Chapter 6: The Copy She Couldn’t Erase
Vanessa stared at the screen.
“Who sent that?”
The DJ raised both hands.
“Not me.”
Lily reached into her cardigan and held up a small phone.
“I pressed send before I gave him the flash drive.”
My breath caught.
“Who did you send it to?”
“Mr.
Graham, Ms.
Rebecca, and my teacher.”
Vanessa stepped toward her.
“Give me that phone.”
I moved between them.
“Come one step closer.”
My mother caught Vanessa’s arm.
“Not in front of everyone.”
Vanessa pulled free.
“Everyone already thinks I’m guilty.”
Graham removed his wedding ring and placed it on the table.
“You are.”
“We aren’t married yet,” Vanessa said.
“That ring means nothing.”
“It means the ceremony is over.”
She stared at him.
“You’ll regret humiliating me.”
“You humiliated a child, framed her mother, and took money meant for students.”
“That fund was sitting there while Claire lived like a failure.
I assumed she would appreciate being made useful.”
I crossed the dance floor.
“You used my name because you thought nobody would defend me.”
Vanessa smiled without warmth.
“Who would?
Mother chose me.
Daniel left you.
Even your own daughter kept secrets from you.”
Lily flinched.
I took the microphone from the DJ.
“My daughter kept one secret because she heard adults planning to destroy her mother.
What you did to her ends tonight.”
My mother seized my arm.
“Lower your voice.”
I pulled away.
“You don’t get to silence me anymore.”
She looked around at the guests.
“Claire has always been dramatic.
Vanessa was the gifted one, and Claire could never accept it.”
“Gifted?” Rebecca asked.
“You mean protected.”
Vanessa pointed at her.
“Your husband’s resignation won’t save him.
I can make sure nobody in Newport hires either of you.”
Rebecca’s shoulders straightened.
“My husband found a new job last week.
He waited to resign until he copied the company ledgers you ordered him to alter.”
She handed Mara a memory card.
Vanessa’s lips parted.
Mara inserted the card into her laptop.
Rows of transfers filled the screen.
“These payments match the scholarship withdrawals.”
Graham pointed at one entry.
“What is Whitmore Consulting?”
“My company,” Vanessa said.
“Those were legitimate fees.”
“You billed a charity for a wedding dress, spa visits, and this reception,” Mara replied.
My mother sat heavily in a chair.
“Vanessa told me Graham approved it.”
“Did he also approve using Claire’s identity?” Daniel asked.
“She was supposed to sign the confession,” my mother snapped.
“Then Graham would recover the money after the wedding.”
The room went silent.
Vanessa turned on her.
“You foolish woman.”
My mother covered her mouth.
Mara stopped the recording.
“No, please continue.”
Vanessa grabbed her mother’s handbag and searched inside.
“What are you doing?” my mother demanded.
“Finding the passport you promised to bring.”
Graham blocked the nearest exit.
“Planning a honeymoon?”
Vanessa held up the passport.
“Planning to leave people who never deserved me.”
A uniformed officer appeared in the doorway with two colleagues.
Mara stepped forward.
“Vanessa Whitmore, do not leave this room.”
Vanessa slipped behind the head table and pressed something against her phone.
Daniel pointed.
“She’s wiping the cloud account.”
The ballroom screen went black.
Vanessa laughed.
“You wanted evidence?
It’s gone.”
Mara’s laptop chimed.
“No,” she said.
“You just confirmed which account controlled it.”
The officer approached, but Vanessa held up one finger.
“Before you take another step, ask Claire why two thousand dollars from the missing fund paid her overdue rent last month.”
Every head turned toward me.
Mara checked the ledger.
Her eyes stopped on my name.
May you like
“There is a payment,” she said.
“And it came from Claire’s personal login.”
