Mark held out his hand.
“You can give him the check now.”
“I didn’t bring one.”
The room fell silent.
Mark chuckled.
“She enjoys suspense.”
“I said no in my office,” I replied. “I said no through every message you ignored. There was never a check.”
Mom frowned.
“Morgan, we discussed this.”
“No. You and Mark discussed it. I was assigned a role.”
Mark leaned forward.
“Do not embarrass my son because you’re angry with me.”
Ethan looked up.
“Dad, stop saying this is for me.”
Everyone turned toward him.
Mark’s expression changed.
“We talked about this.”
“No. You talked. You told me to thank her for money she never offered.”
Ethan placed his official account statement on the table.
“My real balance is $6,240.”
Mark shook his head.
“That doesn’t include everything.”
“It includes housing and meals. I never ordered a laptop.”
Aunt Linda lowered her phone.
I opened my document case and placed the false invoice beside the official statement.
“The invoice Mark gave me was not issued by the university. The payment account does not belong to the school.”
“You investigated me?” Mark demanded.
“I verify altered records for a living.”
Mom picked up the fake document.
“Mark, explain this.”
