Chapter 4

Kelly's POV

I fell to the ground. The impact left my tailbone numb, and for a second, I couldn't even process what had happened.

"Noah, what money?" I asked, confused.

He was shaking with panic and anger. "Most of the money I've made over the years has gone toward your medical bills, but I saved 50 thousand dollars to study abroad. Now it's gone! I'll give you anything else you want, but please give me the money back!"

His voice turned pleading. Mom and Amanda immediately rushed over to calm him down.

Dad grabbed me roughly and pulled me aside, his face grim. He seemed to be clamping down on his anger as he said, "Kelly, even if you're angry that your mom stopped your physical therapy, you shouldn't steal Noah's money."

Cold sweat broke out on my forehead as I protested, "Dad, I didn't! I swear I didn't touch his money."

Noah gave a mocking laugh behind me. "I never told anyone about that money. I hid it carefully under the couch. You slept on the couch. So tell me, if it wasn't you, who was it?"

My mind raced, but I had no idea what had happened to his money.

Just as I was about to tell him to double-check whether he'd left it somewhere else, Mom's cold voice cut in. "Don't bother wasting your breath. She's never going to admit it."

She turned to me with disdain, looking at me as if I were a stranger rather than her daughter.

"Kelly, I'm not going to ask you to return that money. Consider it payment in full for everything Noah and Amanda owe you."

I sank to the ground, staring blankly at Mom. In that moment, whatever warmth I had left vanished.

Dad sighed, his face full of disappointment. "Let's go home."

The four of them quickly headed for the car. Not one of them asked me to come along.

Mom's hand lingered on the door for a moment. Then the door slammed shut.

I sat on the ground with my damaged leg stretched out in front of me. Passersby occasionally shot me strange looks.

I didn't know how long I sat there until the sky began to lighten.

I checked my phone and saw a notification. Dad had removed me from the family group chat. I blinked, but this time, no tears fell.

When I felt a little strength return to my leg, I grabbed onto the wall, hauled myself up, and started limping toward the street to hail a cab to the airport.

…

Third-person's POV

None of the Finchers slept well that night. They tore Kelly's room apart looking for the 50,000 dollars but found nothing.

Viola Reyes cursed Kelly for being such a sneaky thief, insisting that she must have hidden the money somewhere. Yet every now and then, she glanced toward the front door.

Morning came, and Kelly still hadn't returned home. That only made Viola more irritated. She gritted her teeth and muttered, "That brat! She stole the money and still won't give in."

Noah came over looking embarrassed, a bank card in his hand. "Mom... I found the money."

He'd deposited the cash into his bank account a few days earlier because he was worried about keeping so much cash at home. He'd only just remembered that.

The four of them stared at the bank card for a long moment. They finally realized they'd accused Kelly of something she hadn't done.

Finally, Peter Fincher cleared his throat. "I'll call Kelly and tell her to come home for dinner."

None of them mentioned apologizing. It seemed that asking Kelly to come home was already the biggest concession they were willing to make.

But when Peter called Kelly's number, all he heard was an automated message saying that the number was no longer in service.