Chapter 2 — The Phone Call
Thomas looked at Sharon's name glowing across his screen.
It rang once.
Twice.
Three times.
He answered without saying hello.
Sharon's voice exploded through the speaker.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Thomas remained calm.
"I'm correcting a mistake."
"You canceled Bella's dance tuition!" she snapped. "Your brother depends on that money!"
"I know."
"And the mortgage payment! Lawrence just checked the account!"
"I know."
Silence.
Not the silence of confusion.
The silence of someone realizing the rules had changed.
Finally Sharon spoke again.
"You would punish your own family because of one misunderstanding?"
Thomas closed his eyes.
"A misunderstanding is forgetting someone's birthday."
"A misunderstanding is buying the wrong gift."
He looked toward the living room, where Mia had fallen asleep with her head resting on Noah's shoulder.
"You humiliated my daughter."
"My six-year-old."
"On Christmas."
Sharon scoffed.
"She's not really my granddaughter."
Thomas's voice became frighteningly quiet.
"Then Noah isn't your grandson."
Another long silence.
"If you reject one of my children..."
"You lose both."
He ended the call.
Blocked her number.
Then blocked Lawrence.
Then Melanie.
One by one.
No speeches.
No warnings.
Just silence.
May you like
For the first time in years...
His family would experience the consequences of their own choices.
