Chapter 4: The Man Behind the Address
"Say that name again.""
My voice barely sounded like mine.
Rebecca Hayes glanced at her laptop.
"The address belongs to Marcus Reed.""
For a moment, nobody moved.
Marcus.
My mother's boyfriend.
The man who had moved into our house three years earlier, bringing two duffel bags, a broken television, and promises that he'd help my mother get back on her feet.
The man who called me disrespectful whenever I questioned him.
The man who once told me that college was a waste of money for girls who already had responsibilities.
And the man my grandmother had warned me about.
"Are you certain?"" Lorraine asked.
Rebecca nodded.
"The correspondence address submitted this morning is registered to a Marcus Reed. I can't establish his involvement from that information alone, but it's clearly not the student's verified mailing address.""
I gripped the table.
"Why would my university mail anything to him?""
"That's what we need to investigate.""
Tessa shook her head.
"This is insane. Why would he even want Zarya's college mail?""
I looked at the photograph my mother had sent.
The blue envelope beside my scholarship letter suddenly seemed enormous in my mind.
Three years earlier, my grandmother Eleanor had given me that envelope.
She'd called me into her bedroom two days before she died.
I remembered the smell of lavender lotion, the soft yellow curtains, and the oxygen machine humming beside her bed.
"Zarya," she'd whispered, "there are some things you need to keep safe.""
She'd handed me the envelope.
"What's inside?""
"Something that belongs to you. Don't let anyone pressure you into giving it away.""
I'd opened it later and found several documents, including a copy of a property deed and a handwritten letter.
I hadn't understood why she had given them to me.
When Marcus discovered the envelope, he'd demanded to know what was inside.
I'd refused.
He'd called me ungrateful and told my mother I was hiding family property.
That was the last time I'd seen him ask about it.
Until now.
"What's in that blue envelope?"" Lorraine asked quietly.
I looked at her.
"My grandmother left me some documents. She told me not to give them to anyone.""
Lorraine's face changed.
"Did she tell you why?""
"No.""
She exchanged a glance with Rebecca.
"Zarya, I think you should keep those documents somewhere secure.""
I nodded.
Then I remembered the photograph.
"Mom still has them.""
Tessa stood.
"Then we're getting them back.""
"No," Lorraine said firmly.
"We're not going anywhere without knowing what we're dealing with.""
She turned toward Rebecca.
"Can the university preserve the login records and prevent further changes?""
"Yes. I've already submitted the security escalation. We'll also freeze the account's sensitive settings while the review is pending.""
"Thank you.""
Rebecca looked at me.
"Zarya, I want to make something clear. You did not personally submit the cancellation request, according to your statement. We are documenting that dispute. Your scholarship hasn't been permanently forfeited while the investigation is open.""
I felt a tiny amount of air return to my lungs.
"So I still have a chance?""
"Absolutely. I cannot promise the outcome today, but I can promise we're not treating this as a routine withdrawal.""
She printed a document.
It was an account activity acknowledgment.
I signed it with trembling fingers.
Before we left, Rebecca gave me her direct office number.
"Please don't communicate your passwords to anyone. And if you receive messages threatening you or pressuring you to withdraw, preserve them.""
I nodded.
Outside, the sun was bright.
Students crossed the courtyard carrying coffee and laughing about classes.
I stood near the entrance, holding my folder against my chest.
Tessa touched my shoulder.
"Hey. You're still going to be one of those students.""
I tried to smile.
"I hope so.""
Lorraine opened the passenger door.
"First, we're getting you something to eat. Then we're dealing with that envelope.""
My phone rang before I could answer.
MARCUS REED.
I stared at the name.
Tessa noticed.
"Don't answer.""
But I did.
"Hello?""
"Well, look who finally decided to answer her phone.""
His voice was smooth and familiar.
I stepped away from Lorraine and Tessa.
"What do you want, Marcus?""
"Your mother says you're causing problems at the university.""
"My mother canceled my scholarship.""
He chuckled.
"Careful with accusations, sweetheart.""
"Did you access my student account?""
"Why would I need to do that?""
"Because your address was added to my university records.""
Silence.
Then he said, "Maybe your mother thought it would be easier if important things came to the house.""
"Why would you need my university mail?""
"You're getting emotional. That's your problem.""
I clenched my jaw.
"Did you touch my grandmother's documents?""
His voice changed.
Just slightly.
"Why are we talking about those?""
My stomach dropped.
"Because they're mine.""
"Your grandmother left a lot of confusion behind.""
"What does that mean?""
"Listen, Zarya. Your mother is under enough pressure. Stop making everything harder.""
I could hear a television playing behind him.
Then a drawer opened.
Something clattered.
He lowered his voice.
"Come home tonight. Bring that envelope. We'll sort this out like adults.""
"I'm not bringing you anything.""
He laughed.
"Then you might want to ask your mother why she hasn't told you what your grandmother actually left you.""
The call ended.
I stood frozen.
Tessa approached.
"What did he say?""
I looked at her.
"He knows about the envelope.""
Lorraine's expression hardened.
"Then we need to find out what Eleanor left you before Marcus gets another chance to touch it.""
We drove back to her house.
She called an old family attorney named Daniel Foster, who had handled some of my grandmother's paperwork.
He agreed to meet us that afternoon.
While Lorraine prepared lunch, I sat at the kitchen table and searched through my photographs.
I found one taken three days after Grandma's funeral.
She was sitting in her favorite armchair, holding the same blue envelope.
Behind her, on the wall, was a framed photograph of a small white house.
I zoomed in.
There was a brass plaque beside the front door.
The address was barely visible.
I showed Lorraine.
She stared at the picture for a long time.
Then she whispered, "That's Eleanor's house.""
I frowned.
"What house?""
"The one she owned before she moved in with your mother.""
I blinked.
"I thought she sold it.""
Lorraine shook her head.
"She never sold it.""
"Then why did Marcus say there was confusion about what she left?""
Lorraine didn't answer.
Instead, she called Daniel again.
When he picked up, she put him on speaker.
"Daniel, it's Lorraine Bennett. I'm with Zarya.""
"Hello, Zarya. How are you holding up?""
"Not very well. I need to ask about the blue envelope my grandmother gave me.""
There was a pause.
Then Daniel's voice became noticeably more serious.
"Do you still have it?""
"No. My mother has it.""
Another silence.
"Zarya, I need you to listen carefully. Your grandmother left instructions that those documents were not to be handed over to Denise or Marcus.""
My heart started pounding.
"Why?""
"Because the property wasn't intended for either of them.""
I stared at Lorraine.
Daniel continued.
"Your grandmother established a trust before she died. You were named the sole beneficiary of the property once you reached adulthood.""
I couldn't speak.
"What property?""
"The house on Willow Creek Road.""
Lorraine slowly sat down.
Daniel added one final sentence.
"According to the trust documents, the property is yours, Zarya. And I believe someone has been trying to get control of it.""
Before I could respond, my phone buzzed.
A message from Kaylee.
*Kaylee:* Zarya, Marcus is in your room. He's looking through your drawers.
May you like
Then another message appeared.
*Kaylee:* He found the blue envelope.
