Story code: ST-001284
Part 2: The Demand
Clara watched Evelyn’s smile stiffen as Mr. Vance waited by the laptop. The investor’s request was clear, yet Chloe remained motionless, her eyes darting between the keyboard and her mother.
“Chloe,” Evelyn said, her voice tight but maintaining a social pitch. “Go ahead and run the diagnostic for Mr. Vance.”
Chloe reached out, her hand visibly trembling as she touched the trackpad. She clicked twice, opening the command line interface, but then her fingers froze. She looked back at Evelyn and shook her head slightly. The onlookers began to whisper, their conversations humming against the backdrop of the patio music.
Clara walked closer to the kitchen counter, positioning herself near the open sliding glass door where she could observe the group without interrupting. Evelyn grabbed Chloe by the elbow, steering her toward the side of the patio near the buffet tables. She caught Maya’s sleeve on the way, pulling all three of them into the shadow of the brick pillar.
“Maya,” Evelyn whispered, her grip tightening on Maya’s sleeve. “Go over there and log in. Punch in the diagnostic command for Chloe.”
Maya pulled her arm back, breaking Evelyn’s grip. She looked down at her wrist, where the silver baby bracelet sat snugly against her skin. “I can’t do that, Aunt Evelyn,” Maya said, her voice low but steady.
“Don’t be difficult,” Evelyn hissed, casting a quick glance back at Mr. Vance, who was now talking to another guest but keeping his eyes on the presentation screen. Guests were still laughing and drinking wine near the trellis, oblivious to the quiet stand-off occurring by the brick pillar. Clara noticed that Evelyn’s fingers were twitching against her purse strap. Evelyn leaned in closer to Maya, her voice dropping to a harsh whisper. “I don’t care about the registry rules, Maya. You will log in and transfer the administrative rights to Chloe’s profile immediately. If you don’t, I will make sure your father hears about how you disrupted this family celebration. Just give Chloe the private verification details so she can paste them into the portal.”
“The account is locked under my developer credentials,” Maya said, her eyes scanning the lawn before settling back on Evelyn. “The registry code is hardcoded into the security protocol. It cannot be bypassed or transferred without the physical security key.”
“Then unlock it,” Evelyn demanded, stepping closer to Maya. “Tell us the administrator bypass key. You owe this family for everything we’ve done. Chloe needs this break, and you can build another portfolio. Give us the sequence now.”
Clara observed Maya’s fingers trace the engraved numbers on the small silver band around her wrist. The numbers were worn but visible, a sequence tied to the adoption records that legally established her identity.
Mr. Vance approached the brick pillar, a digital tablet held in his hand showing a red warning screen. “The system is requesting the primary registration key to verify the developer’s identity,” he said, looking directly at Evelyn and Chloe. “It says the account is locked to a certified adoption registry ID from twenty-two years ago. Chloe, do you have that registry code ready to enter?”