Chapter 2 - The Digital Breadcrumbs
The next morning, I didn't send the money.
Instead, I called the florist directly.
"Hi, this is Eleanor Marsh, I'm calling about the floral arrangements for Natalie's wedding," I said politely.
"Oh, yes! The roses and lilies," the owner replied cheerfully. "You're all paid up for the eight-thousand-dollar package."
"Eight thousand?" I asked, gripping my phone tighter. "Not fifteen?"
"Nope! Natalie actually downgraded the package last week to save some cash."
I thanked her and hung up, my hands trembling.
She was stealing from me. My own sister was inflating the prices, pocketing the difference, and treating me like an ATM.
I needed more proof, so I did something I wasn't proud of.
I logged into the old shared family email account we used for Amazon Prime, hoping she was careless.
She was.
There was a folder labeled 'Vendor Contracts - Real'.
I spent the next three hours reading through emails between Natalie, my parents, and the vendors.
She hadn't just faked the florist invoice. She had faked the catering, the venue fee, and the photographer.
Then, I found an audio message she had forwarded to her best friend.
I clicked play.
"Make sure Eleanor never sees the final vendor contracts," Natalie's voice echoed through my silent apartment. "She’s paying for half the wedding anyway. She’s too busy working to notice."
Tears stung my eyes, but they weren't from sadness. They were from pure, unadulterated rage.
I wasn't just a bank to them. I was a joke.
I pulled out a flash drive and began downloading everything.
May you like
I had exactly three days until the wedding.
Three days to prepare my gift.
