The Ten-Million-Dollar Lie

When the bank notified me about the insufficient balance in my account, a renowned venture capitalist, Julian Cregger, announced that he was searching for the benefactor who had lent him 30,000 dollars worth of startup funds during the winter years ago. Apparently, he was offering a reward of ten million for that good Samaritan. I immediately responded to it. After all, I couldn't come up with next month's rent. So, it wouldn't hurt to try my luck. … At the banquet, Julian's assistant, Luke Middleton, fired two questions at me. "Back then, what had been used to hold the money?" I tried hard to remember. "A black plastic bag, maybe?" He frowned at my answer. "What did you say to the man when you lent him the money?" I glanced at the surrounding guests, feeling my limbs going numb from anxiety. "I don't think I said much. I just told him to take the money." The crowd burst into contemptuous laughter upon hearing my words. When he asked me to leave, my cousin, Eleanor Wright, emerged from the crowd and announced, "The money was put in an envelope along with a handwritten card." Then, she turned to Julian with teary eyes. "Back then, I told you, "Hard times will pass. Better days are ahead." The man's gaze softened, and the crowd showered her with praise for her kindness. Finally, Eleanor's eyes found me, and she sighed in resignation, "Mildred, you shouldn't have resorted to fraud even if you're short on cash. Apologize to everyone now and leave." The crowd joined in to accuse me of being shameless. A security guard even clasped his hand around my shoulder. I shook off his arm and calmly met Eleanor's gaze. "Eleanor, since you put that card in the envelope, you must remember what was written on the back, right?" Her smile froze on her face, but she quickly regained her composure and responded with an ambiguous answer, "A few years have passed since then. I can't recall the exact contents of the card." I turned to the big shot and urged him, "Turn the card over. My ID number is written on the back in black ink." Chapter 1 Blurred Card Luke took the card and turned it over. He stared at it for quite a moment, the furrow between his brows deepening at the sight. Eleanor's face paled at the suspense, and she involuntarily took a step forward. The man held up the card and confirmed, "There is indeed something written on the card." The whispering crowd instantly froze. However, he was far from finished sharing his observation. He continued, "It seems to have been soaked in water. The ink has been smudged, making it impossible to recognize the card's content." She immediately sighed in relief before meeting my gaze with reddened eyes and sadly saying, "Mildred, I know you can't afford next month's rent. Still, you shouldn't claim that my random scribbles are your ID number." I heard a sneer coming from the crowd before their mockery followed. "She's really desperate, huh?" "If she's bold enough to steal her cousin's credit, imagine what she would do when she's actually desperate." "Mr. Cregger, you should call the police to arrest the fraud!" The security guard's hand clutched my shoulder the second time. I didn't argue with any of them. Instead, I stared at the man who had been sitting in silence on the sofa. Julian was wearing a gray shirt. He had rolled up his sleeves, baring his forearms, exuding a cold, distant air. He raised his head and met my eyes, demanding, "Do you have anything else to add?" I fumbled inside my empty pocket and shrugged. "Since you can't recognize the writings, I know you won't believe a word I say. Still, I'm not a liar. I was the one who saved up that money." Eleanor sighed as if she had forgiven me despite me being problematic. "Mr. Cregger, Mildred is just broke. Please don't hold it against her and just let her off the hook." The man glanced at her and slowly rose from the sofa. "Since both of you claim to be my benefactor, then both of you should stay." His decision stunned the crowd. Luke was perplexed. "Mr. Cregger—" "Take them to Skytop Apartments." Julian cut his assistant short. His voice was devoid of emotion. "Don't you worry. I'll personally find out who's lying to my face in three days' time." … Eleanor and I were ushered into a black minivan 30 minutes later. As soon as the car door shut, the gentleness and sadness on her face vanished. She crossed her arms and glared daggers at me. "What's your problem, Mildred?" I lounged in the back seat with the full intention of taking a nap. "It's still not too late to get out of the car if you're worried about getting caught lying." "You wish!" She sneered. "You're just a broke girl who can't even afford college. You don't stand a chance against me! So what if you were Cregger's benefactor? A man like him wants a decent figure to pay his debt to, not a sewer rat." I opened my eyes and tilted my head to look at her. "Decency can't feed me, and you aren't his benefactor in the first place, which means you don't deserve the reward." She choked at my retort and gave me the evil eye. "Fine. I'll be glad to grant your death wish." She pulled out her phone and typed rapidly. "I've sent Mom a message. The landlord of your run-down