Chapter 5: My Mother's Price
My mother didn't deny it immediately.
That was what frightened me most.
She sat motionless, staring at the email on Alexander's laptop.
“Margaret,” he said, “do you recognize this transaction?””
My mother adjusted her jacket.
“I don't discuss personal banking matters with strangers.””
Alexander's expression remained cold.
“I'm not asking about your private purchases. I'm asking why a payment of eighteen thousand dollars was transferred to an account belonging to Hannah Price.””
Olivia covered her face.
“Mom…”
My mother turned toward her.
“Don't.””
I stared at the amount.
Eighteen thousand dollars.
I knew exactly where that money had come from.
It had been deposited into my father's old business account around the time Olivia needed money for her final research year.
I had assumed it was a delayed payment from one of our commercial clients.
I had used part of it to cover the shop's outstanding expenses.
The rest had disappeared.
“Mom,” I whispered, “where did you get that money?””
She ignored me.
Alexander scrolled through the records.
“The payment was described as a consulting fee. However, the recipient has stated that she was offered money in exchange for withdrawing a complaint about unauthorized research use.””
My mother stood.
“This is absurd. Hannah was having financial problems. I helped her.””
“Did she provide consulting services?””
“I'm not required to explain every act of kindness.””
Dr. Raymond spoke carefully.
“Mrs. Bennett, if the payment was legitimate, you should have no difficulty providing the relevant documentation.””
My mother looked at Olivia.
Then at me.
And finally, she said something I would never forget.
“I did what any mother would do to protect her child.””
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“You paid someone to stay quiet?””
“I protected Olivia!””
“By using Dad's money?””
My mother raised her voice.
“Your father would have wanted Olivia to succeed!””
“You don't know what Dad would have wanted!””
“Don't you dare tell me what your father wanted!””
I stood.
“He wanted both his daughters to have a future. He didn't leave one of us behind so the other could steal everything.””
My mother slapped her palm against the table.
“You had the shop! You had a business! Olivia had nothing!””
I stared at her.
“I had a business that I worked every day to keep alive. You took the money I earned and spent it on her.””
“Because she needed it!””
“And I didn't?””
The room went silent.
My mother looked away.
That silence told me more than any confession could.
Alexander closed the laptop.
“Margaret, the foundation will preserve these records and forward the matter to the appropriate investigators. We won't be discussing settlement arrangements in this room.””
Olivia began sobbing.
“Mom, you said nobody would ever find out.””
My mother turned sharply.
“Stop talking!””
I looked at Olivia.
“So you knew?””
She shook her head.
“I didn't know everything.””
“What did you know?””
“I knew Hannah had complained about the research. I thought Mom was helping her resolve it.””
“You thought paying someone eighteen thousand dollars would make a complaint disappear?””
Olivia cried harder.
“I was terrified! If I lost the research position, I'd lose everything.””
I took a breath.
“You should have thought about that before taking someone else's work.””
She looked at me.
“You don't know what it's like to have everyone expect you to be brilliant.””
I almost laughed.
Everyone had expected me to be responsible.
To pay the bills.
To fix broken things.
To sacrifice quietly.
Apparently, expectations were only cruel when they applied to Olivia.
Alexander received another call.
He listened without speaking, then stepped toward the window.
When he returned, his expression had changed.
“Olivia, I need to ask you something.””
She wiped her face.
“What?””
“Did you submit your academic research to the foundation using your personal university account or your mother's business account?””
“My university account.””
“Are you certain?””
She nodded.
Alexander placed his phone on the table.
“Our technology team has identified an additional account associated with the submission. It was registered under Bennett Tailoring.””
My stomach dropped.
My father's shop.
I leaned forward.
“That's impossible. I never authorized anyone to use that account.””
Alexander looked at me.
“Do you still have access to the original business email?””
“Yes.””
“Then I recommend you check it.””
I opened my phone.
The old email account was still connected to my laptop, but I hadn't checked it regularly in months.
I entered the password.
Several archived messages appeared.
Most were invoices and customer requests.
Then I saw a subject line that made my hands go cold.
Final Research Submission — Olivia Bennett.
I opened it.
The message had been sent from the shop's email address nearly two years earlier.
The attachment was a compressed folder containing research files.
But the sender wasn't me.
It was my mother.
I scrolled down.
There was a second message.
Charlotte, please don't delete these files. Your father would have wanted us to help Olivia. Keep the account active until everything is finalized.
I recognized the wording.
I recognized the date.
And I remembered the evening.
My mother had asked to borrow my laptop because hers had stopped working.
She had said she needed to print a few university documents.
I had handed it to her without thinking.
I turned the screen toward Alexander.
“Someone used my business account to submit these files.””
Dr. Raymond examined the email.
“Do you have the original message headers?””
“Yes.””
“Please preserve them. Don't forward or delete anything.””
I nodded.
Then I noticed an attachment beneath the email.
It was a scanned authorization document.
My name appeared at the bottom.
Charlotte Bennett.
My signature.
Except I had never signed it.
My mother's signature appeared as a witness.
I stared at the page.
“That's forged.””
My mother went completely still.
Alexander looked between us.
“Margaret, did you prepare this authorization?””
“No.””
I zoomed in on the document.
There was something strange about the signature.
The letter C was identical to the one on an old bank withdrawal form I had signed years earlier.
Someone had copied it.
I looked at my mother.
“You used my signature?””
She began shaking her head.
“You're misunderstanding.””
“You forged my name to submit Olivia's research?””
“I was helping her!””
“You used my father's business account!””
“I had access!””
“That doesn't mean you had permission!””
My mother suddenly looked toward the door.
Dr. Raymond noticed.
“Mrs. Bennett, where are you going?””
“I need some air.””
Alexander stood.
“Please remain here until we've documented the records.””
My mother ignored him and walked out.
Olivia started crying again.
“Charlotte, please. You have to help me.””
I looked at her.
“Help you do what?””
“Tell them Mom handled everything. I didn't know she used your account.””
I stared at the woman I had supported for six years.
“You signed the academic declaration. You submitted the work. You wore my dress and called it yours.””
“I was trying to survive!””
“And what was I trying to do?””
She had no answer.
I gathered my documents.
For the first time, I didn't feel responsible for fixing the mess.
But just as I reached the door, Alexander called my name.
“Charlotte, wait.””
I turned.
He was looking at another file on his phone.
“There is something else connected to your father's shop.””
“What?””
He hesitated.
“The foundation's financial investigation found a transfer made shortly after your father's death.””
I frowned.
“What transfer?””
Alexander looked directly at me.
“Your mother's account received a substantial payment from a company called Whitmore Holdings.””
I stared at him.
“Why would your family's company pay my mother?””
He lowered his voice.
“Because, according to the records, your father had entered into a private agreement with my grandfather shortly before he died.””
My father's name appeared on the screen.
Beneath it was a figure.
$250,000.
May you like
And a description that made my knees weak.
Acquisition of Bennett Design Intellectual Property.
