Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4 — Checkmate
The mention of the cruise hung in the air like a rotting corpse.
Vivien flinched.
"Audrey, we can cancel the cruise," she offered desperately.
"We can use that thirteen thousand toward the debt."
I laughed. A cold, hollow sound that echoed off the crystal chandelier.
"Thirteen thousand?" I mocked.
"Marcus owes one hundred and eighty thousand dollars. The cruise money won't even cover the legal fees."
Marcus slammed his hands on the table.
"Look, you have a hundred million dollars!" he yelled, his facade cracking entirely.
"Just write the damn check! You're her granddaughter! Don't you want to save her house?!"
I looked at him with absolute pity.
"I already did."
The room went entirely still.
"What?" my father whispered.
I reached into my designer leather bag.
I pulled out a thick stack of papers bound in a blue legal folder.
I tossed it onto the center of the table.
It landed right on top of Marcus's forged loan documents.
"Read it," I commanded.
Marcus leaned forward with trembling hands.
He opened the blue folder.
His eyes scanned the first page.
Then the second.
All the blood drained from his face. He looked like he was going to vomit.
"No," Marcus breathed, shaking his head. "No, this is impossible."
"What is it?" Vivien demanded, grabbing his arm. "Marcus, what does it say?"
Marcus couldn't speak. He just stared at the paper as if it were a bomb about to detonate.
"Allow me to translate," I said smoothly, stepping closer to the table.
"The bank didn't sell your debt to a faceless private equity firm, Marcus."
"They sold it to a holding company."
"A holding company owned entirely by The Two Dollar Trust."
I leaned over the table, bringing my face inches from his.
"I am the bank, Marcus."
"You owe me."
Vivien gasped, covering her mouth.
My father fell back in his chair, grasping his chest.
"Audrey..." my mother whispered, horrified.
"You bought the debt?" my father asked, his voice shaking. "Why?"
"So I could do this," I said.
I picked up a pen from the table.
I flipped to the back page of the blue folder.
I drew a massive, thick black line through the clause listing Grandma's house as collateral.
"I am officially releasing the lien on Grandma's property," I announced.
"The house is safe. It is fully paid off, and the deed is being transferred into a protected trust in her name."
"Neither of you will ever be able to touch it again."
My father let out a massive sigh of relief.
"Oh, thank God," he muttered. "Audrey, thank you. Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet," I interrupted.
"Because the debt still exists."
I looked at Marcus.
"You still owe one hundred and eighty thousand dollars. Plus penalty fees."
"And since I removed the house as collateral, the loan is now unsecured."
"Which means, according to the terms you signed..."
I pointed to paragraph four on the original document.
"...the lender has the right to immediately seize personal assets to satisfy the default."
Marcus's jaw dropped.
"You wouldn't," he whispered.
"I absolutely would," I smiled.
"I've already filed the paperwork to garnish your wages. The consulting firm will be notified tomorrow."
"I'm also placing a lien on your cars, your bank accounts, and that fancy house you can barely afford."
Vivien started sobbing hysterically.
"Audrey, you're ruining us! You're ruining our lives!"
"No, Vivien," I corrected her.
"I am holding you accountable. There's a difference."
I turned to my parents.
"And you," I said to my father. "Since you co-signed this fraudulent mess..."
"If Marcus declares bankruptcy to escape this, the debt falls entirely on you."
My parents stared at me, completely paralyzed.
The power dynamic of the room had shifted permanently.
They were no longer the rulers of the kingdom.
They were hostages to their own greed.
"You're a monster," my mother spat, tears ruining her expensive makeup.
"No, Mom," I said, picking up my leather bag.
"I'm independent."
"Just like you always wanted."
I walked toward the front door.
I didn't look back.
Behind me, the dining room devolved into chaos.
Marcus and Vivien started screaming at each other.
My father was yelling at Marcus.
My mother was sobbing.
I opened the front door and stepped out into the cool night air.
I pulled out my phone and found the itinerary for my grandmother's care facility.
I was moving her into a private, luxury estate tomorrow.
With ocean views. First class.
I got into my new car, started the engine, and drove away from the wreckage.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a shiny, encased piece of paper.
I had framed it in acrylic.
The pink lottery ticket.
May you like
Two dollars.
It really was the best investment they ever made.
