Part 1: The Question That Changed Everything

January 17, 2026 by ucef

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They stopped short.

Mark’s smile vanished. Vivian’s grip tightened around the bags. The air in the room shifted so suddenly it felt hard to breathe.

My grandfather turned toward them, his voice calm in a way that made my skin prickle.

“Mark. Vivian,” he said. “I have a question.”

Neither of them spoke.

“Where,” Grandpa continued, “has the money I’ve been sending my granddaughter been going?”