Chapter 5: The Email That Exposed My Mother
Daniel asked everyone involved to remain in the competition hall.
Gloria immediately protested.
"This is ridiculous. We have already explained the situation.""
Daniel didn't look away from the tablet.
"Mrs. Morgan, the registration system shows that you requested a name change on the original entry.""
Gloria folded her arms.
"I was helping my daughters.""
"Which daughter?""
"My family.""
"That's not what I asked.""
Tessa stood beside her mother, wiping tears from her cheeks.
I remained near the judges' table, holding my phone.
My heart was pounding.
I had suspected my mother had planned to give Tessa the cake.
But I hadn't known she had gone into the registration system and changed the entry herself.
Daniel turned the tablet so Gloria could see it.
"Your request was submitted at 8:42 p.m. on Tuesday.""
Gloria glanced at the screen.
"Yes. I probably did that.""
"Did Aaliyah authorize the transfer?""
My mother hesitated.
"She's my daughter. I handle certain things for the family.""
Daniel's expression hardened.
"That doesn't answer the question.""
Gloria sighed dramatically.
"She was being difficult. Tessa had a better chance of winning, so I made the necessary arrangements.""
I stared at her.
"You changed my registration without asking me?""
Gloria turned toward me.
"Don't act like I stole your life. It's a cake.""
"It's my entry.""
"And you won something else!""
Her voice echoed across the hall.
Several people turned.
Gloria lowered her tone.
"Honestly, Aaliyah. You have the money now. Why are you determined to humiliate your sister?""
I felt my fingers tighten around the phone.
"Because she entered my work under her name.""
"She is your sister.""
"That doesn't give her ownership of my work.""
Tessa suddenly spoke.
"Mom, you said they wouldn't check.""
Everyone looked at her.
Gloria turned slowly.
"What did you say?""
Tessa covered her mouth.
Her eyes filled again.
I felt a chill move through me.
Daniel stepped closer.
"Tessa, what do you mean?""
She looked at her mother.
"Nothing.""
"Tessa," Daniel said gently, "we need you to be honest.""
Gloria grabbed her daughter's shoulder.
"She is upset. Please stop questioning her.""
Tessa pulled away.
"You told me they wouldn't check the registration.""
Gloria's face went pale.
"Tessa, be quiet.""
"You said Aaliyah wouldn't make trouble because she needed the prize money.""
I couldn't breathe for a moment.
My mother had known exactly what the money meant to me.
She had known that I needed it for surgery.
And she had still taken the cake.
Daniel looked at Gloria.
"Is that true?""
Gloria straightened.
"My daughter is emotional. I will not allow strangers to interrogate her.""
Helen stepped between them.
"Nobody is interrogating anyone. We are investigating a possible false authorship claim.""
Gloria laughed bitterly.
"Fine. Investigate. But don't pretend this is some major crime.""
Marcus looked toward the cake.
"Professional competitions depend on trust. If a contestant submits another person's work, that matters.""
Daniel nodded.
"Very much.""
He turned to the assistant.
"Please retrieve the original registration photographs and the change request.""
The assistant began working.
Meanwhile, Tessa sat down on a nearby chair.
I approached her.
"Why did you do it?""
She looked up.
"Do what?""
"Let Mom put your name on my cake.""
Tessa wiped her nose.
"She told me it was okay.""
"Did you believe that?""
She didn't answer.
I sat on the opposite chair.
"You knew I made it.""
"Yes.""
"You knew why I needed the prize.""
Her eyes dropped.
"Yes.""
"Then why?""
Tessa looked toward our mother.
"Because Mom said I deserved a chance.""
I stared at her.
"What did I deserve?""
She began crying again.
I didn't comfort her.
Not because I hated her, but because I had spent too many years comforting everyone who hurt me.
Tessa had always been the favorite.
When she wanted new clothes, Gloria found money.
When she wanted dance lessons, Gloria rearranged the family budget.
When she failed an exam, my mother hired a tutor.
When I asked for money to see another eye specialist, Gloria told me to stop wasting resources.
I had accepted it for years because I believed that was what family meant.
But sitting there, watching Tessa cry over a cake she couldn't even recreate, I finally understood something.
My mother hadn't simply favored one daughter.
She had taught one daughter to expect everything and the other to accept nothing.
A few minutes later, the assistant returned.
"Chef Hayes, I found the original transfer request.""
Daniel read the document.
Then he looked at Gloria.
"The form contains a statement confirming that the original creator consented to the transfer.""
Gloria nodded.
"Exactly.""
"However, the signature appears to have been electronically entered through your account.""
My mother's face changed.
"I was authorized to manage the registration.""
"Do you have written permission from Aaliyah?""
Gloria hesitated.
"She knew what was happening.""
I stood.
"No, I didn't.""
Daniel looked at me.
"Can you confirm that?""
"Yes. I have the original registration email, and I never requested a transfer.""
He nodded.
The assistant tapped the screen.
"There is also a message attached to the request.""
Gloria immediately stepped forward.
"That's private.""
Daniel looked at her.
"It was submitted through the competition portal. It is part of the official entry record.""
He read the message silently.
Then his expression changed.
"Mrs. Morgan, would you care to explain why you wrote that Aaliyah was withdrawing because of her medical condition?""
My stomach dropped.
I turned toward the screen.
The message stated that I had voluntarily withdrawn my entry because my eye condition made it difficult for me to complete the competition.
It claimed I had given Tessa permission to use the cake.
It also stated that the transfer had been approved by me.
I shook my head.
"I never wrote that.""
Gloria's mouth tightened.
"You were struggling. I was trying to help.""
"By telling them I withdrew?""
"You were never going to win with that strange dessert arrangement.""
I stared at her.
"You didn't even know what I was making.""
Gloria raised her voice.
"Because you never tell me anything!""
I almost laughed.
For years, I had shown her every recipe, every sketch, every finished cake.
She simply hadn't cared until she realized one of my creations could benefit Tessa.
Daniel placed the tablet on the table.
"Mrs. Morgan, this is a serious misrepresentation. We need to suspend the second entry while the committee reviews the evidence.""
Gloria's expression turned furious.
"You're punishing my daughter because her sister is jealous.""
Tessa looked up.
"Mom, stop.""
Gloria turned toward her.
"Don't you start.""
Tessa's voice was barely audible.
"I knew Aaliyah made it. I knew the cake wasn't mine.""
Gloria stared at her.
"You're my daughter. I was helping you.""
"Then why did you make me lie?""
The question landed harder than any accusation.
Gloria looked around, searching for someone who might agree with her.
Nobody did.
Daniel addressed the assistant.
"Please preserve all records associated with this entry.""
Then he looked at me.
"Aaliyah, we would also like to discuss something else.""
I frowned.
"What?""
He glanced toward my bouquet.
"Your first-place entry has attracted the attention of one of our sponsors.""
Marcus smiled.
"They own a chain of artisan dessert shops.""
I blinked.
"Why?""
"Because they want to know whether you're interested in discussing a professional opportunity.""
For the first time that afternoon, I forgot about my mother.
"An opportunity?""
Daniel nodded.
"A paid apprenticeship. Possibly more, depending on your availability and interests.""
I looked at my hands.
They were still stained with chocolate.
I had come to this competition hoping to pay for surgery.
Now someone was offering me a chance to build a career.
Then Marcus added something that made my heart race.
"They also want to see your original blue cake design.""
I turned toward the display.
The cake was still sitting there.
The stolen cake.
The one my mother had claimed was Tessa's masterpiece.
And suddenly, I understood why the sponsor wanted to see it.
May you like
They weren't just interested in the flowers.
They wanted to meet the person who had made them.
