Chapter 3: The Secret Behind the Scholarship
I didn't sleep after receiving the photo.
I spent the entire night staring at my phone.
The document was blurry, but one thing was clear.
My mother's name was written on it.
*Evelyn Carter.*
My mother.
The woman who died when I was eleven.
The woman everyone told me was gone forever.
I zoomed in until my eyes hurt.
There was a signature.
A date.
And underneath it, a line that made my hands shake.
*Transfer of educational trust funds.*
I didn't understand.
My mother never had a trust fund.
At least, that's what my father told me.
The next morning, I found him in the kitchen.
He looked exhausted.
Like he hadn't slept either.
"Maya?""
I placed my phone on the table.
"Who is Evelyn Carter?""
The color drained from his face.
For several seconds, he didn't answer.
Then he sat down.
"Where did you get that?""
I stared at him.
"Answer me.""
He looked at the photo.
His hands started trembling.
"Who sent this?""
"I asked you a question.""
He closed his eyes.
And that scared me more than anything.
Because my father was a man who always had an answer.
But now he looked like someone who had been caught hiding a wound.
"Maya, there are things I should have told you.""
My heart sank.
"Like what?""
Before he could respond, Vanessa walked into the kitchen.
She stopped when she saw the phone.
"What is that?""
My father stood immediately.
"Vanessa, leave.""
Her eyes narrowed.
"What?""
"You heard me.""
For the first time, I saw fear in her expression.
Not anger.
Not annoyance.
Fear.
She looked at the document again.
Then she looked at my father.
"You found out.""
The words came out quietly.
I froze.
My father stared at her.
"You knew this day would come.""
Vanessa's face hardened.
"You don't understand.""
"No," he said.
"I understand perfectly.""
I looked between them.
"Someone needs to explain.""
Neither answered.
So I stood.
"No more secrets.""
My voice surprised even me.
"I lost my scholarship. Someone used my information. Now my mother's name appears on a document you both recognize.""
I pointed at Vanessa.
"And you knew exactly what this was.""
She looked away.
That was my answer.
My father sat back down.
"Maya, before your mother died, she created a fund for your education.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"What?""
"It wasn't huge," he said.
"But it was enough to help you through college.""
I looked at Vanessa.
"How do you know?""
My father didn't answer.
Vanessa did.
"Because I managed the paperwork.""
The room went silent.
"You?""
She crossed her arms.
"Your father was grieving. He couldn't handle financial decisions. Someone had to.""
My voice became cold.
"So you controlled it.""
"I protected it.""
"No.""
I shook my head.
"You controlled it.""
Vanessa looked angry now.
"You have no idea what you're talking about.""
"Then explain the scholarship call.""
She said nothing.
My father stepped closer.
"Vanessa.""
His voice was different.
Dangerously calm.
"What did you do?""
Her eyes filled with anger.
"You are really going to accuse me because she found a random document?""
Then her phone rang.
The sound cut through the kitchen.
She looked at the screen.
And immediately went pale.
I noticed.
My father noticed.
She declined the call.
A second later, the phone rang again.
This time, my father reached for it.
Vanessa grabbed it first.
"Don't.""
That single word told us everything.
My father stared at her.
"Who is calling?""
"No one.""
The phone rang again.
I looked at the screen before she turned it away.
One name.
One name that made my stomach drop.
*University Admissions Office.*
My father slowly reached out his hand.
"Give me the phone.""
Vanessa backed away.
"No.""
And then the front doorbell rang.
Everyone froze.
My father walked toward the door.
I followed.
When he opened it, Ms. Bennett from the university stood outside.
But she wasn't alone.
She held another folder.
A thicker one.
"This is about Maya's scholarship investigation," she said.
Her eyes moved past my father.
Straight toward Vanessa.
"And I believe we need to discuss the second call made from this house.""
Vanessa whispered:
"Second call?""
Ms. Bennett opened the folder.
"The first call withdrew Maya's scholarship.""
She looked down at the papers.
"The second call attempted to change the beneficiary information on her mother's education fund.""
My entire body went cold.
My father turned slowly toward Vanessa.
May you like
And Ms. Bennett said the words that changed everything:
"The caller used the same voice.""
