Chapter 5
I stared at those words and couldn't help but laugh.
Noelle had already gone to college using my name, but it wasn't enough.
Now, even her crime of killing a person was going to be pinned on me.
I didn't even touch that confession letter.
Javier stood by the coffee table, his voice barely above a whisper.
He said, "The car's registered under my name, but the surveillance footage from that night is blurry.
"Noelle's been using your identity for her internship. If you admit it, everything will line up perfectly."
I looked at him.
I echoed, "Everything will line up perfectly?"
"So you guys care about logic when you try to pin this on me?"
My dad frowned.
He said, "Ava, this isn't the time to act up.
"The victim's family wants money. We'll cover it.
"If you end up doing a few years, we'll make sure you're taken care of."
My mom grabbed my hand, tears streaming down her face.
She sobbed, "Noelle can't go to jail.
"She's about to get into grad school. Her future is so bright.
"It's not the same for you. You never even went to college anyway."
Her grip was so tight it hurt.
I looked down at her.
"Did you seriously forget why I never got to go to college?" I said.
Her sobs caught in her throat.
Suddenly, Noelle slid off the couch and dropped to her knees in front of me.
She said, "Ava, I swear I didn't mean to do it.
"I was just so scared.
"I went over to see him. He was still breathing. I honestly thought he'd make it."
A chill ran down my spine.
She'd let it slip.
I lowered my gaze, making sure the red recording dot on my phone stayed hidden.
Javier barked at her, "Noelle!"
Noelle's face went pale as she hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand.
My dad looked at me.
"You must've misheard," he said.
I nodded.
"Maybe," I said.
Pretending to be completely broken, I sank into the couch, my voice barely above a whisper.
"If I take the blame, what do I get out of it?" I asked.
The Foley family all froze.
My mom was the first to react.
"Ava, whatever you want, I'll give it to you," she said, her voice trembling.
I said, "I want one million dollars."
Javier's expression darkened.
"Are you out of your mind?" he snapped.
I looked at him.
"Is Noelle's future worth only one million dollars?" I shot back.
The living room was so quiet that I could hear Noelle sniffling.
My dad was silent for a long moment.
He finally said, "Fine.
"But you have to sign first."
I let out a laugh.
"Send me one million dollars as a down payment first," I said.
Javier stared at me like he was seeing me for the first time.
"Ava, when did you become like this?" he asked.
I shot back, "Like what?
"Because I know how to talk money now, or because I finally learned to stand up for myself?"
He was left speechless.
That night, they wired me one million dollars.
The memo read: [Family Compensation.]
I took a screenshot of the transfer and sent it to Elle, along with the recording.
I'd met Elle when I was sitting in on a court session.
She was representing a woman who'd been domestically abused, and as they left the courtroom, the woman cried while thanking her.
I chased after her and told her everything about my situation.
After I finished, she just asked me one question.
"Do you want money, or do you want your identity back?"
I said, "I want them to return my name to me."
She handed me her business card.
Elle said, "Don't just cry.
"Evidence matters more than tears."
From that day on, I learned to record conversations, back up evidence, gather proof, and file for public records.
I also learned how to act vulnerable whenever I was around the Foley family.
After the accident, the Foley family figured I'd finally caved.
They took me to see a lawyer and started telling me exactly what to say.
Javier handed me a sheet of paper.
He said, "Just say you were feeling down that night, had a few drinks, and went out for a drive to clear your head.
"Then, when you hit someone, you panicked and ran."
I asked, "Where did I get the car?"
He said, "I lent it to you."
I pressed further, "But the surveillance shows the driver in a white dress. I was working at the supermarket that night, wearing my uniform."
Noelle blurted out, "Ava, just say you changed clothes."
I looked at her.
"So you've even planned what I was supposed to wear?" I said.
Her eyes were filled with tears again.
She said, "I don't have any other option.
"I can't go to jail."
I stared at Noelle. "So it's okay for that delivery driver to die?"
Noelle froze.
The Foley family all looked grim.
My mom said quietly, "He's gone.
"We need to focus on the living now."
That last bit of warmth in my chest was completely snuffed out by those words.
In their eyes, the dead were a problem they could pay to make go away.
And me, who was still alive, was another thing they could settle with cash.
Noelle's future, though, was untouchable and worth more than anything else.
The night before the trial, my mom showed up at my rented apartment.
She stood at the door, holding a thermos of chicken soup, her hair noticeably grayer than before.
I didn't let her in.
She set the thermos down on the floor.
Mom said softly, "Ava, I know you've been through a lot.
"But your sister's always been delicate since she was little. She's just not cut out for tough times."
I just stared at her in silence.
"So I'm the one who's supposed to take all the pain?" I said.
Tears welled up in her eyes.
Mom said, "Ava, you're my child. Our hearts are tied together.
"I would never do anything to hurt you."
I let out a laugh.
"You've already hurt me enough," I said.
She looked like I'd just stabbed her.
She asked, "How can you say that?
"After all these years, didn't we take care of you?"
I pulled out my phone and opened a photo I'd kept for four years.
Noelle was standing at the entrance of Natarhen University, holding my acceptance letter in her hand.
I held the phone out to her.
I said, "Take a good look.
"The one you've been taking care of is Noelle.
"You have destroyed me."
She looked away, uneasy, turning her face aside.
Mom whispered, "It's all in the past now.
"If you keep clinging to the past, you'll drive yourself crazy."
I put my phone away.
"After tomorrow, the past won't be just the past anymore," I said.
She didn't get it.
I didn't bother explaining, because dawn was almost here.
Finally, I was about to expose every filthy secret the Foley family had hidden for four years to the public.