Chapter 6 - THE COUNTER-ATTACK
When the formal court summonses for Grand Larceny, Wire Fraud, and Identity Theft were served to my mother and sister at their home, the entire Vance extended family was thrown into utter chaos.
My mother tried every trick in the book. She called my boss, she showed up at Ava’s school (where security promptly escorted her off the premises per my emergency restraining order), and she sent long, hysterical audio messages to every relative we possessed.
On Friday afternoon, my phone rang from an unknown number. I answered it, recording the call automatically.
“Maya… please,” a broken, weeping voice spoke. It was Nicole.
For the first time in her life, my younger sister wasn't laughing. She wasn't holding up her sparkling diamond ring. She was sobbing uncontrollably.
“Maya, please talk to me,” Nicole begged through gasps of air. “The police came to my apartment today. They gave me an indictment notice. Evan broke off the engagement! Victoria cancelled the wedding! Evan’s family took back the ring! I have nothing left, Maya! Nothing!”
“You reaped what you sowed, Nicole,” I said coldly.
“It was Mom’s idea!” Nicole shrieked, instantly throwing our mother under the bus. “Mom was the one who told me we should take Ava’s party! Mom said you had plenty of money from your architecture job and that you owed it to me because I was the younger sister! She’s the one who transferred Grandfather’s money to my account! I didn't know it was illegal!”
“You used my daughter’s college fund to buy high heels and go to Paris, Nicole,” I said, my tone flat and unyielding. “You sat in that venue while my nine-year-old child cried alone in a velvet corner, and you laughed in her face.”
“I’m sorry! I’ll pay it back! I’ll work three jobs, I swear!” Nicole sobbed desperately. “If this goes to trial, I’m going to prison, Maya! I’m twenty-six years old! I can’t go to prison! Please, tell the prosecutor it was a family mistake! Tell them you want to drop the charges!”
“Do you remember what you told the venue manager on the security camera, Nicole?” I asked quietly.
Silence fell over the line, save for her wet, ragged breathing.
“You said it was about time I paid for something useful instead of wasting money on a fatherless child,” I reminded her softly. “Ava heard everything you said that day. She spent three days believing she wasn't worth celebrating.”
“Maya, please—”
“I am not dropping a single charge,” I stated clearly. “In fact, my attorney is requesting maximum sentencing for both you and Mom. See you in court, Nicole.”
I ended the call and blocked the number.
That evening, I took Ava out to a quiet, beautiful park. We sat on a wooden bench watching the sunset, eating ice cream cones. For the first time in eight months, I felt a deep sense of calm washing over me. The venomous snakes in my family were finally being forced into the light.
“Mom?” Ava asked, looking up at me with her bright brown eyes.
“Yes, baby?”
“Are we ever going back to Grandma’s house?”
May you like
I leaned down, wiped a dab of vanilla ice cream from her chin, and smiled warmly. “No, Ava. We are never going back there again. From now on, our family is just people who love us and treat us with respect.”
Ava smiled, a genuine, radiant smile that reached her eyes, and snuggled against my arm. “I like that plan.”
