My father, Malcolm Soryn, had spent decades climbing a corporate ladder that never acknowledged his effort, a man obsessed with appearances, leased vehicles, and conversations that always circled back to status. My mother, Elira Soryn, had long ago transformed social comparison into a daily language, measuring every interaction through wealth, reputation, and location prestige.
My younger brother, Jace Soryn, had become the family’s celebrated success story despite a trail of hidden financial disasters involving gambling debts and fraudulent investment schemes that I had quietly been resolving for years without acknowledgment.
When my mother’s credit accounts collapsed under overspending every few months, anonymous transfers would arrive just before collection agencies escalated their demands.
When my father’s performance metrics threatened his position, I acquired silent controlling interest in Asterline Technologies through layered investment structures managed entirely by legal intermediaries, ensuring his employment stability without ever revealing my involvement.