Chapter 6: The Scholarship That Wasn't Paid
Isaiah was standing in the garage when Zoe showed him the registration receipt.
He read it once.
Then again.
"Three hundred and fifty dollars," he said.
Zoe nodded.
"She told me the committee waived the fee.""
Isaiah looked at the payment date.
"May ninth.""
"That's what the email says.""
He examined the card number.
"That's the household card.""
Malik stood behind them, looking uncomfortable.
Isaiah turned toward him.
"Where's your mother?""
"She went to see Marcus.""
Isaiah checked the time.
"How long ago?""
"About two hours.""
Isaiah picked up his phone.
He called Denise.
It rang six times before she answered.
"What?""
"Where are you?""
"Running errands.""
"Which errands?""
"Isaiah, I'm not a child. I don't need to report every move I make.""
He held up the registration receipt.
"Did you pay Zoe's competition fee?""
Silence.
Then Denise sighed.
"Yes.""
"You told her it was waived.""
"I didn't want her worrying about money.""
"Why would she worry? I sent you nearly five thousand dollars.""
"Can we not do this again?""
Isaiah's voice sharpened.
"Did you pay the fee with the money I sent for her?""
"Yes!""
Zoe looked at her father.
He put the phone on speaker.
"Then why did you tell her it was waived?""
Denise hesitated.
"Because I didn't want her asking what happened to the rest.""
Zoe stepped forward.
"Where did the rest go?""
"Zoe, this is between your father and me.""
"No. It's about my life.""
Denise exhaled sharply.
"I paid your registration. I did what I was supposed to do.""
"You used my money to pay for something I thought was free.""
"What's the difference? You got registered, didn't you?""
Zoe stared at the phone.
"The difference is that I spent months believing Dad didn't want to help me.""
Denise said nothing.
Isaiah interrupted.
"Come home. We need to settle this.""
"I'll be back later.""
"Denise—"
She ended the call.
Isaiah lowered the phone.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Zoe opened her email again.
"There's something else.""
She scrolled farther down.
A message from the scholarship committee had arrived three days earlier.
She hadn't opened it because she'd been busy repairing the robot.
The subject line read:
*IMPORTANT: FINALIST DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED.*
Zoe tapped it.
Her eyes moved across the screen.
Then she stopped.
"Dad.""
Isaiah leaned closer.
"What is it?""
She handed him the phone.
The email explained that every finalist needed to submit proof of equipment funding and a signed financial disclosure form before the final demonstration.
The deadline had passed the previous afternoon.
Zoe's face went pale.
"I didn't know about this.""
Isaiah scrolled down.
"Did they send this to you?""
"Yes.""
"Why didn't you see it?""
"I thought the application was complete.""
He checked the sender details.
The message had been forwarded through another email address before reaching Zoe.
Zoe frowned.
"That's not my email.""
Isaiah looked closer.
The forwarded message had originated from Denise's account.
He turned toward Malik.
"Did your mother have access to Zoe's school emails?""
Malik shrugged.
"She helped set up the application.""
Zoe felt a cold sensation move through her stomach.
"She said she'd help me submit everything.""
Isaiah looked at the email.
"Did you sign the financial disclosure?""
"No. I didn't even know there was one.""
He read the final paragraph.
*Failure to submit the required documentation may result in removal from the finalist list.*
Zoe's face crumpled.
"Does that mean I can't compete?""
Isaiah immediately shook his head.
"We're going to contact them.""
"But the deadline—"
"We'll explain what happened.""
"What if they don't believe us?""
"Then we'll find out what our options are.""
He took out his phone and called the competition office.
The call went to voicemail.
He left a message explaining that his daughter had discovered a problem with her registration documents and needed clarification.
Zoe sat down.
The robot stood on the workbench, its repaired wheels now attached to the yellow chassis.
But the damaged arm remained beside it.
She stared at the machine.
Four months of work.
A missing financial disclosure.
A stepmother who had lied about the money.
A scholarship deadline she hadn't even known existed.
"Maybe I should just withdraw," she whispered.
Isaiah turned toward her.
"No.""
"Dad, I can't do this if they won't let me compete.""
