After finishing work for the day, I checked my phone and realized I had been added to a group chat called "Catch the Thief."

The members were my parents, my brother, Brian Wise, and my sister-in-law, Paulene Wise.

I typed a question mark.

Paulene replied instantly.

[My jewelry is missing. I didn't add you here to accuse you or anything. I just wanted to ask what you think. Honestly, there's no use for other people in our family to take my jewelry, so I've been wondering... I'm not saying you definitely stole it. But if you did, you don't have to deny it. I'm willing to give you a chance to make things right.]

My mother said nothing. She just kept tagging me over and over.

I let out a small laugh and typed back.

[Maybe Brian took it and gave it to his side piece. I'm not saying he definitely has someone else. Just that men his age sometimes start looking around. I'm only guessing here. And if he really did mess up, you could give him a chance to make things right, too.]

The group chat finally went quiet.

My mother called almost immediately. She sounded so worried that she was close to crying.

"Nala, saying something like that could ruin Brian! You shouldn't accuse him of something he didn't do."

"Oh? So we shouldn't accuse people of things they didn't do? Then why were you silent when Paulene implied I was a thief? Ruining me is fine, but ruining Brian isn't?"

She sniffed softly before answering, "It's just family in that chat. Nothing went outside…"

I laughed. "Neither did my text. Just say what you really want."

Her voice grew smaller. "It's nothing… It's just… Could you take the blame for the jewelry?"

I dug at my ear, thinking I had misheard.

She kept talking.

"Brian and Paulene just decided to try for a baby. If something like this happens now, I'm afraid Paulene might change her mind. Just admit it. We won't tell anyone else. Don't worry. I'll pay Paulene back for you."

I was so angry that I wanted to reach through the phone and shake her.

"I guess I should thank you. That's very thoughtful. And where do you think your money came from in the first place? Maybe we should just call the police."

"No police!"

She reacted instantly.

"Paulene's jewelry has never left the house. This has to be an inside job. You can't call the police on your family. Do you want this whole family to fall apart?"

Wow.

That was a heavy accusation to throw at me.

"Fine. No police. Then tell me who the thief is."

There were barely a handful of people in that house. It wasn't that hard to narrow down.

She sighed. "Don't ask. I won't tell you. It's for the good of the family. Just tell me whether you'll take responsibility."

"No."

I hung up without hesitation.

The next morning, my sister-in-law, Paulene Wise, showed up at my office.

She was bare-faced, a stiff expression on her face as she stood at my desk, looking like I owed her 100 grand.

"Something you need?" I asked.

"Would I come here for no reason?"

"Then what's the reason?"

She let out a cold laugh. "You really want me to say it in front of your coworkers and bosses? After doing something this shameless?"

Human nature loves gossip. The moment she said that, heads started turning from every direction.

I knew if she didn't say it openly, I would become office rumor number one anyway. So I smiled the same way she did.

"Go ahead. I'd love to hear how shameless I supposedly am."

Her chest rose and fell with anger.

Suddenly, she slapped me across the face.

"You stole my jewelry and sold it off, and you still act innocent? Fine. Today I'll teach you some manners on behalf of your parents!"

My cheek burned.

Whispers spread through the office like wildfire.

"Seriously? She's a thief?"

"No wonder. She never wears designer stuff, and her phone's ancient. And that rubber band in her hair? Who does that unless they're broke?"

"I knew it. I left some cash in my drawer last week, and it disappeared. Guess we've got a thief in the office."

That's how offices work. One spark, and everyone's on fire.

Paulene lifted her chin, as if she had just won something.

"I'm not here for the money," she announced loudly. "I just want you to admit your mistake. Your parents are getting old, and they still have to clean up after you. Don't you feel ashamed?"

I touched my cheek, rolled my wrist once. "How exactly did you decide I stole it?"

"That's not your concern." She narrowed her eyes. "You youngsters think you're clever, sneaking around behind the elders' backs. If I want to investigate something, I have plenty of ways."

"Oh, yeah? With those skills, you should be solving crimes for the police."

I stood up. Thinking about my mother's phone call the night before, I swung and slapped her back.

"Let me guess. My mother told you I took it, didn't she? Whoever accused me, go deal with them. Don't come screaming at me."

She stared at me, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You actually hit me?"

