Chapter 7 - The Family Chooses Sides
News spread quickly through the family.
Some relatives called Gabriela cruel.
Others called privately to admit that Ronald and Vanessa had mistreated her for years.
Janice came to Northstar alone.
She looked smaller without Peter beside her.
“I need to tell you something,” she said.
Gabriela waited.
“Peter created the invoices. I knew they were false.”
“Why did you let him?”
Janice wiped her eyes. “Because Mom said you would never notice. Dad said it was our share.”
“Our share of what?”
“Your success.”
Gabriela felt no surprise.
Janice continued. “I should have stopped them. I should have defended Willow yesterday.”
“Yes.”
“I was afraid.”
“So was Willow.”
Janice lowered her head.
Gabriela did not comfort her. For years, she had rushed to soften every consequence her family faced. This time, she let silence remain.
Finally, Janice said, “What happens now?”
“You repay what you took. You cooperate with the investigation. You and Peter will not contact Willow unless I decide it is safe.”
Janice nodded, crying harder.
“Will you ever forgive me?”
“Forgiveness is not the first step,” Gabriela said. “Accountability is.”
Janice agreed to provide emails, messages, and financial records.
Those records proved Ronald had directed much of the fraud. They also showed Vanessa knew exactly where the money came from.
The family had chosen sides for years.
May you like
Now Gabriela chose hers.
She chose Willow.