"Then we'll ask them what happened.""
"What if they say no?""
"Then we'll appeal.""
"What if that doesn't work?""
Isaiah crouched in front of her.
"Zoe, you don't get to give up before you've even heard the answer.""
She looked at him.
His eyes were tired, but his voice was steady.
"You built something from almost nothing. Don't let someone else's decisions convince you that you don't deserve a chance.""
Zoe nodded slowly.
Then she picked up her screwdriver.
That evening, Denise returned.
She walked into the kitchen carrying a shopping bag and a large envelope.
Malik was sitting on the couch.
Isaiah stood near the dining table.
Zoe was in the garage, but the door was open.
"Where have you been?"" Isaiah asked.
Denise placed the bag on the counter.
"Taking care of things.""
"Did you see Marcus?""
She froze.
"Why?""
"Because your son told us you went to meet him.""
Denise glared at Malik.
"Are you spying on me now?""
Malik stood.
"I'm not covering for you anymore.""
Denise's expression changed.
"What did you say?""
"You heard me.""
She turned toward Isaiah.
"This is ridiculous. You're turning everyone against me.""
Isaiah held up the scholarship email.
"Why did you hide this from Zoe?""
Denise glanced at the screen.
Then she looked toward the garage.
"I didn't hide anything.""
"She never received the original message.""
"Maybe it went to spam.""
"It was forwarded from your account.""
Denise's lips tightened.
"I was helping her.""
"By withholding a deadline?""
"I was going to handle it!""
"How?""
Denise looked away.
Isaiah placed the registration receipt beside the bank statement.
"Did Marcus have anything to do with this?""
Her head snapped up.
"No.""
"Then why did he mention the registration payment?""
Denise gripped the edge of the counter.
"Because he knew I was having problems with the money.""
"What problems?""
She didn't answer.
Isaiah took a step closer.
"Did you promise Marcus the scholarship money?""
Denise looked at him.
Her silence lasted only a few seconds.
But it was enough.
Zoe appeared in the garage doorway.
"Mom?""
Denise turned.
"What?""
"Did you give Marcus the money that was supposed to pay for my education?""
Denise's face tightened.
"I didn't give him all of it.""
Zoe stared at her.
"How much?""
"I told you I was handling it.""
"How much?""
Denise raised her voice.
"Why does everyone keep demanding answers from me?""
Isaiah's expression hardened.
"Because nobody else has been allowed to ask questions.""
Denise looked toward the large envelope she had brought inside.
Then she picked it up.
"Fine. You want to know what happened?""
She opened the envelope and removed several printed pages.
"Here.""
She threw them onto the table.
Isaiah picked them up.
The first page was a loan agreement.
The second was a payment schedule.
The third was a document bearing Marcus Reed's signature.
And at the top of the agreement was an amount that made Isaiah stop breathing for a moment.
*$8,500.00.*
Zoe looked at the number.
"What's that?""
Denise's voice trembled.
"That's what I owe Marcus.""
Isaiah turned the page.
There was a section describing the collateral used to secure the loan.
He read it twice.
Then he looked at Denise.
"You didn't borrow money from Marcus.""
Denise's eyes filled.
"Isaiah—"
"You pledged something.""
She lowered her head.
Zoe stepped closer.
"What did she pledge?""
Isaiah slowly turned the document toward his daughter.
At the bottom of the page was a description of the collateral.
It wasn't a car.
It wasn't jewelry.
It wasn't the house.
It was something Zoe recognized immediately.
*One registered engineering prototype, designated ZC-17, pending scholarship competition submission.*
Zoe's blood ran cold.
She looked toward the garage.
Toward the yellow robot.
Then back at the document.
"That's my robot.""
Denise began shaking her head.
"I can explain.""
Isaiah's voice was dangerously quiet.
"Tell me why a loan agreement has my daughter's invention listed as collateral.""
Denise opened her mouth.
And Zoe realized the money wasn't the only thing her stepmother had taken from her.
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Because according to the document, Marcus Reed had a legal claim connected to the very invention Zoe had spent four months building.
And the agreement had been signed three weeks before Malik destroyed it.
