My phone buzzed with an email notification. I glanced at the sender and felt a cold smile spread across my face. «Kinley, I have to go. I just got an email from someone named Destiny. She’s apparently Sasha’s wedding planner.»
«What’s it say?»
I opened the message and scanned it quickly. «She’s having payment processing issues with the deposits. Wants to speak with someone from the family urgently.»
«The checks are already bouncing?»
«Looks like it. My parents probably wrote checks against the sale proceeds before the money actually cleared. Amateur hour.»
«You can’t spend money from a fraudulent transaction. They’re about to learn that the hard way.»
I closed my laptop and headed for the window, looking out at the Singapore skyline. «How long will the injunction take?»
«I can file it tomorrow morning. With the fraud evidence, we should have a temporary restraining order within forty-eight hours.»
«Perfect. That gives them just enough time to dig themselves deeper.»
«Maya, are you sure about this? Once we start this process, there’s no going back. Your family will know exactly who’s been supporting them all these years.»
I thought about Sasha’s smug face on the video call, the way she dismissed my feelings like I was being unreasonable for caring about my own home being stolen. «Good. I want them to know. I want them to understand exactly what they threw away.»
«All right. I’ll start drafting the paperwork tonight.»
«Thank you, Kinley. I owe you.»
«You don’t owe me anything. This is what friends do. Besides, I’ve been waiting years for you to finally stand up to them.»
After we hung up, I sat in the silence of my hotel room, staring at Destiny’s increasingly frantic emails. Three more had come in while I was talking to Kinley, each one more desperate than the last. I opened my laptop and began typing a response to the wedding planner, not to help, but to watch the dominoes fall.
«Dear Destiny,» I wrote, «I understand you’re having payment issues with the Gill wedding. Unfortunately, I’m currently overseas and unable to assist with financial matters. You may want to contact the family directly about alternative funding sources. Best of luck with the event.»
I hit send and immediately opened a new browser window. It was time to do some research on wedding cancellation policies and vendor contracts. My phone buzzed again with another email from Destiny, this one marked «URGENT.» I deleted it without reading it. Let the games begin.
The next morning brought chaos, and I had a front-row seat to watch it unfold. My phone started buzzing at 6 a.m. Singapore time with notifications from the family group chat I’d muted months ago. I unmuted it just to watch the show.
Sasha: «OMG, the florist is being so difficult about payment timing.»
Mom: «Don’t worry, sweetheart. Dad’s handling it.»
Sasha: «But what if they cancel our order? The peonies are perfect.»
Dad: «Everything’s fine. Just some banking delays.»
I screenshotted the conversation and sent it to Kinley with a message: «It’s starting.»
My laptop chimed with a video call from Kinley. I answered, and her face appeared on the screen, coffee mug in hand. «The injunction’s filed,» she said without preamble. «Judge Morrison is reviewing it this afternoon.»
«How long until they freeze the funds?»
«If he signs off, the bank will get the order by the end of business today. All money from that sale gets locked down pending investigation.»
«Perfect timing. Sasha’s dress fitting is tomorrow.»
«You’re enjoying this way too much.»
«Am I? Let me read you the latest email from Destiny, the wedding planner.» I pulled up my inbox and found her message from twenty minutes ago. «Dear Maya, I’m reaching out because I’m unable to contact your parents, and several vendors are threatening to cancel services due to payment issues. The catering deposit bounced, the venue is demanding immediate payment, and the band wants cash up front. Please call me urgently.»
«Ouch.»
«Wait, there’s more. She sent another one five minutes later. ‘Maya, I’m starting to panic. Your sister keeps telling me everything’s fine, but I have seventeen vendors asking for money and your parents aren’t returning my calls. My reputation is on the line here.'»
Kinley shook her head. «That poor woman. She’s about to learn an expensive lesson about due diligence.»
My phone rang. Dad’s contact photo filled the screen: him grinning at last year’s Christmas dinner, arm around Sasha. Speak of the devil.
«You’re not answering?»
«God no, but I’ll put it on speaker so you can hear the voicemail.»
The call went to voicemail, and Dad’s voice filled my hotel room, strained and trying too hard to sound casual. «Hey Maya, it’s Dad. Just wanted to chat about some minor banking hiccups we’re having. Nothing serious, just some timing issues with the apartment sale. Give me a call when you get a chance, okay? Love you.»
