Chapter 8: The Friend Who Betrayed Her
I drove to the university without telling Zoria.
Not because I wanted to hide something.
Because I wanted to understand first.
The dean met me in her office.
The same office where months earlier, she had congratulated my daughter.
Now, the atmosphere felt completely different.
She placed a file on the desk.
“We traced the changes.””
I opened it.
Inside were login records.
Emails.
Messages.
Everything.
Then I saw the name.
Ava Mitchell.
Zoria’s best friend.
I stared.
“No.””
Dr. Hayes watched my reaction.
“You know her?””
“She’s been Zoria’s friend since middle school.””
The dean nodded.
“That is why this is difficult.””
I read the records again.
Ava had accessed Zoria’s application.
Ava had edited drafts.
Ava had communicated with Valerie.
My hands tightened.
“Why?””
“That is what we are trying to understand.””
When I returned home, Zoria was sitting outside.
She immediately knew something was wrong.
“What happened?””
I sat beside her.
“I need to tell you something.””
Her expression changed.
“Is my scholarship gone?””
“No.””
She relaxed slightly.
“Then what?””
I handed her the file.
She read the first page.
Then froze.
“No.””
I watched her face collapse.
“No.””
“Zoria…”
“No.””
She stood.
“That’s impossible.””
“I’m sorry.””
“Ava?””
She shook her head.
“She’s my friend.””
“I know.””
“She helped me apply.””
“I know.””
“She was the person who stayed up with me when I was studying.””
“I know.””
Every sentence hurt more.
Because betrayal from strangers is expected.
Betrayal from someone who knows your dreams feels impossible.
Ava came over that evening.
I had called her.
She walked in and immediately saw Zoria’s face.
She knew.
“Please,” Ava whispered.
Zoria stared.
“Why?””
Ava started crying.
“I was angry.””
“At me?””
“No.””
“Then why?””
Ava looked down.
“Because everyone thought you were going to leave.””
Zoria frowned.
“What?””
“After college, you were going to become successful. You were going to move away.””
Ava’s voice broke.
“And I was going to stay here.””
I couldn’t believe it.
“So you destroyed her future because you were afraid of losing her?””
Ava cried harder.
“I didn’t mean to destroy it.””
Zoria looked at her.
“You changed my essay.””
“I only wanted you to delay.””
“You contacted my mother.””
“I thought she could convince you.””
“You gave her access.””
Ava covered her face.
“I was jealous.””
The same word again.
Jealousy.
The small emotion that had caused enormous damage.
Zoria sat down.
“I would have taken you with me.””
Ava looked up.
“What?””
“You were my best friend.””
That hurt more than anger.
Because it showed what Ava had destroyed.
Not just an opportunity.
A friendship.
The next morning, the university announced their decision.
Zoria’s scholarship would remain.
But there would be consequences.
For Valerie.
For Ava.
For everyone involved.
Zoria stood in front of the university building afterward.
“I thought this would make me happy.””
I looked at her.
“But?””
She looked at the students walking around.
“I got my future back.””
She smiled sadly.
“But I lost people.””
I put my hand on her shoulder.
“Sometimes losing people is how you make room for the ones who truly support you.””
She nodded.
Then her phone rang.
She answered.
Her face changed.
“What?””
I immediately knew.
“What happened?””
She ended the call slowly.
“Dad…”
“What?””
“The university found one more thing.””
My stomach tightened.
“What now?””
She looked at me.
“They found the original person who reported the scholarship fraud.””
I frowned.
“Who reported it?””
She handed me her phone.
The email was open.
At the bottom was a name.
A name that made both of us stop breathing.
Because it wasn’t Valerie.
It wasn’t Brielle.
May you like
It wasn’t Ava.
It was someone who had been gone for years.
