Chapter 7: The Name on the Account
Aaliyah stared at the screen.
Her name sat beneath the corporate filing like a verdict.
*Beneficiary: Aaliyah Carter.*
She read it twice.
Then a third time.
“No.””
Marcus reached for Dana's phone.
“Let me see that.””
Dana handed it over.
Marcus scanned the document, his expression becoming harder with every line.
“This isn't possible.””
Aaliyah's voice was barely above a whisper.
“Apparently it is.””
Marcus looked at her.
“You didn't know about this?””
“Of course I didn't know.””
“You're certain?””
The question hurt.
Aaliyah stepped back.
“You think I did this?””
“No.””
“You asked me if I'm certain.””
“Because I need to understand what we're dealing with.””
“You need to believe me first.””
Marcus's face softened.
“I do.””
“Then don't look at me like I'm the person who stole something.””
“I don't.””
“You do.””
Dana stepped between them.
“Stop.””
Both looked at her.
“This is exactly what whoever did this wants.””
Aaliyah frowned.
“What?””
“They want you questioning each other.””
Harris nodded.
“She’s right.””
Dana pointed at the screen.
“The beneficiary designation may be fraudulent, but the account itself exists. Someone created it using your father's corporate identity and attached your name.””
Aaliyah stared at the document.
“Why would they choose me?””
Nobody answered.
Then Marcus said quietly, “Because hurting you would hurt me.””
Aaliyah looked at him.
“And because they knew you would protect me.””
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“So they could use me.””
“Exactly.””
Brianna slowly raised her hand.
“There’s something else.””
Aaliyah turned.
“What?””
“The folder.””
Marcus looked at her.
“You said it was gone.””
“It was.””
“Then how do you know?””
Brianna pulled out her phone.
“I took pictures.””
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
“Of the folder?””
“Some of it.””
“When?””
“Last night.””
Aaliyah stepped closer.
“Why?””
“Because I got scared.””
“You knew this was happening last night?””
Brianna shook her head.
“I knew something was wrong.””
She opened her photo gallery.
There were dozens of pictures.
Screenshots.
Documents.
Email chains.
Bank statements.
Aaliyah leaned closer.
“That's the scholarship foundation.””
Brianna swiped.
“There.””
A spreadsheet appeared.
Rows of student names.
Dates.
Amounts.
Account numbers partially hidden.
Aaliyah recognized several students.
Then she saw her own name.
Beside it was a payment.
*$75,000.*
Her stomach dropped.
“I never received that.””
Marcus stared.
“I know.””
Dana zoomed in.
“The money wasn't paid directly to her.””
“Where did it go?”” Harris asked.
Brianna swiped again.
“It went into an intermediary account.””
“What intermediary?”” Marcus asked.
Brianna hesitated.
“Carter Holdings.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
The room seemed to tilt.
Aaliyah looked at him.
“Dad.””
“I've never owned that account.””
“Then someone used your identity.””
“Yes.””
“But why route the money through a company connected to you?””
Marcus shook his head.
“To make it look like I was laundering scholarship funds.””
Dana's face hardened.
“And if someone connected those payments to Aaliyah…”
“They could accuse her of benefiting from it,” Aaliyah finished.
Brianna nodded.
“Exactly.””
Aaliyah looked at the next photograph.
It was a scanned email.
The sender was Professor Reed.
The recipient was someone whose address ended in a private domain.
The message was short.
*The student has no idea what her father is protecting. Continue with the pressure.*
Aaliyah's breath caught.
“Student.””
Marcus leaned over her shoulder.
“Keep going.””
The next line read:
*Once she loses her honors status, Marcus will react.*
Aaliyah looked at her father.
“This was planned.””
Marcus nodded.
“From the beginning.””
Another photograph.
Another email.
This one had no text.
Just an attachment.
A contract.
At the bottom was a signature.
Aaliyah stared.
“I know that name.””
Marcus took the phone.
His face went blank.
“Who is it?”” Harris asked.
Marcus didn't answer.
Aaliyah looked at him.
“Dad?””
He finally spoke.
“Evan Price.””
“Who's Evan Price?””
“My former chief financial officer.””
Dana's eyes widened.
“Former?””
“He resigned seven months ago.””
“Why?””
Marcus stared at the photograph.
“He said he wanted to spend more time with his family.””
Dana shook her head.
“That was before the first complaint.””
Marcus nodded.
“Six months ago.””
Aaliyah's voice sharpened.
“Did he have access to your office?””
“Yes.””
“Your company records?””
“Yes.””
“My scholarship information?””
“I don't know.””
Dana said, “He would have.””
Marcus looked at her.
“What?””
“As CFO, he would have had access to financial systems.””
Aaliyah felt sick.
“So he could have created Carter Holdings.””
“Possibly,” Dana said.
“He could have copied Dad's signature.””
“Possibly.””
“He could have moved scholarship money.””
Marcus looked at her.
“And made it look like I did it.””
Aaliyah swallowed.
“But why?””
Brianna spoke.
“There’s one more photo.””
She opened it.
Aaliyah stared.
It was a screenshot from a university email.
