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Chapter 6
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They Called It Fairness Chapter 10
The investigation moved fast. Partly because the evidence was overwhelming—the Fairness System had been recording everything, location data and biometrics and communication logs that painted an ugly picture. Partly because Kowalski, the moment he was offered a deal, began singing like a canary in a cage full of cats.The charges piled up. Kidnapping. Conspiracy to commit trafficking. Assault with a deadly weapon. My father's business records were subpoenaed, and what emerged was even uglier than anyone expected—decades of bribery, money laundering, and backroom deals that had nothing to do with me.Enzo Costello was sentenced to death.Catherine Costello received fifteen years. Marcus, ten. Brittany, as a minor tried in juvenile court, would be in a detention facility until she turned twenty-one, then transferred to adult prison for another five.Kowalski took a plea deal that landed him in a maximum-security cell for the rest of his natural life. The prosecution didn't have to work ha
They Called It Fairness Chapter 9
My father pulled the door open with the theatrical flair of a man who'd been waiting years to play the conquering hero."Mr. Kowalski. Right on time."The man who filled the doorframe was built like a side of beef—broad shoulders gone soft, a gut that strained against his suit jacket, a face pocked and cratered like the surface of a bad road. He smelled of expensive cologne and old sweat. His eyes moved across the room with the slow, proprietary assessment of someone accustomed to appraising merchandise."Enzo." He didn't extend a hand. "This is the girl?""My daughter. Valentina." My father gestured toward me like a maître d' presenting the wine list. "Underage. Untouched. Complete discretion included in the arrangement."Kowalski stepped closer. I forced myself not to recoil—the zip ties had cut off circulation in my wrists, and every movement sent fire up my arms. My ribs ached where Brittany had kicked me. Something in my left side clicked when I breathed."She's banged up," Kowals
They Called It Fairness Chapter 8
I should have told her to leave.I should have pressed the button, said no, and gone back to my university applications. Every instinct I'd developed over the past year—every lesson this family had taught me—screamed at me to keep the door locked.But something in her voice gave me pause. I'd heard my mother sound many things—dismissive, calculating, coldly affectionate. I'd never heard her sound desperate.I buzzed her up.She stood in my doorway like a stranger who'd wandered into the wrong apartment. Her hair, usually styled into sleek submission, hung limp around her shoulders. Her clothes were off the rack—still expensive, but not bespoke. Her jewelry was gone except for her wedding ring, which looked looser than I remembered."Valentina." Her eyes filled with tears. "My baby. You've been alone out here. I've been so worried."She reached for me. I stepped back."What do you want, Catherine?"The name landed like a slap. She'd always been "Mom" to me—even when she didn't deserve i
They Called It Fairness Chapter 7
I moved out that weekend.Not dramatically—no slammed doors, no tearful confrontations. I packed two suitcases and a duffel bag, called a car service with the money I'd saved from tutoring underclassmen, and left while the house was still sleeping off the previous night's whiskey.The apartment I rented was a one-bedroom walk-up in a neighborhood my father would never visit. The floors sloped. The radiator knocked. The view from my window was a brick wall and three pigeons engaged in what appeared to be a territorial dispute.I loved it immediately.It was mine. No one here would tell me where to sit, what to eat, or whether I was allowed to exist in a room.For two weeks, I did nothing but study. Finals were approaching, and I'd lost months to Brittany's sabotage. I worked through calculus problem sets at the kitchen table. I memorized historical dates while eating takeout from a Thai place that knew my order by the third visit. I slept eight hours a night and woke up without dread po
They Called It Fairness Chapter 6
The front door opened fifteen minutes later.Two officers stepped into the foyer, their faces arranged in the careful neutrality of people who'd rather be anywhere else. Brittany rushed toward them before they'd finished crossing the threshold."That's her." She pointed at me. "Valentina Costello. She tampered with school records to inflate her grades and defraud the government equity system."My mother's hand flew to her chest. "Is this true?""I saw it myself," Brittany said. "Three consecutive assessments. Bottom of the class. Every single one. There's no way she earned a top ranking without manipulating the data." She turned back to the officers. "She probably bribed someone in the registrar's office. Or hacked the database. I want her arrested."The older officer—his badge read Devereux—held up a hand. "Slow down. We don't arrest people on conjecture. We need to understand what we're looking at first.""I'm happy to explain," I said. "The three failed assessments are real. But the
They Called It Fairness Chapter 5
The share allocation hit the company portal at seven in the morning.I was at the breakfast table when the notifications started firing. My father's phone buzzed first, then Marcus's, then the house line began ringing with the particular insistence of lawyers and board members who hadn't been consulted.Brittany came down the stairs already smiling. She'd dressed for the occasion—tailored blazer, her hair swept into something sleek and expensive-looking. She wanted to be camera-ready when her victory became official."Check the portal, Valentina," she said, pouring herself a cappuccino from the buffet. "I think you'll find the numbers interesting."My father opened his tablet. The color drained from his face."What the hell is this?"I didn't need to look. I'd already seen the notification on my own phone, a quiet buzz against my thigh while I buttered my toast.COSTELLO ENTERPRISES — EQUITY RESTRUCTURINGValentina Costello: 65% controlling interestMarcus Costello: 35%Brittany Costel
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