Theater: NovelMaster | Language: English | NEW
Synopsis
My cousin Leo stole my car keys to impress a girl on a date.
Not only did he drive drunk, but he also hit someone and fled the scene.
When the traffic cops knocked on my door, my mind went completely blank.
I immediately called Leo. His phone was off.
I called his mother, Aunt Brenda. Her phone was off too.
I let out a bitter, disbelieving laugh.
Two minutes later, Brenda sent me a text:
"Harper, Leo is still just a kid. He can't go to jail! Just tell the cops you were the one driving. You have full coverage insurance anyway. A little payout will settle it. If you take the fall for him, I'll give you a thousand dollars. Leo has his whole life ahead of him; a criminal record will ruin him! You're just a girl, and your future won't be affected like his would."
I stared at the screen, my heart turning to ice. I texted back two words: "No way."
Then I opened the building management app on my phone and pulled up the garage surveillance footage.
While I was at work, Leo had swiped my spare key, rifled through my glove compartment to steal three thousand dollars in cash, and stumbled drunkenly into my driver's seat before speeding away.
The whole thing was caught in high definition.
I turned my phone around and handed it straight to the officer.
"Officer, grand theft auto, petty theft, DUI, and hit-and-run. Throw the book at him."
The officer watched the video, nodding with a grim expression.
"We have everything we need, Miss Vance. You're completely clear of liability, but we'll need you at the precinct to file an official report."
My knuckles turned white as I clutched my phone. "Whatever you need. I'll cooperate fully."
Right on cue, my phone began to buzz.
It was my mother.
I took a deep breath and answered.
"Harper, have you lost your mind?!" she screamed before I could even say hello. "Leo is barely an adult! How could you let the police hunt him down?! Brenda is having a panic attack! Do you have any loyalty to this family at all?!"
The verbal barrage came relentlessly, leaving no room to breathe.
I leaned against the cold corridor wall of the police station. "Mom, he stole my car. He stole my cash. He got drunk, slammed into an innocent pedestrian, and left them to die in the street. What exactly did you expect me to do? Go to prison for him?"
"Couldn't you just keep this within the family?!" she yelled. "Brenda said insurance would cover the damages! Why do you always have to blow things out of proportion?!"
"A little damage?!" My voice shook with fury. "The victim is in the ICU with multiple fractures and a brain hemorrhage! You call that a little damage?!"
The line went silent for two seconds.
"Even so, you shouldn't have involved the cops!" she stammered, shifting tactics. "You should have sat down with Brenda and talked it out! Why air our dirty laundry to the police?"
I scoffed. "Mom, he hit someone and ran. The police tracked down the license plate to my name. They found me—I didn't call them!"
"Brenda said you're turning on Leo! Why can't you just tell them you loaned him the car?!"
I closed my eyes, exhaustion creeping into my bones. "Fine. Let's say I tell them I loaned him the car. Who takes the blame for the felony DUI and the hit-and-run? Me? Do you want me in an orange jumpsuit?"
"Don't twist my words! You know I'd never want you in jail!" she snapped defensively. "Brenda offered you money! Just let your insurance handle it—"
"Mom." I cut her off, cold and steady. "Listen to what you are actually saying."
"What am I saying?! I'm trying to save your cousin! Brenda is threatening to end her life right now!"
"If she wants to pull that card, that's her choice," I said flatly. "Leo committed multiple felonies, and now she wants me to sacrifice my clean record and my freedom for him? You honestly expect me to carry that burden? It carries hard prison time! Do you even care?"
"Harper!"
"And for the record, I took a screenshot of Brenda's text trying to bribe me into obstructing justice. Suborning perjury is a felony too."
Dead silence hung over the line for three agonizing seconds.
Then, Mom broke down into manipulative sobs. "Brenda said if you don't fix this, she's going to swallow a bottle of pills!"
"Tell her to go ahead."
"Harper! Where is your soul?!" she shrieked. "Have you forgotten how Brenda used to look after you when you were little?! She fed you and drove you to school!"
"I haven't forgotten," I replied evenly. "And while she was babysitting me, Dad was paying Leo's private school tuition, Dad lent her fifteen grand to fix her house—which she never paid back—and every holiday she raided our pantry like a parasite. Did you forget all of that, Mom?"
"Why do you hold on to grudges like a venomous snake?!"
"I don't hold grudges. You just have amnesia when it comes to who actually sacrificed for whom. If Brenda is having a medical emergency, dial 911. Don't call me."I hung up, my fingers trembling with suppressed adrenaline.
