As for Chloe, consequences landed harder than she expected because people raised in impunity often confuse immunity with intelligence. The documented theft and fraud made her radioactive to any reputable firm that performed even basic due diligence. She tried freelancing under another name, then temporary contract work, then social posts with captions about toxic environments and being misunderstood. None of it stuck. Her talent had always relied too heavily on access to things built by others.
My father and Tina fared little better. Audits triggered by the trust documents and subsequent legal pressure forced questions they could not charm away. Assets were sold. Accounts were scrutinized. The curated image of their perfect household began to shrink under the weight of consequence. I heard bits of it through Aunt Marjorie at first, then asked not to hear more. I wasn’t interested in following the demolition in real time. I had spent too many years living inside that architecture already.