Chapter 2: The $96,800 Notification
My father had always been a quiet man.
He wasn't the kind of person who shouted when he was angry. He didn't slam doors or make threats. When something bothered him, he became still, as if he were examining a problem from every possible angle before deciding what to do.
I'd inherited that habit from him.
But the expression on his face when Monica failed to answer his question was something I'd never seen before.
"Monica," he repeated, "where is Emma's car?""
She folded her arms.
"I already explained everything to her.""
"Then explain it to me.""
"She wasn't using it enough. Kayla needed transportation, and I arranged a sale.""
Dad blinked.
"You arranged what?""
"A sale. The car wasn't doing anyone any good sitting here.""
"That car belongs to Emma.""
Monica sighed as if he were being unreasonable.
"Robert, please. It's just a car.""
"It's her car.""
"And she's part of this family!""
Dad placed his briefcase on the floor.
"That doesn't make her property ours.""
Kayla appeared in the doorway, still carrying her designer handbag.
"Dad, you're making this sound so much worse than it is.""
He looked at the SUV through the open garage door.
"Is that the vehicle you bought?""
Kayla's face brightened.
"Yes! Isn't it amazing? It's a 2026 model. Mom found a great deal.""
"A great deal," Dad repeated.
"Ninety-six thousand eight hundred dollars," I said.
His head turned toward me.
"How much?""
"That's what she told me.""
Dad stared at the SUV again.
Then his phone vibrated.
He pulled it from his pocket, glanced at the screen, and frowned.
"What the hell?""
Monica went pale.
It was subtle. A tightening around her mouth. A sudden stillness in her shoulders.
But Dad saw it.
"What is it?"" I asked.
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he opened his banking app.
I watched as his eyes moved across the screen. His thumb stopped on a transaction, and his expression changed.
"Monica.""
She took a step toward him.
"Robert, let me explain.""
He held up one hand.
"Don't say another word until I understand what I'm looking at.""
He turned the screen toward himself and read the transaction details again.
PRESTIGE LUXURY MOTORS.
$96,800.00.
PAID FROM ROBERT COLLINS — PERSONAL ACCOUNT.
Dad looked at Kayla.
"Did you buy that vehicle with my money?""
Kayla's mouth fell open.
"No! Mom said it was taken care of.""
"Taken care of how?""
"I don't know! She said there was a financing arrangement.""
Dad looked at Monica.
"Why was this charged to my account?""
She stepped closer, lowering her voice.
"Robert, please don't do this in front of the girls.""
"Why was this charged to my account?""
"It's a misunderstanding.""
"Did you authorize a payment of almost ninety-seven thousand dollars from my personal account?""
Monica looked toward the kitchen.
I knew that look.
She used it whenever she wanted to end a conversation without actually answering a question.
"Robert, we've been married for six years. Our finances are intertwined.""
"Not that account.""
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
"My personal savings account is not our joint account. You don't have access to it.""
Monica rubbed her forehead.
"I thought I did.""
"You thought you had access to an account you weren't authorized to use?""
"That's not what I meant!""
Dad opened the transaction details.
"Here is the authorization method. It says the payment was approved through a linked purchasing profile.""
He tapped the screen.
"I have never created a purchasing profile with this dealership.""
Monica's lips parted.
Then closed.
I stepped closer.
"What does that mean?""
Dad didn't look away from his phone.
"It means someone used my account details to pay for Kayla's car.""
Kayla suddenly stopped admiring her SUV.
"Mom?""
Monica ignored her.
"Robert, you're jumping to conclusions. We can call the bank tomorrow and straighten everything out.""
"Tomorrow?""
"Yes. It's late, and everyone is upset.""
"It's four-thirty in the afternoon.""
"Then after dinner.""
Dad gave a humorless laugh.
"After dinner, you'll tell me how nearly a hundred thousand dollars disappeared from my account?""
Monica's voice sharpened.
"I did what I thought was best for this family!""
I flinched at the sudden volume.
She pointed toward me.
"Emma has a car she barely uses. Kayla needed something dependable. I found a way to solve the problem, and now everyone's treating me like a criminal.""
"You sold my car without asking me," I said.
"Enough!"" Monica snapped.
