Chapter 10 - FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS

Daniel took one step toward Ethan.

Ryan moved between them.

“Easy.”

Daniel didn’t even look at him.

“You stole from me?”

Ethan shook his head.

“I borrowed it.”

“You transferred company money without permission.”

“I was going to pay it back.”

“Everybody was going to pay everything back.”

His voice echoed across the parking lot.

A family near the convenience store looked over.

Daniel didn’t care.

“Rosa’s wages. The vendor tips. Company money. What is wrong with you people?”

Claire crossed her arms.

“Don’t lump me in with him.”

Ethan laughed bitterly.

“You asked me for it.”

“You offered.”

“You cried for two hours and told me Daniel was controlling you financially.”

Daniel stared at Claire.

She didn’t deny it.

Ethan continued.

“You said he wouldn’t let you access your own money.”

Daniel’s voice went cold.

“Her own money?”

Claire snapped, “You gave me an allowance.”

“I paid every household expense and transferred ten thousand dollars a month into your personal account.”

Ethan looked at her.

“Ten grand?”

Claire glared at him.

“That’s not the point.”

Daniel almost couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

“Why did you need fifty thousand dollars?”

Claire’s silence answered.

Daniel stepped closer.

“What did you spend it on?”

“Nothing.”

“Where is it?”

“Invested.”

“In what?”

Her eyes flicked away.

Ethan whispered, “Claire.”

She snapped, “Shut up.”

Daniel looked at his brother.

“What?”

Ethan rubbed his face.

“She invested with a guy named Marcus.”

Daniel frowned.

“Marcus who?”

“Vale.”

Ryan swore softly.

Daniel looked at him.

“You know him?”

Ryan nodded.

“Online trading guy. Crypto. Luxury lifestyle. Got sued last year.”

Daniel turned back to Claire.

“You gave fifty thousand dollars to some internet trader?”

“It wasn’t like that.”

“How much did you lose?”

Claire said nothing.

“How much?”

“All of it.”

Ethan looked stunned.

“You told me it doubled.”

Claire turned on him.

“I was trying to fix it!”

Daniel stared.

There was that word again.

Fix.

Every lie was a fix.

Every theft was temporary.

Every victim was inconvenient.

Every consequence was someone else’s fault.

Claire started crying.

Real tears this time.

“I was going to make it back.”

Daniel shook his head.

“You don’t understand what you did.”

“Yes, I do.”

“No. You still think the problem is money.”

“What else is it?”

Daniel stared at her.

“That you were willing to destroy a stranger’s life to hide your mistake.”

Claire wiped her face.

“You think Miguel’s life would be destroyed?”

Daniel went still.

She realized too late what she had said.

“What?”

“I didn’t mean—”

“You thought he’d be fine?”

“No.”

“You thought he’d get arrested, lose his job, maybe get charged with theft, and that was acceptable because what? He’s just a waiter?”

Claire closed her eyes.

Daniel felt something in him finally break.

Not rage.

Attachment.

The last thread.

Gone.

Police lights appeared at the entrance of the rest area.

Claire turned.

Two patrol cars approached.

Ethan whispered, “Did you call them?”

Daniel shook his head.

“No.”

Claire looked around wildly.

Then she grabbed Ethan’s keys from the hood.

“Claire,” Daniel said.

She ran for the car.

Ethan lunged.

“What the hell?”

Claire got into the driver’s seat.

Daniel reached the door just as the engine started.

“Get out.”

She locked it.

“Claire!”

She slammed the car into reverse.

Ryan jumped back.

Tires screamed.

Claire spun the wheel and shot toward the exit.

One patrol car swerved to block her.

She accelerated.

Daniel’s heart stopped.

“Claire, don’t.”

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