A message from Professor Reed to Evan Price.
*She has to believe her father is responsible.*
Underneath:
*If she goes to him, he'll expose everything.*
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
“Expose what?””
Brianna shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Aaliyah looked at the timestamp.
The message had been sent seven months ago.
Before Marcus ever met Reed about the scholarship records.
Before the complaint.
Before Brianna's interview.
Before everything.
“Dad.””
Marcus looked at her.
“This started before the complaint.””
“Yes.””
“Before you knew Reed was involved.””
“Yes.””
“Before Brianna.””
“Yes.””
“Then why did they involve her?””
Brianna's eyes dropped.
Aaliyah turned.
“Brianna?””
She took a breath.
“Because I was supposed to get close to you.””
Aaliyah froze.
“What?””
Brianna started crying.
“Not at first.””
“Explain.””
“Reed knew we were friends.””
“So?””
“He told me to find out whether you had seen any of your father's financial documents.””
Aaliyah stared.
“And you did?””
“I asked questions.””
“What questions?””
“About your dad. His company. His work.””
“You asked me if he had ever shown me confidential files.””
“Yes.””
Aaliyah felt a cold emptiness.
“I thought you were curious.””
“I know.””
“You weren't my friend.””
“I was.””
“Were you?””
Brianna wiped her eyes.
“I became your friend because I liked you.””
Aaliyah said nothing.
“But then Reed started threatening me.””
“With what?””
“My scholarship.””
Tasha stepped forward.
“He had pictures of Brianna taking money from her mother.””
Brianna looked at her.
“Don't.””
Tasha continued.
“He said if she didn't cooperate, he'd tell the university Brianna had lied on her financial aid forms.””
Brianna nodded.
“I was trapped.””
Aaliyah's anger softened for one second.
Then she remembered the email.
“You still sent it.””
“Yes.””
“You still tried to get me expelled.””
“I thought if you were disqualified, they'd stop watching you.””
Aaliyah stared.
“That doesn't make sense.””
“I know.””
Brianna covered her face.
“I was scared.””
Marcus spoke quietly.
“Fear explains what you did.””
Brianna lowered her hands.
“It doesn't excuse it.””
“No.””
He looked at her.
“But it means someone was using you.””
Aaliyah turned toward the window.
The sky outside had begun to darken.
Graduation day was ending.
Families were leaving campus.
The balloons were disappearing.
And somewhere, someone was watching them.
Her phone buzzed.
Aaliyah looked down.
A message from an unknown number.
*You found Evan. Good.*
Another message appeared.
*Now ask Marcus why Evan left.*
Aaliyah looked at her father.
“Why did Evan really leave?””
Marcus didn't answer.
“Dad.””
He exhaled.
“I found a discrepancy in the company's books.””
“What kind?””
“Money missing.””
“How much?””
“Almost two million dollars.””
Aaliyah stared.
“Two million?””
Marcus nodded.
“I confronted Evan.””
“What did he say?””
“He said I was mistaken.””
“Were you?””
“No.””
“What happened next?””
“He resigned.””
“Did you report him?””
Marcus shook his head.
“Why?””
“Because I couldn't prove it.””
Aaliyah stared at him.
“Or because you were protecting him?””
Marcus looked wounded.
“No.””
The phone buzzed again.
A photograph appeared.
Marcus and Evan.
Standing outside Marcus's office.
The timestamp was six months ago.
But what caught Aaliyah's attention wasn't Evan.
It was the man standing behind them.
A man she recognized from campus.
Professor Reed.
Aaliyah zoomed in.
“Dad.””
Marcus leaned closer.
His face changed.
Reed wasn't merely standing there.
He was handing Evan an envelope.
Marcus whispered,
“I never saw that.””
Aaliyah looked at the timestamp.
Then at the photograph.
Then at Marcus.
“If Reed and Evan were working together…”
She stopped.
Dana finished the thought.
“Then the money, the forged documents, the scholarship account, and the university complaints may all be part of one operation.””
Harris looked at the screen.
“Then we need Evan.””
Marcus nodded.
“I'll find him.””
“No,” Harris said.
“We'll find him.””
Before anyone could respond, Brianna's phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Her face went white.
“It's him.””
Aaliyah stepped closer.
“Who?””
Brianna whispered,
“Evan.””
She answered.
For several seconds, there was only static.
Then a man's voice said,
“Brianna, if Marcus is there, put him on.””
Marcus took the phone.
“Evan.””
A pause.
“You finally figured it out.””
“Where are you?””
“Somewhere you should have looked six months ago.””
“Tell me.””
“You still think Reed is the mastermind.””
Marcus went silent.
Evan laughed softly.
“He isn't.””
Aaliyah's pulse raced.
Marcus asked, “Then who is?””
Evan's voice lowered.
“Ask the person who knew about your daughter's scholarship before I did.””
The call ended.
Everyone looked at one another.
Aaliyah whispered,
“Who knew?””
Marcus slowly turned toward her.
His face was filled with dread.
“There was one person.””
“Who?””
Marcus looked at Dana.
Then at Tasha.
May you like
Then back at Aaliyah.
“Your mother.””