.
May you like
A photo.
A photo of someone standing outside our house. :::
