Chapter 3: The Price of Greed
The conference room was silent when I entered. Evelyn looked composed, her face a mask of practiced concern, while Chloe was frantically scrolling through her phone—likely checking if the GoFundMe had been shut down yet.
"Catherine, thank God," Evelyn said, standing up with her arms outstretched. "We’ve been so worried about Leo. We were just trying to secure the funds so we could help you pay the hospital bills."
I didn't let her touch me. I laid my phone on the table. "The police have been notified about the forgery," I said. "And the GoFundMe platform has confirmed that the fraudulent campaign was linked to your IP addresses, Chloe."
Chloe’s face went white. "You can't do this! You're family! You're going to put your own mother in jail?"
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"You didn't show up for your nephew's blood donation," I said, my voice cutting through the room like glass. "You gambled with his life while you tried to fund a wedding gown with his suffering. You aren't family. You're a liability."
The bank manager stood at the door, flanked by security. My mother’s composure shattered. She didn't cry for Leo; she cried for herself. She realized that the money wasn't just gone—the gravy train had derailed, and she was left holding the wreckage
