By noon, his company ID badge stopped working.
By 3:00 p.m., he was called into an emergency executive meeting.
And at exactly 3:17—
He was terminated.
Back in the house, my parents were still trying to hold onto control.
Until the phone rang.
My father answered.
“Yes?”
A pause.
Then his face went white.
“I… I don’t understand.”
Another pause.
His voice broke. “That loan is secured under my name. You can’t just—”
Click.
The call ended.
My mother stood up slowly. “What happened?”
He lowered the phone.
“They’re calling in the loan.”
Ashley froze. “What loan?”
“The one we co-signed for you and Brandon.”
The house suddenly felt smaller.
Tighter.
Like the walls were closing in.
That night, I made my move.
Not with shouting.
Not with anger.
But with precision.
At exactly 8:00 p.m., a black envelope was delivered to their front door.
Inside—
A single invitation.
Executive Dinner – Hosted by Titan Defense Systems
Location: Private Penthouse Level
Attendance Required
And at the bottom—
My name.
They showed up.
Of course they did.
Because by then, they were desperate.
When the elevator doors opened, they stepped into a world they didn’t belong in.
Glass walls stretching into the skyline.
Security personnel at every corner.