Chapter 3: The Secret She Buried
The next morning, I barely slept.
The email sat open on my laptop for hours.
I kept rereading the same sentence.
Application withdrawn by request.
Someone had canceled Claire’s chance.
But who?
And why did she think it was me?
At breakfast, nobody spoke.
The silence was unbearable.
Finally, Dad placed his coffee down.
“Claire.””
She looked up.
“What?””
“We need to talk.””
Her eyes immediately moved toward me.
“You told him?””
I frowned.
“Told him what?””
Dad looked between us.
“You know what.””
Claire stood up.
“I knew it.””
“Knew what?”” I asked.
“That you’d make yourself the victim.””
I pushed my chair back.
“I didn’t even know about your application.””
Her expression froze for a moment.
Just a moment.
Then the anger returned.
“You expect me to believe that?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because it’s the truth.””
Dad raised his hand.
“Enough.””
Claire sat down.
But she looked furious.
Dad placed the printed email on the table.
“Your application was withdrawn two weeks ago. Did you do it?””
“No.””
“Did your sister?””
Claire immediately looked at me.
“No.””
The answer came too quickly.
Dad noticed.
“So you admit someone else did it.””
Claire became quiet.
I watched her face.
She knew something.
“You know who did it,” I said.
She looked at me.
“No.””
But she couldn’t hold my gaze.
Dad leaned back.
“Claire.””
Her shoulders dropped.
“I don’t know.””
That was different.
Not no.
Not never.
Just…
I don’t know.
Dad noticed too.
“Then what do you know?””
Claire’s eyes filled with frustration.
“My application was rejected because someone told the counselor I wasn’t serious.””
“Who?””
“I don’t know.””
“When?””
“A month ago.””
My stomach tightened.
A month ago.
That was around the time I had started receiving scholarship interviews.
Dad looked angry.
“Why didn’t you tell us?””
Claire laughed.
“Because everyone would have compared us again.””
Nobody spoke.
Then Grandma entered the kitchen.
She had heard enough.
“Claire, sweetheart, hiding pain doesn’t make it disappear.””
My sister looked down.
“I thought if she failed too, I wouldn’t feel so behind.””
The honesty shocked me.
She finally admitted it.
The entire reason.
She didn’t want my future.
She wanted me to lose mine.
Dad closed his eyes.
“Claire…”
“I know.””
Her voice was smaller.
“I know it was wrong.””
I wanted to stay angry.
I really did.
But seeing my sister sitting there, looking like a child who had gotten lost, made something inside me soften.
Then my phone rang.
I looked at the screen.
Unknown number.
I almost ignored it.
But something made me answer.
“Hello?””
A woman’s voice spoke.
“Is this Emma Parker?””
“Yes.””
“This is Weston Ridge University admissions.””
My heart jumped.
“Is something wrong?””
There was a pause.
“We need to discuss your scholarship documents.””
I stood up.
“What about them?””
The woman hesitated.
“Emma, we received a complaint that your scholarship letter was obtained through false information.””
My face went numb.
“What?””
Across the table, Dad noticed my expression.
“Emma?””
The woman continued.
“We need you to come in for a review meeting.””
I could barely speak.
“Who made the complaint?””
Another pause.
Then she said:
“We’re not supposed to disclose that yet.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“But I think you should know something.””
“What?””
“The complaint was filed using your sister’s name.””
I slowly turned toward Claire.
Her face had gone completely white.
Because she knew exactly what was happening.
Someone had used her name.
May you like
Someone had framed her.
And now both of our futures were at risk.
