Chapter 2 - The Cold Call
The threatening message on my encrypted phone cast a dark shadow over my morning.
I immediately contacted my private security team to trace the anonymous number.
They promised to have answers before my hundred guests arrived for the Thanksgiving feast.
I tried to push the anxiety aside and focus on the massive preparations happening in my home.
Caterers in crisp white uniforms were rushing through my marble kitchen with trays of gourmet ingredients.
Event planners were setting up elegant round tables across the expansive outdoor terrace.
Crystal chandeliers were being polished until they gleamed perfectly in the afternoon light.
I wanted this night to be a flawless celebration of the family I had chosen for myself.
Suddenly, my personal cell phone began to ring loudly from the kitchen island.
I glanced at the caller ID and felt my stomach drop instantly.
It was my mother.
I hesitated for a moment before finally answering the call.
I honestly expected her to offer a belated invitation to their traditional dinner.
Instead, her voice was sharp and purely transactional.
She didn't ask how I was doing or wish me a happy holiday.
She immediately demanded a massive loan of fifty thousand dollars to cover Robert's sudden legal fees.
She claimed it was my duty as a son to share the wealth I had stumbled into.
I calmly reminded her that she hadn't even invited me to her home for Thanksgiving.
She scoffed and told me that my lifestyle was too arrogant for their humble family gathering.
I firmly told her that my bank account was closed to people who only loved me for my money.
I hung up the phone before she could scream her usual insults at me.
My hands were shaking slightly from the adrenaline of finally standing up to her.
Just as I took a deep breath to compose myself, the intercom on my wall buzzed aggressively.
My head of security, Marcus, sounded incredibly tense through the static speaker.
He informed me that a vehicle had just smashed through the outer security barrier of the estate.
I rushed to the security monitors and stared at the live video feed in absolute shock.
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A heavily damaged black sedan was idling aggressively on my pristine front lawn.
The driver stepped out of the smoking car, and I realized it was Uncle Arthur, the disgraced family outcast who was supposed to be in federal prison.
