She lifted her phone again. “I start sending these. And I let people decide what they see.”
My hands tightened at my sides. “You’d ruin her, too.”
Sarah shrugged. “Collateral damage.”
I looked at the floor for a second, forcing myself to think.
“You’d ruin her, too.”
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Two hundred thousand. Liquid assets. Savings. Emergency funds.
Everything I built to protect Maya.
Everything I promised myself I would never touch unless it was life or death.
That was both.
“Fine,” I finally said.
The word tasted wrong.
Everything I built to protect Maya.
Sarah blinked, surprised for just a second. “Smart choice.”
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“You leave today,” I added. “No contact. No messages. Nothing.”
“Of course. The moment I have the money.”
“I’ll get it.”
I grabbed my keys from the counter.
“Don’t go near her,” I said without turning around.
Sarah didn’t answer.
“Smart choice.”
***
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Hours later, I sat in the car, gripping the steering wheel, staring straight ahead.
Two hundred thousand. Gone.
Just like that.
But as I started the engine, one thought cut through everything else.
Sarah thought she had won. She thought that was the end. It wasn’t.
There was a backup plan.
Sarah thought she had won.
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***
When I walked back in, Sarah’s eyes immediately dropped to the bags in my hands, and she smiled.
“Now that,” she said, standing up, “looks like a smart decision.”
I set the bags on the table. Then, slipped my phone onto the counter. Screen down. Recording.
“Two hundred thousand. Like we agreed.”
She stepped closer, taking her time. “Open it.”
I unzipped one of the bags. Cash. Stacks of it.
Screen down. Recording.
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She ran her fingers over the money and let out a quiet breath. For a second, her mask slipped.“I underestimated you. Thought you’d fight longer.”
“Take it and leave.”
“That’s it? No speech? No drama?”
“You got what you wanted.”
She smiled wider. “Yes. And so did you. Silence is expensive.”
She ran her fingers over the money.
She started zipping the bag, then paused.
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“You know,” she added casually, “it would’ve been a great story. A man and a teenage girl living together… not actually related.”
I didn’t respond.
“People love stories like that.” She grabbed both bags and straightened. “Well, I guess that’s it.”
I looked just past her. “Now.”
“It would’ve been a great story. A man and a teenage girl living together.”
She frowned. “What—”
Maya stepped out of the hallway. Phone in her hands. Not shaking anymore.
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Sarah turned sharply. “What is this?”
I didn’t move. “Show her.”
Maya lifted the phone slightly. “I recorded everything. Like you told me to.”
Sarah froze.
“Show her.”
“I have even more,” Maya added. “I recorded everything you said to me. Every time you threatened me.”
“You think that matters?” Sarah snapped.
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Maya didn’t lower the phone. “You said you’d tell him I wasn’t his sister. You said he’d throw me out. You said I had to work or you’d ruin him.”
Sarah looked at me, then at Maya. The smile was gone.
“Fine,” she said coldly. “Enjoy your… perfect little life.”
“I recorded everything you said to me.”
She turned and walked to the door. We stood there for a moment.
“Is she really gone?” Maya asked quietly.
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“Yeah,” I said.
I walked into the kitchen and pulled out a small tub of ice cream.
Maya blinked. “You bought ice cream?”
“I stopped on the way. Felt like we’d need it.”
“You’re still my brother, right?”
She let out a soft laugh. We sat at the table.
“You’re still my brother, right?” Maya asked.
“Always,” I said.
She nodded and leaned against me.
And this time, there was nothing to question.
Just us. Finally safe.
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