Chapter 5
I hired another private investigator to look into Uncle Mason’s company.
Three days later, an encrypted email hit my inbox.
I went through it page by page.
So? The so-called “company” was just a shell.
Eww…
Its only business was taking on outsourced projects from Mom’s company-totally insignificant ones.
Dad was the sole point of contact, using his position to quietly inflate those project costs by ten times.
Sometimes more.
The difference went straight into Uncle Mason’s pocket.
This wasn’t just stealing living expenses-this was commercial fraud!
They were bleeding Mom’s life’s work dry to fatten themselves up.
I pulled out the most glaring examples of inflated accounts.
Created a new anonymous email and sent it to Mom’s CFO.
Simple message. Just a data comparison and a helpful reminder.
[Recommend auditing all recent outsourced project accounts to prevent company asset loss.]
I was just handing him the needle.
Whether he’d use it to pop that festering boil was up to his professional ethics.
A few days later, Mom’s assistant messaged me.
[Ms. Holloway, the CFO bypassed your father and applied directly to the CEO for comprehensive audits of all outsourced projects, especially those involving Mason Holloway’s company.]
I smiled.
The assistant sent another message.
[Also, your mother asked me to tell you.]
[She’s returning tomorrow.]
Good, it’s time to reveal the truth to her.
Mom landed and came straight to my campus.
“The company CFO found some accounting irregularities, all pointing to your father and uncle.”
“River, did you already know about this?”
I didn’t answer.
Just placed a USB drive, a stack of bank statements, and a voice recorder in front of her.
I started talking.
“Eighteen years.”
“My monthly allowance was eight hundred dollars.”
“I ate the cheapest meals at school, wore uniforms washed until they were nearly transparent, got mocked as a beggar.”
“I thought you hated me-hated that my birth killed your love story.”
“So I hated you too. I hated that you brought me into this world at all.”
“Until I found out you were sending two hundred thousand to Dad’s account every month.”
I looked at her eyes, word by word, hurling eighteen years of hatred and grievance right at her.
And Mom’s expression shifted from cold indifference to furious during my calm recounting.
“River…”
She pulled me into her arms.
“Mommy failed you…”
“I… gave you to monsters.”
I didn’t move, didn’t hug her back.
Eighteen years of emptiness couldn’t be filled with one hug and an apology.
After the anger and betrayal, she quickly regained her composure.
“They like money so much?”
She released me, picked up her phone, and called Dad.
“Jaxon, I’m planning to invest ten million in Mason’s company, help him expand his business.”
“You’ve worked hard all these years too. When this deal goes through, I’ll get you a new car.”
On the other end, Dad and Uncle Mason were over the moon.
“Scarlett! I knew you cared about me!”
“Thank you, sister-in-law! The Holloways are blessed to have married such a wonderful woman!”
Mom hung up, that fake smile vanishing instantly.
She looked at me. We locked eyes.
We were finally on the same side.
Then she pushed a black card toward me.
“There’s ten million on this.”
“Password is your birthday.”
I froze.
“River, remember this-money is the only reliable thing in this world.”
“From today on, forget about them.”
“You only have one family member: me.”
She paused.
“And you only listen to one person.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
