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659words
My reputation was already trashed by Lily’s family -- nobody was on my side anymore.
They swallowed every word Lily and Auntie said; my explanations fell on deaf ears. I blocked all the calls and texts from them.
The next day, Lily and Auntie showed up at my workplace, bringing a posse of relatives with them. Lily dropped to her knees, eyes red and puffy from crying.
“Please, Zoe,” she choked out, “give back the money for Grandma’s surgery! You can buy a car anytime, but Grandma won’t survive the month without her surgery!”
Coworkers quickly gathered, drawn by the spectacle.
My relatives spread the story, just like they always did.
Even colleagues who usually liked me looked at me differently now. The whispers started:
“Quiet Zoe... stealing her grandma’s surgery money? Seriously?”
“Using it to buy a car? Disgusting.”
“If she were my daughter, I’d disown her.”
“Huh. My diamond ring went missing last month. Maybe she took that too!”
Their words pinned me like knives to a board, drowning me in shame. I fought to stay calm.
“How come you say I stole it and so I did? Where’s your proof?”
Lily broke into loud sobs. “Do you think we’d come here without evidence? Zoe, the home security camera caught you stealing. We’re not showing the video publicly—we’re trying to spare your dignity.”
Lies! The video actually showed her stealing! That’s how they knew about it! I glared at her. “I’m not ashamed. Show it!”
“I can’t do that.”
“Is it that you can’t, or you don’t have it?”
Lily, trapped, suddenly yelled, “Zoe, you were naked when you took it! If I show that video, how could you ever face your coworkers? I won’t humiliate you like that!”
Auntie spit near my shoes. “Shameless little thief! Pay up, or we release it!”
“Mom, don’t—” Lily begged, putting a hand on her mother’s arm, “—she’s still my cousin.”
She turned back to me, voice trembling. “Zoe, please, just return the money. It isn’t yours.”
“Yeah, Zoe, just pay them back!”
“You’re clearly doing the wrong thing. It’s not too late to repent.”
The crowd urged, pressing me to capitulate.
Seeing I couldn't out-argue Lily's web of lies, I grabbed my phone to call the police.
Lily lunged to grab it. “You can’t call the cops -- you’ll go to jail!” I dodged, but a hand snatched the phone from behind me.
I spun around. Ethan stood there, panting from running. My frustration boiled over.
“Give it back to me!” I demanded.
“Lily’s right,” Ethan said firmly, holding my phone high above my reach. “You can’t call the police. Zoe, stealing thirty thousand dollars isn’t a game. I won’t stand by and watch you ruin your life. I’ll pay them the thirty grand.” He pulled out his own phone.
My eyes blazing, I slapped him hard across the face. “Who asked you to meddle? Give me my phone!”
He ignored me, turning to Lily. “Lily, send me the bank details. I’ll transfer it now.”
“Oh, thank you, Ethan!” Lily gushed, relief washing over her face. “God, if Zoe got arrested over this... I’d feel so guilty.”
They were about to transfer the money.
I tried to push through to stop them, but relatives and coworkers held me back, their voices a barrage:
“Zoe, don’t be ungrateful!”
“You should be thanking your lucky stars Ethan’s willing to cover for you!”
“Be grateful Lily’s family isn’t pressing charges!”
It was the same old pattern: Lily smeared me and played the innocent; Ethan took the public fall and garnered praise. Meanwhile, I got painted as the villain.
Their relentless chatter was like quicksand; the more I struggled against it, the deeper I sank, suffocating.
Just then, two police officers pushed their way through the crowd.
“Who called the police?” the taller one asked, scanning the tense faces.
