Chapter 9: The Person Behind The Account
The sentence came from Brielle.
Quiet.
Almost accidental.
But it changed everything.
“Mom doesn’t even use that tablet anymore.””
Marcus looked at her.
“What?””
Brielle looked nervous.
“I mean… she hasn’t used it in months.””
Vanessa turned toward her.
“Brielle.””
But Brielle didn’t stop.
“It’s true.””
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“Then whose tablet was it?””
Nobody answered.
The room felt different now.
Before, I thought Vanessa had done something terrible because she wanted Brielle to go on vacation.
Now I wasn’t sure.
Because Vanessa looked scared.
Not caught.
Scared.
And that meant there was something else.
My father picked up the folder again.
“How many people are involved?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No one.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Stop lying.””
“I’m not.””
“Then why is your account being used by someone else?””
She looked down.
For the first time, she looked tired.
Not angry.
Not defensive.
Just tired.
“I was trying to fix a problem.””
“What problem?””
She didn’t answer.
I stepped forward.
“Why didn’t you tell me?””
Vanessa looked at me.
And I hated that part of me still wanted an honest answer.
“I thought you would react like this.””
I stared.
“Like what?””
“Like everyone would choose you.””
The words hurt.
Because she still didn’t understand.
I wasn’t asking to win.
I was asking why I had to fight for a place in my own family.
Marcus moved beside me.
“Who told you Maya had to lose something for Brielle to gain?””
Vanessa looked away.
Nobody spoke.
Then her phone buzzed.
Again.
This time she didn’t touch it.
Marcus noticed.
“Answer it.””
“No.””
“Why?””
She stayed silent.
He picked up the phone from the table.
Vanessa immediately reached for it.
“Don’t.””
Marcus held it out of reach.
“Why?””
“Because it’s private.””
He looked at her.
“Private like the reservation?””
She froze.
Marcus looked at the screen.
A message preview appeared.
One sentence.
That was all.
But it was enough.
*You need to finish what we started.*
My father read it.
Then slowly looked up.
“Who is ‘we’?””
Vanessa said nothing.
Brielle covered her mouth.
I felt my heartbeat in my ears.
Because suddenly, Vanessa wasn’t the only person keeping secrets.
Marcus typed something.
“What are you doing?””
“I’m finding out who sent it.””
“Marcus, stop.””
“No.””
He showed us the screen.
The contact name was saved.
Not a phone number.
A name.
A person.
My father stared.
Then whispered:
“I know this person.””
My stomach dropped.
“Who?””
He didn’t answer immediately.
His eyes moved toward me.
Then toward Vanessa.
“This doesn’t make sense.””
“What doesn’t?””
He looked back at the phone.
“The person who sent this…”
He paused.
“Is someone who shouldn’t know anything about our family.””
The room went silent.
Vanessa sat down.
Slowly.
Like her legs couldn’t hold her anymore.
Marcus looked at her.
“You brought someone else into this?””
Vanessa whispered:
“I didn’t have a choice.””
My father’s expression hardened.
“Everyone says that right before they admit they made one.””
Vanessa looked at me.
And for the first time…
I saw regret.
Real regret.
“Maya…”
I stepped back.
“No.””
She stopped.
Because she knew.
An apology wouldn’t fix what happened.
Not now.
Marcus looked at the message again.
Then opened the contact details.
His face changed.
The color drained from it.
“What?””
He didn’t answer.
“Dad?””
He turned the phone around.
I looked.
And saw the name.
A name I recognized.
A name I never expected to see connected to any of this.
Marcus whispered:
“This person knew about the trip before I told anyone.””
May you like
And then he looked directly at Vanessa.
“Tell me why my brother knew about our daughter’s vacation.””
