Chapter 8: The Prize Money That Never Existed
"Mom already spent what?""
I stood beside the car, gripping my phone.
Tessa was crying so hard that I could barely understand her.
"The competition money," she repeated.
"She said we'd get it once I won.""
My stomach dropped.
"You haven't won anything.""
"I know that now!""
"What did she do?""
Tessa took a shaky breath.
"She used my name to apply for a business loan.""
I closed my eyes.
"What?""
"She told the bank I had a guaranteed sponsorship deal. She said the championship had already selected me as a finalist.""
I looked toward Claire.
She was watching me carefully.
"How much?"" I asked.
"Thirty thousand dollars.""
I felt my knees weaken.
"Why would she do that?""
"She said it was for the bakery. She said once I won, we'd pay it back.""
I stared at the pavement.
"Where did the money go?""
Tessa started crying again.
"I don't know.""
"Tessa, I need you to tell me everything.""
"Mom paid some bills. She bought equipment. She gave some to someone.""
"Who?""
"I don't know!""
I heard a door slam in the background.
Then Gloria's voice.
"Who are you talking to?""
Tessa whispered, "Aaliyah.""
A moment later, my mother took the phone.
"Come home.""
"Why did you take out a loan using Tessa's name?""
"That's none of your business.""
"You told the bank she had won a competition she hasn't even entered properly.""
"She was going to win.""
"That's not how loans work, Mom.""
Gloria's voice became sharp.
"Don't lecture me about business.""
"Then explain why you're using my sister's identity to borrow money.""
"Because I was helping her.""
"By putting her in debt?""
Gloria sighed impatiently.
"Listen. We need to resolve the competition situation. The organizers are making accusations, and your sister is being dragged into something she doesn't understand.""
"She understands that you borrowed $30,000 in her name.""
There was a pause.
Then my mother said something that made my blood run cold.
"Your sister signed the documents.""
I looked at Claire.
"Did she know what she was signing?""
Gloria didn't answer.
"Mom?""
"She knew it was for the bakery.""
"Which bakery?""
"The family bakery.""
I laughed bitterly.
"There's no family bakery. Grandma left me a trust, and the building is jointly owned by Claire's family.""
My mother went silent.
Then she said:
"Who told you that?""
I didn't answer.
"Was it Margaret?""
Still nothing.
"Or was it that girl Rebecca's daughter?""
I gripped the phone.
"Claire has a name.""
Gloria's voice became venomous.
"Stay away from her.""
"Why?""
"Because she's been trying to steal from this family for years.""
"She's asking for the ownership she inherited.""
"She has no right.""
"According to the documents, she does.""
My mother lowered her voice.
"Come home, Aaliyah. We can discuss everything like adults.""
"I'll come when Tessa is ready to show me the loan documents.""
Gloria hesitated.
Then she said:
"Fine.""
She ended the call.
I looked at Claire.
"We need to get Tessa out of there.""
Claire nodded.
"I'll come with you.""
When we arrived at the Johnson house, Gloria was waiting in the living room.
She had changed into a cream-colored blouse and black trousers.
Her hair was perfectly styled.
A folder sat on the coffee table.
Tessa was sitting on the sofa, holding a tissue.
Her makeup was smeared.
When she saw me, she stood.
"Aaliyah.""
I went directly to her.
"Are you okay?""
She nodded weakly.
"Not really.""
I turned toward Gloria.
"Where are the loan documents?""
My mother pointed to the folder.
"Everything is there.""
I opened it.
The first page was a business loan application.
The applicant was Tessa Johnson.
The business was listed as Sugar House Bakery.
The projected annual revenue was $480,000.
I stared at the figures.
"Tessa, did you prepare this?""
She shook her head.
"Mom gave me the papers.""
"Did you read them?""
"Some of them.""
I turned toward Gloria.
"You used the Sugar House name without authorization.""
"It's a family name.""
"It's a business name connected to a legal trust and a property partnership.""
Gloria folded her arms.
"You're making this unnecessarily complicated.""
I placed the application on the table.
"Where is the money?""
"I told you. Equipment and business expenses.""
"Show me the receipts.""
She stared at me.
"What?""
"Receipts. Invoices. Bank transfers. Show me where the $30,000 went.""
Gloria's face tightened.
"I don't have to explain every transaction to you.""
"Then explain them to the bank.""
Tessa looked up.
"Mom, you said the loan was temporary.""
"It is.""
"You said we would repay it after the competition.""
"We will.""
"But the competition hasn't happened!""
Gloria turned toward her.
"Stop being hysterical.""
Tessa stood abruptly.
"You told me Aaliyah was going to withdraw!""
My mother glared at her.
"I said she would eventually understand.""
"You said she had already signed everything!""
I stared at Gloria.
"Everything?""
Tessa covered her mouth.
Then she began crying again.
I slowly turned toward my mother.
"What did you make me sign?""
Gloria's expression changed.
"Nothing.""
"Tessa, what is she talking about?""
My sister looked at me.
"Last month, Mom asked me to help organize some papers. She said they were documents for the competition.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Which documents?""
"She showed me a page with your name on it.""
I looked at Gloria.
"What did you do?""
My mother picked up her handbag.
"This conversation is over.""
I stepped in front of her.
"No. You're going to tell me.""
She looked at me with cold eyes.
"You have no idea how much I've sacrificed for this family.""
"And you have no idea how much you've taken.""
She pushed past me.
Claire stepped forward.