apartment plays card games with her on the weekends." Eleanor had a smug grin on her face as she added, "You'll find all your belongings on the street by tomorrow morning tops." I remained unfazed and tapped my knee a few times. "Suit yourself." After all, I had taken the most valuable item with me. … When we finally arrived at our destination, Luke handed each of us a keycard. "You're required to recall the details in the apartment for the next three days. I'll come to collect your notes at 9 a.m. sharp every day." He left right after that. I swiped the keycard to enter the apartment. The interior was furnished to the nines. Just the carpet in the living room alone was worth three years of my rent. I entered the kitchen and opened the double-door fridge. It was packed with imported ingredients and premium fruits. I grabbed two apples and a box of probably very expensive pastries and devoured them on the couch. I was halfway through my meal when another person opened the door. My aunt, Jacintha Stewart, stormed in on her high heels. Eleanor followed her with a triumphant expression on her face. Jacintha rushed over to me and slapped the apple out of my hand. "You think you're so smart now, huh?" The apple fell to the ground with a thud and rolled across the carpet. I mourned the apple. After all, it was an organic, imported apple. She pointed at me, her finger nearly poking my eye. "Eleanor is getting engaged to Adrian Chadwick! Our family needs that ten million dollars to back her. What does an orphan who killed their parents need that money for? Call Mr. Cregger now and tell him you're only after the reward!" I ignored her order. Instead, I simply bent down to pick up the apple and clean it with my sleeve. "Aunt Jacintha, you have planned everything out, haven't you? It's just a pity that I'm not interested in playing along." She became livid at my attitude. "I'm asking you nicely here. This is your last chance. I've found the rusty tin box you left in your old house, mind you." I froze mid-action. She sneered at my reaction and pulled a rusted cookie tin out of her bag. That tin was a keepsake from my late mother. I stored my diaries inside. "Call it quits now, or I'll burn your diaries." Chapter 2 A Life-Saving Cup of Tea My breath got stuck in my throat as my gaze landed on the rusty circular tin. Jacintha couldn't help but smirk at my telling lack of response. She passed the box to Eleanor. "Hold this, Elle. We need to teach this stubborn girl a lesson. Otherwise, she'll never learn that family comes first." Eleanor took the box and knocked on the lid. "Millie, I don't want things to get ugly between families. Pack your stuff and scram. Then and only then, will you have the useless box back." I straightened and cleaned my hands with a tissue. "There are only waste papers inside the box. You can keep them if you so please." Eleanor's smug grin slipped from her face. Jacintha's high-pitched scream was so piercing that it was fit to burst eardrums. "Drop the act! Don't you remember who lent you 200 for your mother to visit the doctor? You would've starved to death as a homeless girl without us!" I crumpled the tissue and tossed it into the bin. "And I've paid it back tenfold, including the interest. Meanwhile, you've taken over my mother's house and have been collecting $3,000 a month in rent without giving me a cent." I met her eyes calmly. "How about paying me back first before trying and failing to blackmail me?" She shook in anger as she lifted her hand to slap me. I grabbed her wrist and shoved her away. "Aunt Jacintha, you're on Mr. Cregger's territory. Do you want to keep making a scene and attract the security guard at the price of sabotaging your plan to have Eleanor playing the role of his darling savior?" She cast a wary look at the door and let her hand fall as she gritted her teeth, hissing, "Fine. You've grown a backbone, haven't you? Let's see how long you can keep this up." She then dragged Eleanor toward the door, shoving the cookie tin back into her bag, threatening, "Since you've decided to go against us, I'm going to burn them." The door slammed shut behind them. I slouched on the sofa and took a bite of the half-eaten apple. It was supposed to be sweet, but I tasted nothing on my tongue. … The next morning, Luke visited us at 9:00 a.m. sharp to collect our notes. We were taken to two different meeting rooms in order to prevent us from colluding with each other. Different people interrogated me the entire morning. They asked about the weather and time that day, Julian's outfit, his tone, and so on. I wasn't quite confident with my answers. After all, a long time had passed since I last saw him. Back then, I was only 17. My mind was fully occupied with surviving. Frankly, I couldn't spare extra effort to memorize what a stranger wore. Luke took me to the top-floor office at noon. … When I entered the room, I found Eleanor and Jacintha were already sitting inside. Julian waited behind a sprawling office table, perusing the two statements provided. Eleanor adopted an elegant pose and held up a cup of coffee. A flicker of undisguised mockery flashed across her face. At that moment, Julian looked up and