The young officer standing beside me had clearly caught the gist of the conversation. His eyes softened with sympathy as he handed me a paper cup.
"Drink some water. Take a breath."
"Thank you," I muttered, letting the warmth seep into my palms.
Just then, another detective stepped out of the office, holding a radio.
"Miss Vance, our traffic cameras and mobile units tracked your vehicle. The suspect is holed up at his mother's old apartment complex over in the East Industrial District. Building three, second floor."
He paused. "We need you to accompany us to positively identify the vehicle."
"Let's go."
I tossed the cup into the trash and followed them out into the drizzle.
As the patrol cruiser sped through the slick streets, the streetlights blurred into streaks of yellow against the rainy window.
I rested my forehead against the cool glass, watching my own faint reflection.
Memories rushed in like a broken dam.
Ever since I could remember, Leo was treated like the golden boy, while I was an afterthought.
Brenda had divorced early, and her ex-husband took off without paying a cent of child support. She moved back into our neighborhood, playing the pitiful single mother, and the entire family rallied to spoil Leo rotten.
Leo got brand-new gadgets and designer clothes. I got hand-me-downs, with Mom telling me, "Girls don't need fancy things."
When Leo broke a plate, it was, "Boys will be boys, he's energetic."
When I dropped a glass, Mom slapped my cheek and called me clumsy and careless.
In third grade, Leo stole six months' worth of my allowance to buy video games. When I cried to Brenda, she just chuckled. "He's a little boy, Harper. Learn to share with your cousin."
My mom stood right there and said nothing.
Over the years, I learned to keep my head down, hide my belongings, and swallow my resentment.
At eighteen, I earned a scholarship to a top state university. Leo barely graduated high school.
Brenda wept at our dining table, claiming Leo failed because no one gave him extra tutoring, hinting that if my dad would just pay for elite vocational training, Leo would thrive.
My dad actually agreed and handed over five thousand dollars.
That money was taken directly out of my college living fund.
For four years, I worked three campus jobs, refusing to ask my parents for a single dime.
Meanwhile, Leo dropped out of two different training institutes, ran off to party, racked up gambling debts, and once again, Dad bailed him out with ten thousand dollars from his modest savings.
I warned my parents over and over: "He's a black hole. Stop feeding him."
Dad would sigh and say, "He's family, Harper. Brenda has only him."
Mom was even blunter: "You're going to get married and move away. When we're old, we need family nearby. Be nice to Leo, and he'll look out for us."Look out for them?
A thieving, gambling alcoholic who wouldn't lift a finger to save his own mother—they expected him to care for them in old age?
I stopped arguing.
After graduation, I secured a corporate job in the city. Every time I came home, Brenda sized me up, calculating how much my clothes and gifts were worth.
Leo constantly hit me up for cash on Venmo and never paid back a cent.
When I blocked his requests, he ran to Mom, and Mom bombarded me with guilt trips about "lacking basic human decency."
Last Thanksgiving, Leo openly sneered at the table: "Once I make it big, the first person I cut off is Harper."
Everyone laughed like it was a witty joke.
No one defended me.
I set down my fork, walked out of the house, and drove away.
Not a single person ran after me.
For decades, my parents poured ten times more love and money into Brenda's son than they ever gave their own daughter.
They genuinely believed a son in the family lineage mattered more than a daughter who would "leave."
I had endured it for a lifetime.
Tonight, my patience officially ran out.
"We're here," the detective announced, snapping me back to reality.
The East Industrial District was bleak and decaying. Faded brick, peeling paint, and stairwells cluttered with broken bikes and rusted appliances.
Second floor, corner unit. The curtains were drawn tight, but a sliver of light peeked through.
"That's the one," the officer said quietly.
We marched up the concrete stairs. The metal door was battered and scarred.
The officer banged heavily on the door frame. "Police department! Open the door!"
Silence inside.
Then, faint rustling sounds, like someone frantically shoving furniture around.
The officer banged three more times. "Open up now!"
The latch clicked.
The door swung open, and my mother stood there.
When she saw me behind two armed officers, her face turned ash white.
"Harper?! What on earth are you doing with the police?!"
She was in her slippers, her hair disheveled—she had rushed over here straight after calling me.
"Mom? What are you doing here?"
"Brenda called me hysterical, saying you were trying to destroy Leo, so I—"
"Step aside, ma'am," the lead officer ordered, pushing past her into the living room.
