Chapter 4Blood and Bureaucracy

"If you don't want me here, I'll go back to work."

I turned to leave. Mom grabbed me.

Dad was furious.

"What work? That little job you found yourself, making peanuts? Is it worth acting like this?"

"Without my help, what kind of job could you possibly get?"

"Help?"

I stared at him.

"Mr. White, since when have you ever helped me?"

He froze.

"Other fathers might have nothing, but at least they don't actively sabotage their daughters. But you? You're different."

"Even when I make it on my own, you have to strike me down. Help? Your help goes to outsiders. When did I ever see a cent of it?"

"Since you never gave me anything, what right do you have to threaten me with it?"

"You!"

Dad stood up abruptly.

Sophie rushed over and grabbed my hand.

"Sis! How can you talk to Dad like that? Apologize! He's our father!"

Dad clutched his chest, pointing a trembling finger at me.

"See? This is why I help Sophie and not you!"

Mom rubbed his back, looking at me with reproach.

"Aurora, we brought you home to make peace, not to fight. Look at Sophie. Can't you be more mature? Apologize!"

I shook Sophie off.

"I'm not mature. Sophie is. Good for her. You never treated me like a daughter anyway."

"How can you say that?!"

"Am I wrong?"

I stared Dad down.

He smashed a cup at my feet.

"Fine! Go! Let's see how far you get in this city without me! Get out!!"

Sophie reached out as if to stop me, but her hand barely grazed my sleeve.

"Sis, don't be stubborn! Apologize!"

"Let her go, Sophie! Ungrateful brat! When she hits a wall, she'll realize how wrong she is!"

Even though I had steeled myself, hearing my own family favor her so blatantly made my eyes burn.

I wiped them quickly, walked out, and hailed a cab.

On my desk was the file David had compiled.

I flipped through it.

"I knew it. Sophie isn't clean."

End of year tax audit. The inspection team pulled up to the Phoenix Corporation building.

We went straight to Sophie's office.

"Audit me?"

She laughed, leaning back in her chair.

"Do you know who I am? Who authorized this?"

"I did."

Sophie's face went pale.

The team stepped aside, clearing a path for me.

I held up my badge.

"Tax Bureau, Division One. Aurora White. We have evidence of tax evasion. Please cooperate."