Chapter 3

Dad was so angry at my challenge that he actually laughed. "You're five years old. What could you possibly have to bet with?"

For a moment, I felt helpless. He was right. What could a five-year-old possibly wager?

But then Aunt Mallory pulled me firmly into her arms.

"I believe him. I'll make the bet for him. If the stock doesn't go up, I'll pay back every cent of that $30,000, even if I have to sell everything I own. But if it does go up, Reed comes to live with me. Permanently."

I stared at Aunt Mallory in shock, tears gathering in my eyes.

"Fine. I've wanted to get rid of that little prick for ages anyway. If you want him, take him!" Dad shouted. "But you said it yourself. If the stock doesn't go up, you owe me that $30,000! And I want it in writing, in front of the whole family!"

"Fine. We'll make the guardianship transfer official tomorrow, and I'll sign the agreement then. But you have to promise me one thing. From that day forward, you can never try to take him back for any reason."

With that, Aunt Mallory took my hand and led me outside.

"Aunt Mallory, why do you believe me so much? What if the stock loses money?" I asked anxiously.

She gently stroked my hair. "It doesn't matter. As long as I can get you out of that house."

That broke me. I threw myself into her arms and burst into tears.

So I wasn't unworthy of being loved after all. There was still someone in this world who loved me.

Early the next morning, we went to make the guardianship transfer official.

Mom and Dad arrived with Preston. Dad gave Aunt Mallory a contemptuous look.

"Mallory, you'd better think this through. You don't even have children of your own yet. Don't come crying to us later, begging us to take Reed back. If you apologize to me right now and hand over your wedding money like you're supposed to, maybe we can forget this whole thing ever happened."

"I think you're the ones who'd better not come crying to me later, begging to have Reed back," Aunt Mallory shot back. "Once we make our money, maybe if you apologize nicely enough, I'll throw you a little something."

Dad's face twisted with rage. "You really won't learn until it hurts, will you? Fine. Let's put it in writing right now. If that stock doesn't go up, you'll pay back twice the wedding money!"

I almost couldn't believe my ears. When had he quietly doubled the stakes?

But Aunt Mallory didn't look the least bit intimidated. "Sure. Then if you lose, you pay me $60,000. Fair is fair."

Plenty of relatives had come along to watch the spectacle, and they immediately nodded in agreement.

"She's right. You can't expect her to be the only one risking anything."

Mom secretly pinched Dad's arm, warning him not to take the bet.

But Dad cared more about his pride than anything else. With everyone watching, there was no way he would back down.

"Fine! Forget $60,000. I'll pay you $100,000! Because there's no way I'm losing!"

He and Aunt Mallory signed the agreement.

Just as she was about to take me away, someone suddenly shoved me hard from behind.

I turned around and found Preston standing there, glaring at me. "You little thief! Don't even think about taking my money! And that old woman's money is mine too! Then I can buy tons and tons of lollipops!"

By the time he finished, he was practically drooling at the thought.

An idea suddenly occurred to me. I leaned closer and whispered in his ear, "Go look under Mom and Dad's bed."

I didn't bother checking whether he'd heard me clearly. I simply left with Aunt Mallory.

Three days later, we went to the stock exchange.

Online trading wasn't widely available yet, so investors had to watch the screens at the exchange to see stock prices rise and fall.

Aunt Mallory's palm was slick with sweat around mine. She kept saying she believed me, but I knew she wasn't nearly as confident as she pretended to be.

Then Mom and Dad arrived with a whole crowd of relatives who'd come to watch the show.

The first thing someone said when they saw us was, "Mallory, does Grant know you invested all the money he gave you for the wedding? If you lose it all, he's going to kill you! Worst case, I guess you can always find another man and get another wedding fund."

"The results aren't even out yet. How do you know I'm going to lose?" Aunt Mallory snapped.

Dad proudly pushed Preston forward. "Because the miracle child who can see the future is actually my younger son! There really is a stock that's going to increase thirtyfold. But it isn't Westfield Steel."

He grinned. "It's Cisco Steel."