I followed close behind.
The apartment smelled of stale cigarette smoke and garbage. Brenda was curled on a stained sofa, her eyes bloodshot, her face pale.
Leo was nowhere in sight.
The officers scanned the room and headed straight for the bedroom door.
Brenda sprang up like a feral cat, throwing herself in front of them.
"What do you think you're doing?! This is private property! You have no warrant!"
"Ma'am, we are actively investigating a felony hit-and-run. The suspect, Leo, is on the premises. Step back."
"He's just a boy!" she shrieked.
The officers ignored her screams, bypassed her, and shoved the bedroom door open.
There he was.
Leo was crouched beneath the windowsill, clutching a gym bag stuffed with clothes and an envelope of cash.
When he saw the badges, he shrank into the corner, trembling like a wet rat.
"S-Stay back..."
"Leo, hands where we can see them. Step forward."
In a burst of panic, Leo vaulted toward the window to jump.
It was only the second floor, but before his second leg cleared the sill, an officer lunged forward, grabbed him by the scruff of his collar, and slammed him against the wall.
"Stop resisting!"
The metallic click of handcuffs snapped shut. Leo's knees gave out, and he slid to the floor, blabbering through tears.
"It wasn't my fault! I was wasted! I don't remember anything!"
Brenda charged in from the hallway, screaming like a banshee.
"Let him go! He's only twenty-two! You monsters, let him go!"
She clawed at the arresting officer's vest.
The second officer stepped in, blocking her path with an outstretched arm. "Ma'am, calm down! Obstructing an officer is a crime!"Brenda was beyond reason. She lunged forward, her nails digging into the officer's sleeve. "You're picking on a defenseless family!"
"Ma'am, step back!"
Brenda's hand snapped out, slapping the officer hard across the arm.
The room froze.
The officer's expression went completely flat. He tapped the camera on his chest.
"That's assault on an officer. Body cam is rolling."
Brenda seemed to realize what she'd done. She stumbled back a step, stuttering, "I... I didn't mean to! I was just—"
"Ma'am, your son is under arrest for grand theft auto, felony DUI, and leaving the scene of an accident with serious bodily injury. You are facing charges for obstruction and assault on a police officer. If you take one more aggressive step, you will be in cuffs too."
Brenda's mouth opened and closed silently.
Then her eyes locked onto me. The venom in her gaze was thick enough to choke on.
"Harper! Are you happy now?!" she screamed, her spit flying. "Dragging the law to arrest your own cousin! Do you have a scrap of human decency?!"
"He stole my keys, broke into my car, took my cash, drove drunk, and left a human being bleeding on the asphalt," I said, enunciating every syllable with ice. "Where was your decency when you told me to take the fall for him?"
"You're just bitter!" she screeched. "You've always hated him! You've always resented him because this family cared about him!"
"Brenda." I stepped closer, looking straight into her wild eyes. "I don't resent Leo. I resent that every time he acts like a monster, everyone rushes to clean up his mess—while I was expected to sacrifice my entire life just to keep you all comfortable."
Brenda choked on her words, then threw her head back, wailing theatrically. "God, what did I do to deserve this?! My only boy! His father abandoned us, I raised him with my blood and sweat, and now my own family stabs us in the back!"
Mom hovered near the doorway, looking miserable. "Brenda, please, calm down..."
"You shut up too!" Brenda snapped, pointing an accusatory finger at my mother. "You raised an ungrateful viper! I helped you raise her, and now she turns on us!"
Mom flinched, biting her lip.
Leo was hauled out into the corridor. As he passed me, his head hung low, completely incapable of meeting my eyes.
At the front door, Brenda threw herself at his legs, sobbing hysterically. "Leo! Mommy won't let them lock you up! I'll get a lawyer! I'll find the money!"
Leo finally broke, bawling like a child. "Mom, I don't want to go to jail!"
"You won't, baby! I'll fix this! I promise!"
The officers pulled her off him and marched him down the stairwell.
Brenda collapsed on the dirty floor, weeping loudly.
I stood in the doorway, watching coldly.
Mom lingered beside me, fidgeting before tugging on my sleeve. "Harper..."
"Mom, if you're about to lecture me, save it for tomorrow. I'm exhausted."
"I'm not trying to lecture you..."
"If you still think I should have taken the blame for him, say it right now to my face."
Mom stared at the floor for a long, suffocating moment. "I didn't mean it like that."
