Chapter 6 - The Mother’s Secret
"You’re lying," Maya whispered, shaking her head as the walls of the library seemed to close in around her. "My mother would never do that. She loves this family."
Marcus slipped the small flash drive into his pocket, adjusting his jacket with infuriating calm. "Love pays the bills, Maya, but cash keeps the lights on. Ask her about the offshore account in the Cayman Islands under her maiden name. She set it up two weeks before your uncle's 'accident'."
Before Maya could lunge forward to stop him, Marcus darted down the side aisle toward the emergency exit. Maya bolted after him, her sneakers squeaking loudly against the linoleum. She burst out the heavy glass doors just in time to see Marcus leap into a waiting black SUV that sped off down the alleyway, leaving behind a cloud of exhaust.
Panting, Maya leaned against the brick wall of the library. Her mind was a chaotic storm of disbelief and betrayal. If Marcus was telling the truth—if her own mother had orchestrated the financial ruin and blamed it on her daughter—then everything she thought she knew about her life was a carefully constructed lie.
She pulled out her phone, dialing her mother's cell number with trembling fingers. It rang three times before a familiar, cold voice answered on the other end.
"Maya? Where are you? The police are here at the house," Helen said, her tone dripping with practiced maternal concern.
"Stop acting, Mom," Maya said, her voice shaking with restrained tears. "I know about the Cayman Islands account. I know you helped Marcus."
The line went dead silent. The ambient sounds of the city seemed to fade away, leaving only the sound of her mother’s slow, measured breathing through the receiver.
When Helen finally spoke, all warmth had vanished from her voice, replaced by a chilling pragmatism.
"If you know what's good for you, Maya, you'll catch a bus out of state tonight," Helen whispered. "Because if you come back here, I'm the one telling the police you acted alone."
May you like
The call disconnected with a sharp click, leaving Maya standing alone in the alleyway with her entire world shattered into a thousand pieces.
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