Chapter 2

"How much are these parts worth now?"

"Used market value? The motherboard assembly's maybe worth $400. The two RAM sticks, around $80. SSD, maybe $40. Altogether, under $600."

"What about my original parts?"

"Your original motherboard assembly, including the CPU and GPU, would be worth around $3,500. The RAM, about $500. SSD, around $600. Just those three components alone are worth roughly $4,600."

$4,600.

$600.

A $4,000 difference.

"What about the warranty?"

"Opening the laptop and replacing parts without authorization counts as user damage, so it's not covered. And since the original hardware's gone, that's considered property loss. You'll need to contact whoever borrowed it."

I paid the inspection fee and took the certified report.

***

The second I walked outside, I called Vivian.

She picked up on the sixth ring. Loud music and chatter blasted in the background—sounded like she was at the mall.

Her voice was lazy. "Hey, Lindsay."

"Vivian, we need to talk about the laptop."

"The laptop? Didn't I already give it back?"

"I went to the authorized service center today. The report says the motherboard assembly, RAM, and SSD were all swapped out for cheap used parts."

Silence.

Then—

"What?"

"The original $4,600 hardware was replaced with maybe $600 worth of cheap used parts. That's a $4,000 difference."

"What are you trying to say?" Her voice jumped an octave. "You think I swapped your parts? Why would I even do that? I don't know anything about computers!"

"Two months ago, you said the laptop kept crashing and you took it somewhere to reinstall the system."

"Yeah! They just reinstalled Windows! That's it!"

"What shop was it?"

"I—I don't remember! Just some random repair place downstairs from work!"

"Does reinstalling Windows require opening the laptop and replacing hardware?"

"How would I know? I wasn't standing there watching them!" Her voice turned sharp. "Lindsay Lane, you cannot seriously think I told some repair shop to steal your parts. Why the hell would I do that? What would I even get out of it?"

"What would you get out of it?" I repeated. "Maybe you figured I'd never notice. Or maybe you just didn't care."

"That's insane!"

"I have the certified report right here. You owe me $4,000."

"Four thousand dollars?!" she shrieked. "Are you serious right now? I borrowed your stupid laptop and suddenly you want four grand? What, you think I'm made of money?"

"It's not a stupid laptop. It's a high-end work machine. And I'm not asking for free money. $4,600 worth of my hardware was replaced."

"I didn't do anything! I didn't!"

"Tomorrow afternoon. Starbucks. We're talking face-to-face."

"I have nothing to say to you! If you wanna talk, tell your mom to call my mom!"

She hung up on me.

I stood there on the sidewalk, my hand shaking so hard I could barely hold my phone.

Four thousand dollars.

To me, that was rent, gas, bills, and the certification course I'd been saving up for.

To her, it was probably just a couple designer bags and makeup runs.

And I was supposed to just let it go?

***

When I got home, Mom was already parked in the living room.

The second I walked in, she started.

"Lindsay, what's going on? Vivian just called me sobbing. She said you accused her of stealing your laptop parts and demanded four grand."

I pulled the inspection report out of my bag. "Mom, read this. It's from the authorized service center."

She didn't even take it. "I don't understand any of that tech stuff."

"The hardware was swapped. The original parts were worth forty-six hundred. What's in there now is $600 worth of garbage."

She frowned. "What are you trying to say? Vivian's your cousin. You really think she'd replace your laptop parts?"

"It happened while the laptop was with her."

"That doesn't prove Vivian did it. What if the repair shop did something? She's just a girl. How would she even know about this stuff?"

"Maybe she doesn't. But she handed my laptop to someone who does. Then acted like nothing happened."