Chapter 6: The Name on the Account
My name.
That was the only thing I could hear.
Not the clock ticking on the wall.
Not the rain beginning to hit the windows.
Not Tara asking questions.
Only my father’s voice repeating the same impossible sentence.
“The request came from an account registered under your name.””
I stared at him.
“No.””
My voice came out barely above a whisper.
“No, that’s not possible.””
My father looked down at the phone again.
“I know.””
“You know?””
He stepped closer.
“Maya, I’m not saying you did this.””
“But someone used my name.””
“Yes.””
“Then someone is trying to make it look like I did.””
Nobody spoke.
Because that was exactly what had been happening from the beginning.
The missing fifty dollars.
The picture in my room.
The message.
The forged document.
Every piece of this puzzle pointed toward me.
But I wasn’t the person holding the pieces.
I was the person being framed.
Tara slowly sat down.
Her face looked empty.
Like she was finally seeing the size of the situation.
“Ethan.””
My father looked at her.
“What?””
“This is Ethan’s plan.””
“You’re sure?””
She nodded.
“He doesn’t attack people directly.””
I looked at her.
“What does that mean?””
She looked uncomfortable.
“It means he makes people destroy themselves.””
I crossed my arms.
“Sounds like you know him well.””
The words were sharp.
She deserved them.
Tara looked down.
“I do.””
My father took a deep breath.
“Tell us everything.””
She was quiet for a moment.
Then she began.
“Ethan was always good at making people believe the worst about each other.””
She looked at the floor.
“When we were younger, he would break something and convince our parents I did it. He would take money from my room and make me question whether I misplaced it.””
My eyebrows tightened.
“That sounds familiar.””
Tara looked at me.
The meaning of my words landed.
For once, she didn’t defend herself.
“I know.””
The admission surprised me.
My father looked at the documents on the table.
“So he’s trying to make Maya look guilty because…”
“Because she’s the easiest person to blame.””
The sentence hurt.
Even though it wasn’t meant as an insult.
Tara continued.
“Ethan knew you would protect her. He knew Marcus would hesitate. He knew if Maya looked suspicious enough, everyone would start questioning her.””
My father looked at me.
“I never stopped believing you.””
I wanted to believe him.
I really did.
But the memory of his hesitation came back.
“I know.””
It was the only answer I could give.
A few minutes later, my father called the bank.
He put the phone on speaker.
A woman answered.
“Good morning. How can I help you?””
“My name is Marcus Hale. I need information about a transfer request.””
“Of course, Mr. Hale. Can you verify the account?””
He gave the information.
The woman typed.
A few seconds passed.
“I see the request.””
My father looked at me.
“When was it submitted?””
The woman paused.
“Yesterday at 9:47 PM.””
My stomach dropped.
That was before I found the message.
Before the security footage.
Before everything.
“Where was the request made?”” my father asked.
Another pause.
“I’m sorry, sir. We can’t release that information over the phone.””
“Please.””
“I can tell you it was submitted through online banking.””
“Using what device?””
“I can’t provide that.””
My father clenched his jaw.
“But you can confirm whether it was from our home network?””
The woman hesitated.
“Yes.””
The room went silent.
My father looked at me.
Someone had done this from our house.
From inside our walls.
From somewhere close.
“Thank you,” my father said before ending the call.
Nobody moved.
Then Tara whispered:
“He was here.””
My father nodded.
“He came into this house.””
I looked around.
Suddenly every room felt unfamiliar.
The place where I ate breakfast.
The hallway where I walked every day.
My bedroom.
Someone had entered all of it.
Someone had watched us.
Someone had planned this.
My phone buzzed.
Everyone looked at it.
Unknown number.
This time, my father grabbed my wrist gently.
“Don’t open it.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because we don’t know who’s sending these.””
I understood what he meant.
But curiosity was stronger.
I opened it.
There was a photo.
My heart stopped.
It was a picture of the three of us standing in the living room.
Taken moments ago.
My father.
Tara.
Me.
I looked toward the windows.
Then the hallway.
Someone was watching us right now.
Under the picture was a message.
*“You’re looking in the wrong direction.””*
Another message appeared.
*“The person who benefits most isn’t Ethan.””*
My eyes moved toward Tara.
She noticed.
Her face changed.
“Maya…”
I shook my head.
“I didn’t say anything.””
But the doubt was already there.
The message was designed to create suspicion.
That was Ethan’s game.
Make people turn against each other.
Still…
Why had Tara hidden the documents?
Why had she accused me so quickly?
Why did she know so much?
My father looked between us.
“We are not doing this.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
“We’re not letting someone manipulate us.””
He pointed at the phone.
“That’s what they want.””
Tara nodded slowly.
“He’s trying to make us fight.””
My father looked at her.
“Then help us stop him.””
She nodded.
“I will.””
A loud crash came from upstairs.
Everyone froze.
“What was that?”” I whispered.
My father immediately moved toward the staircase.
“Stay here.””
Of course, I didn’t.
Neither did Tara.
We followed him.
The hallway upstairs was dark.
The sound had come from my bedroom.
My bedroom.
Again.
My father opened the door slowly.
The room was a mess.
Drawers were open.
Clothes were thrown onto the floor.
My desk had been emptied.
Someone had searched everything.
I stepped inside.
Then I noticed something.
The old photo frame on my desk was broken.
The picture inside was torn.
It was the only photo I had of my mother.
I picked it up carefully.
My fingers trembled.
“Why would he do this?””
My father looked around the room.
“He was searching for something.””
Tara walked toward the desk.
Then stopped.
“What?””
She pointed.
“There.””
A small piece of paper was stuck underneath the broken frame.
My father picked it up.
His face changed.
“What does it say?””
He handed it to me.
I read the words.
*“The first person you should have suspected was never Maya.””*
I looked at Tara.
The message continued.
*“Ask your wife what she promised me.””*
My father went completely still.
Tara’s face turned pale.
“What did you promise him?”” he asked.
She didn’t answer.
Not immediately.
And that silence was enough.
My father’s voice lowered.
“Tara.””
She looked at him.
“I can explain.””
“Explain what?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“The reason Ethan came back.””
My father waited.
So did I.
Finally, she whispered:
“Because I asked him to.””
The room went cold.
My father stared at her.
“You asked your brother to come here?””
Tara nodded.
“But not for this.””
“Then why?””
She looked at me.
Then at Marcus.
And the words that came next changed everything.
“Because three months ago, I found out someone was trying to destroy your family.””
My father frowned.
“Who?””
Tara’s voice shook.
“Your mother’s name came up.””
I froze.
My mother.
A woman who had been gone for years.
“What does my mother have to do with this?””
Tara looked at the torn photograph in my hand.
Then she said:
“Maya, your mother didn’t die leaving nothing behind.””
She took a breath.
“She left a secret.””
And before I could ask another question, my father’s phone rang.
The screen showed an unknown caller.
He answered.
A man’s voice came through.
Calm.
Almost amused.
“Marcus.””
My father’s face changed.
Because he recognized the voice.
“Ethan.””
A pause.
May you like
Then the voice laughed softly.
“I think it’s time Maya learns the truth about who her mother really was.””
