The flight passed in silence as Calvin reviewed the situation, explaining how my parents had accumulated millions in debt while maintaining appearances. They were insolvent, desperate, and now calling me home as their last option.
“I do not want him in prison,” I said at one point. “I want him to understand exactly what he lost.”
When we arrived in Illinois, a heavy snowstorm blanketed the streets as we drove into the neighborhood I once knew by heart. The house stood exactly as I remembered, decorated with excessive lights that screamed false prosperity.
I stepped out of the car and immediately noticed a neighbor staring at me in shock.
“Alexandra?” she whispered. “But you are…”
“I am doing much better now,” I replied calmly.
Inside, my mother rushed toward me with exaggerated excitement, while my father simply observed with calculation.
“You are late,” he said flatly.
“Something like that,” I replied, refusing to acknowledge his authority.
Dinner began with forced pleasantries until I placed the folder on the table and said calmly, “The debts tied to this house and your business are now owned by Ironcrest Holdings.”
My father frowned slightly and asked, “What does that mean?”