My parents announced at their wedding anniversary dinner: “We are going to Bahamas next week with the entire family for another party.” Everybody was happy. Then I asked them, what time is the departure? Dad replied, “You don’t know because you are not part of us. You can stay behind and take care of all the kids.” What I said next… nobody could believe.

Carmen slowly opened the final folder of the large stack. “Apex Ventures will legally agree not to request formal criminal prosecution if every single dollar of the diverted money is fully repaid within ninety days but our primary lending partners were already legally notified about these massive breaches earlier this morning.”

Dad swallowed hard and tugged nervously at his tight shirt collar. “What exactly does that mean for me?”

“It means your major commercial expansion loan is entirely frozen effective immediately.”

Cameron leaned forward and whispered in a totally terrified tone. “What is going to happen with my commercial landlord?”

I looked at my older brother and offered him a very polite smile. “I am actually your commercial landlord.”

“Your current lease agreement remains completely valid but every single dollar of that deferred rent you owe me is now due in full.”

Madison started crying and her voice cracked loudly. “You are completely destroying all of our lives.”