«‘Minor banking hiccups,'» Kinley repeated. «That’s one way to put it. He has no idea what’s coming.»
My laptop pinged with another email. This one wasn’t from Destiny; it was from someone named Jet at the Grandview Estate. «Dear Ms. Gill, we’ve attempted to process the venue deposit multiple times, but all payments have been declined. Per our contract, we require full payment within 48 hours, or we’ll need to release your date to other clients. Please contact us immediately.»
«The venue’s pulling out?»
«Looks like it. And if I know Sasha, she’s probably posted about this wedding all over social media. The embarrassment alone will kill her.»
«Maya, your parents are calling me now.»
«Don’t answer. Let them sweat.»
«Too late. I already declined it. But they left a voicemail.»
«Play it.»
Kinley put her phone on speaker. Mom’s voice came through, high-pitched and panicked. «Kinley, this is Ava, Maya’s mother. I know you and Maya are close, and we’re having some confusion with our bank. Could you please ask Maya to call us? It’s about the apartment sale, and there seems to be some kind of legal issue. We really need to talk to her.»
«‘Legal issue,'» I repeated. «That’s cute. They’re starting to figure it out.»
My phone buzzed with a text from Sasha. «Maya, why aren’t you answering Dad? This is my wedding!»
I showed Kinley the screen. «She’s still making it all about her.»
«Of course she is. She’s probably telling Xander that I’m being dramatic and difficult.»
«Speaking of Xander, has he figured out what’s happening?»
«Not yet, but he will. His family has money. Old money. They know how to spot financial fraud.»
Another email popped up, this one from a vendor I didn’t recognize. The subject line read, «Gill Wedding — Payment Required.»
«Maya,» Kinley said, «I’m looking at the bank records you sent me. Your parents have been living way beyond their means for years. Without your anonymous payments, they’re completely screwed.»
«Good. Their mortgage payment is due in twelve days.»
«I know.»
«Maya…»
«What?»
«They’re going to lose everything.»
I stared at my reflection in the laptop screen, seeing a stranger looking back at me, someone harder than I used to be. «They stole my home, Kinley. They committed fraud. They’ve been bleeding me dry for years while treating me like an ATM. And when I needed them to respect the one thing that was truly mine, they sold it without a second thought.»
«I know. I’m not saying you’re wrong. I’m just making sure you understand the consequences.»
«I understand perfectly.»
My phone rang again. This time it was Sasha.
«Answer it,» Kinley said. «Let’s hear what she has to say.»
I declined the call and waited for the voicemail. Sasha’s voice was shrill with panic. «Maya! What the hell is going on? Destiny is freaking out. The venue is threatening to cancel. And Mom and Dad are acting weird. You need to fix this right now! My wedding is in five weeks, and I am not letting you ruin it with whatever drama you’re creating. Call me back!»
«‘Whatever drama you’re creating,'» Kinley repeated. «Unbelievable. She still thinks this is my fault somehow.»
«What’s your next move?»
I opened a new document on my laptop and started typing. «I’m preparing a little care package for my family. Bank records, payment histories, legal documents—everything they need to understand exactly how deep they’re buried.»
«When are you sending it?»
«Tomorrow. Right after Sasha’s dress fitting gets canceled.»
My phone lit up with another call from Dad. Then Mom. Then Sasha again. I turned off the ringer and smiled. Let them panic. They’re about to learn that actions have consequences.
«And Maya?»
«Yeah?»
«Remind me never to get on your bad side.»
I laughed, but there was no humor in it. «Too late for them to learn that lesson.»
The injunction hit at 3:47 p.m. their time. I know because Kinley called me the moment the bank froze the accounts.
«It’s done,» she said. «Every penny from that apartment sale is locked down pending a fraud investigation.»
«How long until they find out?»
«Probably when they try to make their next payment. Could be hours. Could be…»
My phone exploded with notifications. The family group chat was going insane.
Dad: «What the hell is happening with our accounts?»
Mom: «The bank says there’s a legal hold on our money.»
Sasha: «What does that mean?»
Dad: «I’m calling Maya right now.»
I screenshotted the chaos and sent it to Kinley. «Found out sooner than expected.»
