Chapter 3

I grabbed a stool and climbed up on it to pull open a drawer right at the top of the wardrobe. That black down jacket was indeed inside.

I reached into the inner pocket and found a plastic bag wrapped around something firm. Opening it, I saw that it really was my identification document.

I jumped down the stool and rushed to the dressing table.

Pushing away the expensive skincare box, I dug out my bank card from the depths of the gap behind the box.

I had just gotten my hands on the card. Before I even had the time to catch my breath, I heard the sound of a key being inserted into the keyhole at the entryway.

Creak…

The door was open.

My body stiffened as the blood froze in my veins.

[It’s your brother! He came back early!]

[Don’t make a sound. Don’t move!]

[He’s grabbing a drink from the fridge in the living room. He’ll head back to his room immediately to play games!]

Comments came in like a flood; some of them in red and bolded font, obscuring my vision.

I held my two cards tight. Pressing my body tightly against the wall behind the door of the bedroom door, I held my breath.

I could hear the sound of Hugh’s shoes dropping with a thud on the floor. He got changed into slippers and his footsteps neared the fridge.

Bam!

The fridge door was closed.

Hugh popped open the tab of a can of cola, took a huge gulp, and burped loudly. He then headed straight to his own room. The door was shut with a click.

It was followed by the loud sound of his game launching on his computer.

I leaned against the wall, my knees so weak I could hardly stand. Sweat had drenched the back of my shirt.

I waited for two whole minutes to be sure that he was wearing his earphones, then tiptoed back to my own room, sneaking in like a cat.

I shut the door and locked it.

I immediately grabbed a sewing kit and sewed my identification document and bank card into the inner compartment of my bag.

When I sewed the last stitch, I collapsed on my bed, all drained of energy.

During dinner, my mom sat at the head of the table and suddenly put her spoon down.

She fixed her gaze incisively at me.

“Sandra Chester. The identification document that I kept in my wardrobe and the bank card with money you earned from teaching tuition are missing. Did you take them?”

My heart leaped to my throat, my hand gripping my spoon so tightly it almost shook.

Comments started popping up wildly, catching my attention at once.

[Don’t panic! She has no proof.]

[She’s fooling you. She’s not even sure you’re the one who took it!]

[Look more indignant. Even better, drop a tear or two and give it your best shot with your acting chops!]

I lowered my head and blinked my eyes hard. My eyes turned red at once as tears welled up in them. I put my bowl down and spoke, my voice trembling and filled with indignation.

“Mom, how could you suspect me? Why would I take my identification document?

“Over these two weeks, I’ve been staying at home all day, cooking, cleaning and washing clothes for you. I seldom go out.

“Did you misplace it somewhere?”

For a long time, my mom stared at me doubtfully. My tears looked so genuine, she couldn’t find anything inconsistent with my claims.

She then dismissed the whole thing with a frown.

“Alright, enough crying. You’re ruining the mood in the entire house. Perhaps I brought it to work and stuffed it in some drawer. I’ll look for it again. If I can’t find it, hurry up and get a new one done.”

I lowered my head and focused on my meal, my bangs hiding the smirk on my face.

Three days later, I was informed by the comments that my letter of admission had come. I seized the chance while I was throwing out the trash to intercept the mailman.

I had received the letter of admission from Northland.

I wrapped it up in three layers of plastic.

Over the next few days, my mom kept asking me if I had received any letter of admission, to which I replied in the negative.

The doubt in my mom’s heart grew.

That night, I prepared to turn in.