Chapter 8
Chapter 8: The Ambush
They didn't wait long. By 7:00 PM that evening, a black SUV aggressively pulled into my driveway. I watched through the window as Janet, Robert, and Sabrina stormed up my front walkway. They looked frantic, furious, and disheveled. The arrogance from Friday night’s dinner party had completely evaporated.
I told Anna to go upstairs and put her headphones on. I opened the front door but kept the heavy security screen locked. I stood on my porch, staring out at them. The glowing blue ring of my security camera recorded every word.
“Open this door, Claire!” Janet screamed, hitting the mesh screen with her palm. “You reverse this right now! Robert’s business is collapsing! The bank is threatening to repo the vans!” “And Carter was un-enrolled!” Sabrina sobbed, her mascara running down her face. “He had to pack his dorm room into garbage bags! You humiliated us!”
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“No,” I said, my voice dangerously low. “You humiliated yourselves. You thought I would just swallow the theft because you’re my parents. You thought I would sacrifice my daughter’s future to fund your golden grandchild. You were wrong.”
“It’s family money!” Robert bellowed, his face purple. “We raised you! We gave you everything! You owe us!” “I owed you respect,” I said. “But you broke the contract. The money you stole triggered a massive IRS audit, by the way. I hope you kept your business receipts, Robert.” Janet’s face drained of color. “The IRS?” “Yes,” I smiled. “Marcus Thorne is a very thorough lawyer. Now get off my property before I call the police for trespassing.”