"Gloria, I suggest you stay. There are some ownership issues we need to discuss.""
My mother laughed.
"You're not part of this family.""
Claire's face didn't change.
"Legally, I'm part of the ownership structure you're trying to misrepresent.""
Gloria stared at her.
"Your mother should have stayed away.""
"Why? Because she knows the truth?""
"Because she destroyed everything.""
Claire took a breath.
"My mother didn't destroy anything. She asked for what belonged to her.""
Gloria pointed toward the door.
"Get out of my house.""
Claire didn't move.
Instead, she placed a copy of the partnership agreement on the table.
"This building is not yours, Gloria. Neither is the Sugar House name.""
My mother looked down.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she laughed.
A short, unpleasant sound.
"You think a piece of paper changes anything?""
"It changes who has legal authority.""
Gloria looked at me.
"Is this what you want? To take everything away from your mother?""
I stared at her.
"You tried to take everything away from me.""
"I raised you!""
"And I never asked you to steal my work.""
She shook her head.
"You're ungrateful.""
Tessa suddenly stood.
"Stop saying that!""
Gloria turned.
"What?""
Tessa's voice trembled.
"You keep telling Aaliyah she's selfish. But you're the one who took her cake. You're the one who lied about her. You're the one who made me believe I deserved something I hadn't earned.""
My mother looked genuinely shocked.
"Tessa, sit down.""
"No.""
"Don't embarrass yourself.""
"I'm tired of pretending!""
Gloria stepped toward her.
"You have no idea what I've done for you.""
Tessa began crying.
"You told me Aaliyah was jealous of me. You told me Grandma had promised the bakery to both of us. You told me the competition was already arranged.""
I looked at her.
"Arranged?""
Tessa nodded.
"Mom said one of the sponsors had agreed to help me win.""
Gloria's expression hardened.
"That's enough.""
But Tessa continued.
"She said the judges would love the cake. She said the championship was mostly about presentation and television.""
I stared at my mother.
"Did you bribe someone?""
"No!""
"Then why did you tell Tessa she'd win?""
"Because she needed confidence!""
Tessa shook her head.
"You said Margaret Ellis was already on our side.""
Claire looked at Margaret's name on the documents.
"Margaret?""
My mother didn't answer.
I suddenly remembered the interview.
The false claims.
The stolen cake.
The attempt to transfer registration.
It had all been designed to make Tessa look like a legitimate candidate before the championship.
But why had Gloria been so confident?
Then I noticed something in the loan folder.
A printed email.
It was from an address belonging to a production coordinator.
The subject line read:
*CONFIRMATION OF SPONSORSHIP DISCUSSION.*
I opened it.
The message contained a short paragraph.
As discussed, the Johnson family entry will receive priority consideration for promotional coverage, subject to final eligibility review.
I looked up.
"Who is this person?""
Gloria snatched the paper from my hand.
"Give me that.""
I stepped back.
"Who is it?""
She crumpled the page.
"Nobody.""
Claire reached for her phone.
"I think we should contact the championship organizers.""
Gloria's face changed.
"Don't you dare.""
Claire looked at her.
"Why? What are you afraid they'll discover?""
My mother stood motionless.
Then the doorbell rang.
Three firm knocks.
Gloria closed her eyes.
Tessa whispered:
"Oh no.""
I walked toward the door.
Two men stood outside.
One wore a suit and carried a leather briefcase.
The other wore a police uniform.
"Good afternoon," the suited man said.
"I'm Robert Hayes from the bank's fraud investigation department.""
He glanced at the folder in my hand.
"Are we speaking with Tessa Johnson?""
Tessa nodded.
"Yes.""
Robert opened his briefcase.
"We need to ask you some questions about a loan application submitted under your name.""
Gloria immediately stepped forward.
"My daughter is very upset. We can arrange another time.""
The officer looked at her.
"Mrs. Johnson, are you involved in this application?""
Gloria hesitated.
"No.""
Tessa stared at her mother.
Then she whispered:
"Yes, you are.""
Robert placed a document on the coffee table.
"Miss Johnson, we have evidence that some of the information provided to the bank may be fraudulent.""
Tessa looked at me.
I reached for her hand.
"It's okay. Tell the truth.""
She nodded.
Then Robert turned to Gloria.
"Mrs. Johnson, we also have a separate question concerning a transfer request made against an account belonging to the late Eleanor Johnson.""
My mother went completely still.
"Which account?""
Robert opened another document.
"The Sugar House business account.""
I looked at Margaret's name on the paperwork.
Then at Gloria.
The bank hadn't simply discovered the $30,000 loan.
They had found the $120,000 withdrawal request.
Robert continued.
"According to our records, the original transfer was rejected. However, a second attempt was made using a different authorization.""
Claire grabbed the edge of the table.
"What?""
Robert turned the document around.
The signature at the bottom was supposed to belong to Eleanor Johnson.
But Grandma had been dead for months when it was submitted.
I stared at the page.
Then I saw the date.
Three weeks before the competition.
My mother hadn't just tried to access Grandma's money.
Someone had forged Grandma's signature.
And the bank had the transaction records.
Gloria took a step backward.
For the first time, she looked genuinely terrified.
Then Robert said:
"Mrs. Johnson, we'd like you to explain why the transfer destination was a personal account registered under your name.""
Nobody moved.
Tessa slowly released my hand.
"Mom?""
Gloria looked at her.
Then at me.
May you like
And finally, she said:
"I did it for you girls.""