pushed the two notes toward us. "Ms. Wright's statement is more detailed than yours. She even remembered that I wore a watch with a cracked face." My gaze fell upon the note. I had written those details in my diary years ago. She simply read my diary and memorized everything. Those details had nothing to do with her. I glanced at Jacintha's bag. Sure enough, the corner of the cookie tin was peeking out. They hadn't taken the tin just to threaten me. They had also used it to read my diaries. "Ms. Murphy, is there anything else you wish to add?" His voice snapped me out of my trance. I looked at him. "I had a high fever when I met you. I couldn't remember the watch you were wearing. All I remember is that you were shaking like a leaf." The executives chuckled at the scene I described. Jacintha immediately sprang to her feet and pointed at my nose. "Nonsense! Mr. Cregger might have struggled a little during hard times, but he was nothing like how you described him. You've clearly never met him and are just lying through your teeth!" He paid no attention to her outburst. Instead, he leaned forward slightly and looked into my eyes. "What about something else from that day?" My heart skipped a beat at the question. He tapped his finger on the desk. "Ms. Wright claimed that she also offered me a cup of hot tea besides lending me money. What about you? Do you remember doing that?" I stared at him. That was true. I didn't write it in the diary. After all, I couldn't even afford a cup of tea back then. "I didn't give you any tea." I forced the answer out of my throat. Eleanor let out a stifled gasp behind her hands. "Millie, I can't believe you forgot such an important detail!" She turned to Julian with a heartbroken look. "I still remember Mr. Cregger's pale lips to this day. He couldn't have made it without the cup of tea back then." The air in the room shifted. Chapter 3 Cornered The high executives exchanged a look, while Luke didn't bother to hide the contempt in his eyes when he looked at me. "Ms. Murphy, simply denying it won't convince us." He shut the folder with a snap. "You'll have to leave if you refuse to cooperate." Eleanor lifted her chin triumphantly, while Jacintha chimed in. "Mr. Cregger, I told you she was a fraud! She has sticky fingers. She has been stealing Elle's things since she was young. And now, she's even attempting to deceive you. The nerve!" I ignored her slander and kept my gaze on Julian's face. "Since Eleanor mentioned offering you a cup of tea, did she also tell you the material of the cup as well?" "It was a paper cup," she answered without missing a beat. "It was printed with a red snowman logo." She even made up the cup's design on the spot just to convince him. Julian said nothing, merely staring at me with a pensive look on his face. "Ms. Murphy, what do you remember about the cup?" "I told you, I offered you nothing," I repeated firmly. The crowd began to snicker. Just then, my phone rang. The piercing ringtone shattered the silence of the room. I declined the call, but another call came immediately. My finger slipped. Not only did I answer it, but I also put it on speakerphone. My landlord's harsh voice instantly echoed in the room. "Listen up, Ms. Murphy. I've thrown your trash onto the street! As for the rent you owe me, your rags will suffice! See you never, you loser." She hung up right after that. Dead silence enveloped the room. I put my phone away. Although I remained impassive, my fingernails were digging into my palms. Eleanor approached me, pulled a few dollar bills from her purse, and tossed them on the table. "Millie, you're my family even after everything. Take the money and find yourself a place to stay. Stop embarrassing yourself." She even said those things condescendingly as though she was dealing with a persistent beggar. Naturally, Jacintha wouldn't miss the chance to ridicule me. "You're too kind, Elle. This ungrateful brat could just be homeless for all I care!" I didn't reach out for the dollar bills on the table. "You can have them back. I don't want anything to do with you." Eleanor's smile froze as her eyes burned with hatred. "Don't push your luck, Mildred. Mr. Cregger will never believe you." Julian never attempted to stop the farce. He leaned back in his chair, watching the scene unfold like a bystander. … A few minutes later, he turned to Luke and ordered, "Bring me the documents." Luke pulled out two documents from his briefcase and handed each to Eleanor and me, explaining, "You're looking at a renunciation statement. You can walk away with 100,000 dollars as compensation if you admit that you're a fraud by signing it. "If you refuse to sign it and insist on seeing it through to the end, we'll sue you for fraud once you're exposed for lying to us right from the start. At that point, you won't be able to walk away with just a slap on the wrist." The 100,000 dollars they were offering honestly sounded tempting. It was definitely enough to solve my pressing matters. I could even rent a better apartment and enjoy a proper meal. Jacintha immediately grabbed a pen from the table and shoved it into my hand. "Sign it now! It's easy money! You don't want to end up behind