Chapter 3

The pop-up confirmed everything. They weren't just deferring an opportunity, they were planning to milk my family for every cent they could, all for Jake.

I pulled out my phone and made a call, not to my father, but to Mr. Henderson, his financial manager.

"Mr. Henderson," I said, keeping my voice calm, "it' s Ethan Miller. I need to make some adjustments to the educational accounts for Chloe and Maya."

"Ethan, good to hear from you. What can I do?"

"Chloe and Maya have decided they want to be more independent with their upcoming college applications. They're deferring Princeton and looking at other options."

A pause on the other end. "Is that so? Your father had set up significant resources for their next cycle prep, should they need it."

"Exactly," I said. "They want to prove they can do it on their own. So, please discontinue all funding for any supplementary academic resources. No more elite SAT re-take coaching, no more funding for those expensive college application consultants. And definitely no access to the family' s network for 'polishing' applications this time around."

"Are you sure, Ethan? Your parents were quite clear about providing them the best."

"I'm sure," I said firmly. "They' re very determined to stand on their own two feet for this. Let' s respect that."

It was the perfect cover. They wanted independence? They' d get it.

News traveled fast in our small, wealthy circle. Within days, everyone at Northwood Prep's graduating class knew. "Chloe and Maya, Princeton-bound academic stars, are deferring to aim for South Valley State with Jake."

People were baffled. Confused. Whispering.

My phone buzzed with a text from Alex, my closest friend.

`Alex: Dude, Chloe and Maya are nuts. Heard they're all over Jake. You dodged a bullet, or are they playing some weird game?`

I typed back: `Long story. Let's just say they're making their own choices.`

Dodged a bullet? Maybe. But it felt more like I' d been pushed out of the way of a speeding car, only to realize the people who pushed me were supposed to be family.

I remembered the shift. It had been gradual at first. Chloe and Maya spending more and more time on the phone with Jake, their grades starting to slip just a fraction – enough for me to notice. When I' d gently voiced concerns, asking if Jake was a good influence, if they were sure about him, they' d become defensive.

"You don' t understand him, Ethan," Chloe had snapped.

"He' s different. He gets us," Maya added.

They dismissed my worries about his reputation – he' d had a few minor run-ins with the law back in their old town – and waved away any concerns about their academic future. It was all Jake, Jake, Jake.