"Then what did you mean over the phone?"
She had no answer.
I turned on my heel and walked down the stairs.
The patrol cars were waiting. Leo was already secured in the back of the second cruiser.
I climbed into the passenger seat of the first car. My mother didn't follow.
By the time I finished giving my formal statement at the precinct, it was past 11:00 PM.
Sitting under the fluorescent lights of the interview room, I laid out everything: the duplicate key, the stolen cash, the surveillance footage, and the bribe text Brenda had sent me.
The detective typed up the report and slid it over for my signature.
"Miss Vance, based on the evidence, Leo will be booked on multiple felony counts. Your repair costs and the stolen funds can be recovered through restitution or civil litigation."
"Understood."
"Also, suspect's mother assaulted an officer on scene. She's currently being processed in holding."
I nodded.
As I walked toward the exit, I heard screeching from the front lobby.
Brenda had apparently posted bail or been released on her own recognizance, but she hadn't left. Through the glass partition, I saw her screaming at the desk sergeant.
"Why aren't you arresting that girl?! She owns the car! It's her fault!"The sergeant tried to remain professional, but she was completely unhinged.
"It was an entrapment! She left the car unlocked to set my son up!"
I pushed through the double doors into the lobby. The moment Brenda spotted me, she lunged.
"Harper! Drop the charges! Tell them you gave him permission!"
"No."
"Harper, he's your cousin! Think of the family!"
"Your son stole my property, drove under the influence, and nearly killed an innocent woman," I replied coldly. "The victim is lying in a hospital bed with a shattered femur and brain trauma. You think dropping charges erases that?"
Her eyes bugged out. "You can't put your own cousin in prison!"
"If he had just dented a pole, maybe we could have handled it through insurance. But he almost killed someone and fled. This is a criminal matter. It's out of my hands."
"Criminal matter my foot! You're his family!"
"Did he care about family when he broke into my car and stole my savings?"
She choked, momentarily at a loss for words.
Then, horrifyingly, her demeanor shifted in an instant. Her face collapsed into pleading desperation, and she grabbed my wrist.
"Harper, please. Auntie is begging you. I'll get down on my knees, please!"
She actually began sinking to the floor.
I yanked my hand back and stepped away. "Don't bother, Brenda. Even if you crawl on the floor, the district attorney is pressing charges. Not me."
She froze halfway down, realized her stunt wouldn't work, and snapped upright.
The mask of humility vanished, replaced by sheer malice.
"Fine, Harper Vance. You think you're so clever?" She pointed a shaking finger at my nose. "If my son goes to state prison, I swear I'll go straight to your corporate office! I'll make a scene every single day until HR fires your ungrateful ass!"
I looked at her, not blinking. "Try it."
"You think I'm bluffing?! I'll tell your bosses what kind of heartless monster you are! I'll ruin your reputation!"
I took a step forward, towering over her. "If you step foot near my office, I'll have you arrested for criminal harassment and trespassing. Instead of threatening me, you'd better start scraping together cash for the victim's medical bills, because their lawyer is going to sue you into bankruptcy."
Her face twisted in terror. "You..."
Just then, the front doors swung open.
My parents rushed in. Mom's eyes were swollen from crying. My dad, who rarely showed emotion, looked grim and exhausted.
"Brenda!" Dad called out.
Brenda whipped around, seizing on them like a lifeline. "David! Look what your daughter has done! She's sending Leo to prison!"
Mom shot me a conflicted, guilty look. I remained totally expressionless.
Dad walked over, stepping firmly between Brenda and me.
"Brenda, Leo brought this on himself. Stealing a car, driving drunk, running over a pedestrian—none of that is Harper's fault, and she's not taking the blame for it."
Brenda gasped, stunned. She clearly hadn't anticipated Dad standing his ground.
"What did you say?! You're turning your back on your own nephew?!"
"He committed serious crimes. He has to face the consequences."
"David Vance! Did you forget who lent you money when you were struggling to buy your first house?! Did you forget how Leo used to call you his favorite uncle?!"
"I haven't forgotten," Dad's voice deepened with simmering anger. "And over the last ten years, I paid Leo's vocational tuition, I cleared his gambling debts, and the loan I gave you for your house remodel was never paid back. I never held that over your head. But this is a felony hit-and-run, Brenda. I cannot, and will not, bail him out."
Brenda's expression curdled into pure hatred.
"You're all dead to me! Every single one of you!"
Chapters (5)
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Watch & Promotions
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