Chapter 4: The Family Secret
I didn't understand.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then I laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because my brain couldn't accept it.
"Mom?""
My mother looked away.
That was all the answer I needed.
Dad slowly sat down.
"What is she talking about?""
Mom's hands trembled.
"Claire, please.""
"No.""
My voice was quiet.
But everyone heard it.
"Not this time.""
For years, I had swallowed every disappointment.
Every unfair comparison.
Every moment where I was told to be understanding.
Not today.
Mom closed her eyes.
"Vanessa was struggling.""
I stared at her.
"So you helped her sabotage me?""
"No.""
"Then explain.""
Mom looked exhausted.
"After she lost her job, she was devastated.""
"That doesn't explain anything.""
Vanessa whispered:
"Mom told me you wouldn't understand.""
I looked at her.
"What?""
She wiped her eyes.
"She told me you had everything. That you never had to fight like I did.""
I almost couldn't breathe.
"I worked every day for what I have.""
"I know.""
"No, Vanessa. You don't.""
She looked down.
Then Dad found something on the table.
A folder.
He opened it.
Inside were printed emails.
His face changed as he read.
"What is this?""
Mom stood.
"Give me that.""
"No.""
Dad's voice was different now.
Angry.
The kind of angry I had never heard from him.
He read another page.
Then another.
"They were contacting Meridian?""
I grabbed the folder.
The emails were from Vanessa's account.
They were messages sent to someone claiming my achievements were exaggerated.
Claiming I had received unfair advantages.
Claiming the company should reconsider hiring me.
My hands went cold.
"You tried to get me rejected.""
Vanessa started crying.
"I was angry.""
"Angry?""
I looked at her.
"You tried to take away the thing I spent my entire life building.""
She covered her face.
"I didn't think they would listen.""
Dad looked at Mom.
"And you knew?""
Mom didn't answer.
That silence destroyed something inside me.
Because Vanessa had acted out of jealousy.
But Mom had protected it.
Covered it.
Allowed it.
My phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered.
"Hello?""
"Claire," he said, "we completed our investigation.""
I stepped away.
"What did you find?""
A pause.
"We discovered someone attempted to interfere with your hiring process.""
I closed my eyes.
"Was it successful?""
"No.""
Relief.
Then:
"But there's something else.""
"What?""
"The person who contacted us wasn't only trying to damage your reputation.""
My heart raced.
"What were they trying to do?""
Daniel lowered his voice.
"They were trying to redirect your position to another candidate.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She looked terrified.
"Who?""
May you like
Daniel said:
"The candidate listed was Vanessa Morgan.""