I held up my phone. "If you don't leave, I'll call security to escort you out."

Her eyes reddened. She stormed off, lips trembling.

I turned to the coworker who had mocked my rubber-band hair tie.

"You're right," I said calmly. "I am broke, because my money went toward helping my brother get married. And my sister-in-law's jewelry? That came from me, too. So even if I had taken it, you could call it reclaiming my own property."

Then I glanced at the coworker who claimed she had lost cash.

"It may not have been much, but theft is theft. If someone's bold enough to steal from a desk, what's stopping them from stealing company data next? I already called the police for you."

Her face drained of color. "Why would you do that? I never said it was stolen. M-Maybe I miscounted. Please call them back and say it was a mistake."

I ignored her, requested time off, and headed home.

Before I even opened the door, I heard Paulene screaming inside, then something shattering against the floor.

My mother's voice came through, shaky and tearful.

"I apologize on Nala's behalf. I'm so sorry. Please calm down. It's my fault. I didn't raise her right. If you want to slap someone, slap me."

Paulene shouted back, "If I hit you, Brian would lose his mind! How did I end up marrying into this family? And you still expect me to have a baby? Not in this lifetime! I'll make sure your family name ends with me!"

"What? No…" My mother sobbed louder.

I pushed the door open.

The noise stopped instantly.

My mother stared at me, looking as if she had just been saved from drowning. She grabbed my wrist and shoved me forward.

"You're finally back! Hurry up and apologize to Paulene. Look how upset she is. Stress is bad for her. She's trying to get pregnant."

Paulene sat in the middle of the mess like a queen who had just claimed a throne. She looked at me and spoke with feigned sweetness.

"Who am I to deserve an apology from the princess of the family? You stole my jewelry and slapped me in the face. I'd love to see what kind of man you'll end up with someday."

The more she talked, the angrier she got. She grabbed the remote and hurled it at me.

My mother rushed forward and blocked it.

"You're still protecting her?" Paulene's eyes went wide. "She's spoiled because of you. I told you from the start that she took the jewelry. You kept saying no way. And now look!"

My mother was already shaking. She glanced at me, then forced a weak smile at Paulene.

I glared at Paulene.

"You told her I stole it?"

Then, I turned to my mother.

"What did I say last night? Mom, am I really your daughter? Growing up, every time Brian messed up, I took the blame. Does it ever end? And why would I steal Paulene's jewelry? Did she even pay for it herself? That was clearly…"

"Enough!" My mother's eyes turned red. "Why do you always drag up the past? Every time we argue, you bring it back. Brian is your brother. What's the big deal, covering for him once in a while? Blood is blood!"

I had heard that my entire life.

Blood is blood.

But somehow, it only applied when I was getting the short end of the stick. No one ever bothered to stand up for me.

Paulene stood up slowly and walked toward me.

"If you stole it, just admit it. Why twist things? Trying to throw dirt on Brian? I saw the jewelry the day you came home for your birthday. After you left, it was gone. Brian was out of town on business that whole time. He wasn't even here."

That stopped me cold.

So it wasn't Brian?

Then who?

I looked at my mother. Sweat dotted her forehead. She wouldn't meet my eyes.

"If it wasn't Brian, then who took it?" I asked.

She lowered her head and wiped at her tears.

I grabbed her arm. "Say it. Who?"

"Who else could it be?" Paulene shoved me. "Still pretending to be the victim? Fine. I'll call the police and let them lock you up. Let's see how brave you are then."

At the word police, my mother's face went even paler.

"No police!" she screamed. She looked at me, her eyes heavy with wrinkles and desperation. "Nala, please. I'll grovel if I have to. Just admit it. Do you really want this family destroyed?"

She dropped to the ground, holding my pant legs as she groveled.

I grabbed her sleeve, my hands shaking with anger. "I didn't steal anything. Why should I confess? Mom, is it that hard to tell the truth?"

She cried harder and harder until she suddenly fainted.

Everything turned chaotic.

Paulene panicked and called 911.

While the nurses were carrying my mother out on a stretcher, Paulene took advantage of the confusion and slapped me again.

"Brian's on his way back," she hissed. "Let's see how you explain this to him! You stole my jewelry and stressed your own mother into passing out. You'll get what's coming!"