3
Г
They got married right after I left.
Mikey was standing next to them in a little
suit, smiling like they were a real family.
Chris sent me that picture to rub it in.
“Was it you? Or her?” I muttered.
“Tomorrow, I’ll find out.”
“I promised, whoever killed Mom and Dad is
going to pay!”
The Callahans are throwing a big party for
Mikey’s eighteenth birthday.
く
The old house looks pretty much the same.
But things aren’t as good as they seem.
The company’s been losing money ever since
Chris took over.
If they don’t get an investment soon, they
might have to sell the old house to stay
afloat.
Lots of people showed up, and they all gave
me weird looks when I walked in.
“What’s Danny doing here?”
“Duh, it’s his kid’s birthday.‘
“That’s a stretch. Chris kicked Danny out
く
years ago. Barb divorced him, and his own kid
doesn’t even like him. He’s probably here to
make trouble.”
“Nobody’s heard from Danny since he got
kicked out. I wonder what he’s been up to.”
“I heard he knows Hank from Gold Standard. I
guess the Callahans invited Danny hoping he
could get Hank to invest in the company.”
“Yeah, right. What would Hank want with
Danny?”
Over the years, I had been keeping my head
down and stayed behind the scenes, so not a
lot of people knew that I was a successful
financier.
I ignored them and headed for the buffet,
L
Then, the stars of the show showed up.
Barb took Chris’s arm, and they brought
Mikey over to me.
Mikey looked disgusted.
“You’re wearing that to my party? Are you
trying to embarrass me?”
I was wearing casual clothes, nothing special,
but clean and presentable.
I thought I looked fine, but Mikey didn’t think
So.
But it didn’t matter if I dressed up. Mikey
would still be disgusted by me.
“I’m a little short on cash these days,” I said.
<
“Can’t afford fancy clothes.‘
Mikey sneered.
Before he could say anything else, Barb
snapped, “Danny, we’re doing you a favor
letting you come to Mikey’s party. Don’t do
anything to ruin it.”
I looked at the woman who promised to love
me forever, and I felt a little sad.
I was naive back then, not seeing Barb for
who she really was.
I thought about how she tossed the divorce
papers in my face and how I was so
heartbroken I almost jumped in the river, and I
realized I was stupid.
I gave her so much love and she threw it all
away.
Chris smiled at me.
“We haven’t seen you in years. I thought you
might have killed yourself after what
happened.”
“It’s good to see you again, brother. Mom and
Dad would be so happy.”
I glared at Chris.
“I heard the company’s been losing money
ever since you took over. You’re about to lose
the house.”
“Mom and Dad would be so proud.”
く
Chris’s eyes flashed with anger, but he held it
- in.
“That was all a misunderstanding,” he said.
“I’ve been thinking about it, and I want you to
come back to the company as vice
president.”
Barb jumped in.
“Chris is being generous, not holding a
grudge. You should stop pretending you’re
too good for it!”
“Look at those cheap clothes you’re wearing.
You must be struggling. It’d be a great
opportunity for you.”
“Of course, there’s a catch.”
く
I glared at them.
“What’s the catch?”
Chris coughed.
“I heard you’re friends with Hank from Gold
Standard. Is that true?”
I nodded.
“We’re acquaintances. I’ve met him a few.
times.”
Chris’s eyes lit up.
“If you can get Hank to invest at least five
million in the company, the vice president job
is yours.”
I almost laughed.
Even when the Callahan company was at its
peak, a vice president job wasn’t worth that
much.
Five million for a job?
Did they think I was an idiot?
