Chapter 2: The Secret Behind the Favoritism
I barely slept that night.
My ruined dress was hanging over my desk chair, the torn fabric impossible to ignore.
Every time I closed my eyes, I heard the scissors cutting through it again.
But the worst part wasn’t losing the dress.
It was realizing that two people I lived with had watched me lose something important and felt nothing.
At 2 a.m., I heard footsteps outside my bedroom.
My door opened slightly.
My father stood there.
“You awake?””
I sat up.
“Yeah.””
He walked in and sat beside me.
For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then he picked up the damaged shoe sitting beside my bed.
“I should have noticed.””
I shook my head.
“Dad, it’s not your fault.””
“Yes, it is.””
His voice was quiet.
“I’ve been working so much that I assumed everyone in this house was taking care of each other.””
I looked down.
“Vanessa said I make Madison feel bad.””
Dad immediately looked up.
“Did she?””
I nodded.
He stood.
“Emily, someone being insecure about your success does not give them permission to destroy your life.””
That was the first time all night I felt like someone believed me.
The next morning, I expected him to focus on finding me a replacement dress.
Instead, he opened his laptop at the kitchen table.
“What are you doing?””
He didn’t look away from the screen.
“Checking something.””
Vanessa walked in carrying coffee.
She stopped when she saw him.
“Daniel, what’s going on?””
My father turned the laptop around.
“I’m reviewing the account statements.””
Her face changed.
“What account statements?””
“The family expenses.””
Silence.
Madison entered behind her.
“What’s wrong?””
Dad looked at Vanessa.
“I noticed something strange.””
Vanessa forced a laugh.
“You’re looking at finances because of a dress?””
“No.””
His eyes became harder.
“I’m looking because Emily’s competition fees were supposed to come from the account I created for her.””
My stomach tightened.
“What?””
Dad looked at me.
“The account for your lessons and dance expenses.””
I shook my head.
“I paid for my dress myself.””
“I know.””
He clicked through several pages.
“That’s why I thought it was strange.””
Vanessa stepped closer.
“Daniel, this is ridiculous.””
He ignored her.
“There are withdrawals.””
My heart started beating faster.
“How much?””
He turned the laptop toward himself again.
“Thousands.””
Madison suddenly became quiet.
Vanessa grabbed the chair.
“Those were household expenses.””
Dad looked at her.
“Household expenses?””
“Yes.””
“Then why were they taken from Emily’s account?””
Nobody answered.
I felt like the room was spinning.
My dance lessons.
My savings.
Everything I had worked for.
Had someone been taking from it?
Vanessa crossed her arms.
“You’re making me look like a criminal over a misunderstanding.””
My father stood.
“No. I’m asking questions because my daughter’s money disappeared.””
Madison stepped forward.
“You always choose Emily.””
Dad looked at her.
“No. I’m choosing the truth.””
That afternoon, I went to the competition wearing a borrowed dress from my dance instructor.
It wasn’t mine.
It wasn’t perfect.
But when I stepped onto the stage, I remembered why I started.
I danced.
And for three minutes, nothing else mattered.
When I finished, the crowd applauded.
My father stood first.
I smiled.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message.
From an unknown number.
I opened it.
There was a photo attached.
A photo of Vanessa standing inside a bank.
And beneath it was a message:
“Your father is looking at the wrong account. Ask him where the rest of your mother’s money went.””
My smile disappeared.
May you like
Because I had never told anyone about my mother’s money.
And whoever sent that message knew something they shouldn’t have known.
