Chapter 2 - The Billion Dollar Secret
The drive back to our home was quiet, but it was a comfortable, peaceful silence. Nathan fell back asleep in his car seat, completely unaware of the dramatic exit we had just made.
When we pulled through the wrought iron security gates of our property, the massive stone facade of our estate was beautifully illuminated against the night sky. We did not just buy a house last year. We bought a seven bedroom mansion in one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in the state.
My family thought I was a struggling drifter who sold random items on the internet. They had no idea that the small software company I built in my tiny apartment five years ago had revolutionized inventory logistics for major retailers. They had no idea that I sold a majority stake in that company last spring for an amount of money that secured my family future for the next ten generations.
I kept it a secret because I knew how my family operated. If they knew I was wealthy, I would instantly become their personal bank. Jason would demand investments for his failing real estate ventures, and my parents would expect me to fund their lavish retirement. I wanted them to love me for who I was, not for what I could buy them.
Once we got inside and put Nathan to bed, Emily wrapped her arms around my waist in the kitchen.
"Are you okay?" she asked softly, resting her chin on my chest.
"I have never been better," I smiled, kissing her forehead. "I am sorry they treated you like that."
"They did not hurt me," Emily said with a fierce glint in her eyes. "They only hurt themselves. And I have a feeling Jason is going to regret tonight more than anyone."
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Emily was right. While I had been quietly building an empire, Jason had been drowning in a spectacular ocean of debt. He drove a leased luxury car he could not afford. He lived in a house mortgaged to the absolute limit. His private real estate firm was hemorrhaging money, and he was desperately hiding the financial ruin from Amanda and my parents to maintain his precious golden boy image.
He mocked my life because his own life was a fragile house of cards waiting for a single gust of wind. And that wind was coming much faster than he realized.