"You have no idea how much pressure I've been under.""
Dad raised his hand again.
"Nobody is discussing anything else until I speak to the bank.""
He walked into the living room, sat on the couch, and called the number printed on the back of his debit card.
We followed him.
Monica stayed standing near the doorway, twisting her wedding ring around her finger.
Dad put the call on speaker.
After several minutes of security questions, a representative named Angela answered.
"Mr. Collins, I can see the transaction you're referring to. For your protection, I'll need to verify a few details before I discuss the account.""
Dad answered every question.
Then he said, "I need you to explain how a purchasing profile was connected to my personal account.""
Angela paused while typing.
"Sir, I'm seeing two profiles associated with this transaction.""
Dad leaned forward.
"Two?""
"Yes. Your primary account profile and an additional purchasing profile that was activated approximately five months ago.""
The room went silent.
Dad slowly sat back.
"Five months ago?""
"That's correct.""
"Who activated it?""
"I can see that the profile was registered using your identifying information. However, I can't disclose all the verification details until we complete an investigation.""
"Did I authorize it?""
"According to our records, the activation was completed through an online verification process.""
"I didn't do that.""
"I understand, sir. I can flag the profile as disputed and begin a fraud investigation.""
Dad closed his eyes briefly.
"Please do that.""
Angela continued explaining the next steps.
I barely heard her.
Five months.
That was around the time Monica had started insisting on handling more of Dad's paperwork.
She'd told him he was overworked. She'd offered to organize his insurance renewals, update his account passwords, and consolidate the household documents.
Dad had been grateful.
He'd even joked that marrying Monica had finally given him a personal assistant.
Now he was sitting on the couch, listening to a stranger explain that someone had created a financial profile in his name without his knowledge.
When the call ended, he looked at Monica.
"Did you create that profile?""
She shook her head too quickly.
"No.""
"Did you authorize the payment?""
"No, Robert. I told you, it's a misunderstanding.""
"Then why did you look terrified when my phone showed the transaction?""
Her eyes flashed.
"Because you were accusing me in front of everyone!""
Dad stood.
"I'm going to the dealership.""
Monica grabbed his arm.
"Please. We can handle this privately.""
He looked down at her hand until she released him.
"Privately? You sold our daughter's car, used my personal account to buy another vehicle, and somehow created a purchasing profile I didn't know existed.""
"I was trying to help Kayla!""
"By using Emma's property and my money?""
Monica's eyes filled with tears.
For a moment, I almost felt sorry for her.
Then she spoke.
"Do you know what Kayla has been through? She's struggled so much. She deserves something nice for once.""
Kayla stood behind her mother, looking down at her phone.
I stared at them.
I'd worked every weekend for months to save for my car. I'd paid for my own insurance. I'd never asked Dad to cover a payment, even when my hours were cut and I had to choose between groceries and a utility bill.
Yet somehow, my sacrifices meant nothing.
Kayla's wants were treated like emergencies.
And my property was treated like a resource.
Dad picked up his keys.
"Emma, come with me.""
Monica stepped in front of the door.
"Robert, if you leave now, you're going to make a terrible mistake.""
He looked at her.
"Move.""
She didn't.
For several seconds, neither of them moved.
Then Monica stepped aside.
Dad and I walked to his truck.
Before I climbed into the passenger seat, I glanced back at the house.
Kayla was standing beside the SUV, no longer smiling.
Monica had her phone pressed to her ear.
She was whispering urgently to someone.
When she noticed me watching, she turned her back.
Dad started the engine.
"Do you think she did it?"" I asked.
He kept his eyes on the road.
"I don't know what she did.""
He tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
"But I know what I'm going to find out.""
We drove toward Prestige Luxury Motors.
Halfway there, his phone vibrated again.
An unknown number.
Dad glanced at the notification while stopped at a red light.
The message contained only two sentences.
*Check the paperwork from the car sale. Don't let her destroy it.*
Dad read it twice.
Then he turned to me.
"Emma, did you tell anyone what happened today?""
"No.""
"Did you tell anyone you were coming here?""
"No. Why?""
He looked back at the message.
May you like
Because whoever had sent it knew something we didn't.
And judging by the warning, they were afraid Monica might destroy the evidence before we found it.
