Untouched.
Why Lucas’s?
She downloaded every transaction.
The transfer had happened three months earlier, exactly one day before the payment to the Nevada property company.
Rachel whispered into the silent room.
“You took money from your son.”
The words shifted something inside her.
Until that moment, Brandon’s actions had felt like a betrayal between a husband and wife.
Awful.
Potentially unlawful.
But personal.
Now a different boundary had been crossed.
He had taken money intended for their child.
Rachel called him.
Brandon answered before the first ring had fully ended.
“Rachel—”
“You took twelve thousand dollars from Lucas’s college fund.”
Silence.
“Rachel, listen—”
“Yes or no?”
“It’s complicated.”
“No. It’s arithmetic.”
“Mom needed help with the property.”
Rachel leaned back.
“So you admit it.”
“I borrowed it.”
“Without asking me.”
“I planned to replace it.”
“With what?”
Brandon exhaled sharply.
“Can we please not do this over the phone?”
“You’re the one in Miami.”
“Because you sent me away angry and—”
Rachel gave one short laugh.
Not loudly.
That silenced him.
“Be very careful,” she said.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“It means I already know about the Nevada property.”