bars, do you?" Eleanor sighed in relief. She stared intently at the pen in my hand as she urged, "Millie, this is your last chance." I looked down at the statement written in black and white. Signing the paper was no different from me admitting to being a fraud. I looked up at Julian. "Do you expect me to sign it?" He didn't answer. Instead, his gaze shifted to the pen I was holding. I tossed it onto the desk. "Nope. I'm not signing it." Jacintha panicked and lunged to grab the papers. "Are you out of your mind? Did you seriously turn down 100,000 dollars?" "Someone else should sign it." I held the papers down with a palm. I turned to Eleanor, challenging her, "Do you dare to sign them, Eleanor?" Anxiety flashed across her face before a calm facade settled on her face. "I don't need to sign it. I've been telling the truth all along." She took the pen and wrote "I refuse to withdraw my claim" on her copy of the statement. Julian rose to his feet and flattened his cuffs. "Since neither of you is admitting that you're the fraud, I'll see you at the banquet at my family villa at 8.00 p.m. tomorrow. At that time, I'll announce who receives the reward." Finally, his cold gaze found mine. "Ms. Murphy, I hope your confidence won't waver then." Chapter 4 The Smell of Thirty Thousand The next evening, the Cregger Residence was brightly lit. Luxury cars filled half the courtyard. Big shots and celebrities from the venture capital circle were all gathered here. Eleanor was clad in an expensive white haute couture gown. Jacintha even managed to borrow a diamond necklace for her to wear for the occasion. She swanned through the crowd with a champagne flute like a proper lady. Jacintha was right there beside her, taking every opportunity she could to introduce Eleanor to every guest they came across. "This is my daughter, Eleanor. She helped Mr. Cregger years ago. He's going to reward her tonight. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance!" By contrast, I was wearing an old hoodie and washed-out jeans. I stood in the corner looking not unlike a grungy janitor, utterly out of place. The guests kept shooting me looks of scorn. "She's actually showing her face here?" "I heard that she can't even afford her own rent. She probably came to try her luck to see if she can leech off Mr. Cregger." "How shameless!" I held a glass of water, silently listening to their criticism. … The banquet began at 8 p.m. sharp as that was when Julian descended from the second floor. He wore a black suit, his spine ramrod straight. His expression was as cold as ever. His presence immediately brought the venue to a hush. Luke followed behind him with a tray covered with a red cloth. Eleanor's fingers tightened around the champagne flute in anticipation. Julian marched toward the center of the room. His gaze swept across the crowd before locking in on her face. "I hope that everyone here today can act as my witness." He raised a hand, and Luke instantly pulled the red cloth off the tray, revealing a check for ten million. The crowd gasped in surprise. Eleanor's eyes were instantly reddened with emotion. She lifted her dress and walked over to the man. "Thank you so much, Mr. Cregger. It was a small gesture, really. At the time, I just thought that I couldn't leave a man in need." In the crowd, Jacintha dramatically wiped away her tears, but it didn't stop her from dragging my name through the mud. "My girl, Elle, has been an angel since she was little, unlike a certain person who turned her back on her family for money." She glared at me and needled, "Mildred, at this point, you might as well apologize to Eleanor now. Admit to Mr. Cregger that you're a fraud. I'm sure a kind man like him would forgive you and let the matter slide." Her words drew the guests' gaze to my face. Some of them were looking at me with contempt, some were mocking me, and some were gloating at my misfortune. Eleanor stood beside Julian with her chin high, shooting me a victorious look. Her smile was sickeningly sweet as she said, "Mom's right, Millie. Apologize, and I'll give you $10,000 to pay your rent once I receive the reward." I set the glass on the table and marched over to the center of the room, demanding, "Why should I apologize when all I've done is speak the truth?" Jacintha screamed her lungs out on the sidelines, "She's just refusing to face the grim reality! Mr. Cregger, call the security guards!" He dismissed her words, his calm gaze searching for answers as he scrutinized my face. "Ms. Murphy, do you have anything to add?" He picked up the check, looking ready to hand it over to Eleanor at any time. I couldn't tear my eyes off the check. I slowly reached inside my pocket and touched a small, stiff plastic packet. It was the most valuable thing I owned, and I had brought it with me before coming here. I spoke before Julian could hand the check over. My voice wasn't loud, yet it carried a firm determination that echoed across the room. "Mr. Cregger, since Eleanor got every detail right, including the cracked watch face and a cup of tea..." I paused for a second and locked eyes with my cousin. "I reckon she has also told you about what the money smelled like as well."