Dad lifted his glass on Father’s Day in front of 35 guests. “Here’s to the marriage mistake I never wanted.” My mom grinned while my brother and sister applauded. I stopped eating and said, “You’ll wish you hadn’t said that.” They laughed even harder. My brother mocked, “Listen to the failure making threats.” I said nothing. Seven days later, my brother texted, “Sis, this isn’t funny.” Then Dad sent one message: “Please undo what you did.” 68 missed calls.

by

Chapter 13

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The heavy, rhythmic pounding on the solid wood door of the apartment echoed through the high-ceilinged room.

BAM. BAM. BAM.

I did not flinch. I carefully set my ceramic mug onto its cork coaster.

I rose, walked quietly across the concrete floor, and stopped two inches before the door. I did not unlock the heavy brass deadbolt. I slid the metal cover of the optical peephole to the side.

Standing on the carpeted residential landing, illuminated by the harsh overhead fluorescent corridor lights, was the entire Ellison Dynasty.

Arthur looked ten years older than he had the previous Sunday. His hair was disheveled, his eyes bloodshot and ringed with dark, bruised circles of sleeplessness. His signature navy blazer was wrinkled, his shirt unbuttoned at the throat without a tie.

Beside him stood Evelyn, clutching a leather handbag to her chest like a shield, her face pale, devoid of the smug superiority she usually wore like perfume.

Grant stood behind them, shifting nervously from foot to foot, his broad shoulders hunched, his jaw clenched in a mixture of humiliation and simmering rage. Sienna was leaning against the corridor drywall, her arms crossed, mascara smudged beneath her eyes, staring at the floor as though standing in an apartment building on the working-class side of town was an active physical trauma.

Arthur raised his fist and hammered the wood again.

“Nadia!” Arthur’s voice was hoarse, stripped of all its theatrical courtyard resonance. “Open this door! We know you’re in there! The building super saw you come in yesterday!”

I did not move. I did not breathe a word.

“Nadia, please, sweetheart,” Evelyn pleaded, her voice quavering through the solid oak. She took a step closer, resting her trembling palms against the door. “It’s your mother. Please open the door. We’re your family. We can’t talk out here in the hallway like common vagrants. Let us in so we can fix this!”

Grant stepped up, shoving his hands into his slacks. “Nadia! Come on! You’ve made your point, okay? You proved you could mess with the accounts! But people are picketing the warehouse! The bank is sending liquidators on Tuesday if we don’t clear the escrow default! Stop being so damn childish!”

“Shut up, Grant!” Arthur snarled, rounding on his son with a sudden, vicious ferocity that made Grant flinch. “Just shut your mouth!”

Arthur turned back to the wood, pressing his forehead against the painted surface.

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Table of Contents
Dad lifted his glass on Father’s Day in front of 35 guests. “Here’s to the marriage mistake I never wanted.” My mom grinned while my brother and sister applauded. I stopped eating and said, “You’ll wish you hadn’t said that.” They laughed even harder. My brother mocked, “Listen to the failure making threats.” I said nothing. Seven days later, my brother texted, “Sis, this isn’t funny.” Then Dad sent one message: “Please undo what you did.” 68 missed calls.
TABLE OF CONTENTS 18
01 Chapter 1 02 Chapter 2 03 Chapter 3 04 Chapter 4 05 Chapter 5 06 Chapter 6 07 Chapter 7 08 Chapter 8 09 Chapter 9 10 Chapter 10 11 Chapter 11 12 Chapter 12 13 Chapter 13 14 Chapter 14 15 Chapter 15 16 Chapter 16 17 Chapter 17 18 Chapter 18

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