CHỈ LÀ ĐỒ PHẾ LIỆU

At 9:15 the following morning, Isaiah received a call from his attorney.

He took it outside, leaving Zoe and Malik in the kitchen.

Denise was upstairs.

Neither sibling had spoken much since the previous night.

Zoe sat at the table with her laptop open.

She had spent the morning organizing photographs of her robot, saving original design files, and documenting every change she had made during the four-month build.

She had also contacted her engineering teacher, Mr. Brooks, who remembered seeing her work on the prototype throughout the semester.

He had agreed to provide a statement confirming that she had developed it independently.

Malik sat opposite her.

"How's it going?""

"Fine.""

He looked at the photographs.

"That's a lot of work.""

"It's evidence.""

He nodded.

After a moment, he asked, "Do you think you can still enter the competition?""

Zoe stopped typing.

"I don't know.""

"You should.""

She looked at him.

"Why?""

"Because you worked for it.""

She returned to the laptop.

Malik lowered his head.

"I know I don't deserve you to forgive me.""

Zoe didn't respond.

He continued.

"I was jealous. Dad talked about you all the time. Mom kept telling me I had to prove I could do something too.""

"That wasn't my fault.""

"I know.""

"Then why did you make it my problem?""

Malik looked at her.

"I don't have a good answer.""

For the first time, Zoe believed him.

But believing someone was sorry didn't mean she was ready to forgive them.

She closed one folder and opened another.

"Malik, I need you to tell Dad exactly what happened when you destroyed the robot.""

"I already told him.""

"Tell him everything.""

Malik nodded.

"Okay.""

At 9:42, the doorbell rang.

Denise came downstairs, adjusting her sweater.

"Who is that?""

Isaiah returned from outside.

"Nobody you need to worry about.""

The doorbell rang again.

Then someone knocked three times.

"Denise! Open the door.""

She froze.

Zoe recognized the voice from the April afternoon when Marcus had visited the garage.

Marcus Reed.

Denise looked at Isaiah.

"Don't let him in.""

Isaiah walked toward the door.

"He's the one who wants to collect the prototype.""

"Isaiah, please.""

He opened it.

Marcus stood on the porch wearing a dark coat and holding a leather folder.

He was in his early forties, with a neatly trimmed beard and an expensive-looking watch.

He smiled when he saw Isaiah.

"Mr. Carter. I was hoping we'd finally meet.""

Isaiah didn't smile.

"What do you want?""

"Just here to resolve a business matter.""

Marcus held up the folder.

"Denise knows why I'm here.""

Isaiah stepped aside.

"Then come in and explain it.""

Marcus entered.

His eyes moved across the room before settling on Zoe.

"Ah. The young engineer.""

Zoe stood.

"Don't call me that.""

Marcus smiled politely.

"I've heard quite a bit about your work.""

"You mean the work you stole?""

His smile disappeared for half a second.

Then he looked at Denise.

"Is she always this emotional?""

Isaiah stepped forward.

"Watch how you speak to my daughter.""

Marcus opened his folder.

"I'm not here to argue. I have a signed agreement.""

He placed the loan document on the table.

"Eight thousand five hundred dollars. The deadline has passed. I have the right to collect the collateral.""

Isaiah pointed toward Zoe.

"She's a minor. The agreement concerns her property, which Denise had no authority to pledge.""

Marcus shrugged.

"That's a legal question for another day.""

"No. It's a legal question for today.""

Marcus glanced toward the garage.

"Where's the prototype?""

Zoe folded her arms.

"Broken.""

Marcus looked at her.

"Broken?""

"Your friend Malik destroyed it.""

Marcus turned toward Malik.

"That's unfortunate.""

Malik frowned.

"That's all you have to say?""

Marcus ignored him.

"Then I'll need the replacement.""

Isaiah shook his head.

"You're not taking anything.""

Marcus sighed.

"Mr. Carter, I have invested time and money in this project.""

"You invested money Denise had no right to borrow against my daughter's invention.""

"I didn't force her to sign.""

Denise looked down.

Marcus continued.

"I was given the design materials. I paid for evaluation. I developed a commercial prototype based on the information provided.""

Zoe stepped closer.

"You didn't develop anything. You copied my work.""

Marcus looked at her.

"Young lady, ideas are not the same as inventions. You built a school project. I developed a commercial product.""

Zoe felt anger rise in her chest.

"Then explain the sensor calibration.""

Marcus paused.

"What?""

"The second sensor in my original design. It compensates for reflective surfaces. It's the reason the machine can distinguish aluminum from certain types of plastic.""

Marcus said nothing.

Zoe continued.

"Your prototype has the same calibration sequence. I wrote that code myself.""

Marcus closed his folder.

"Technical similarities don't establish ownership.""

"Then explain why your project uses the exact same error-correction values I wrote in my notebook.""

His expression tightened.

Isaiah looked at Marcus.

"Answer her.""

Marcus turned toward Denise.

"You told me the files were authorized.""

Denise shook her head.