Chapter 6 - The Golden Child Crumbles
While Mom was busy pouring thousands of dollars into a bogus lawsuit, her perfect, polished world was quietly imploding.
David called me from a burner phone. He sounded desperate, exhausted, and terrified.
"Mike, you have to talk to her," David pleaded. "She's out of her mind. She's drinking by noon. She fired the landscapers and the housekeeper. She tried to force Chloe to pay the mortgage on your old house, and when Chloe said no, Mom cut her out of the will."
"Sounds like a personal problem, Dave."
"Chloe’s husband left her, Mike," David blurted out.
I froze. "Greg left?"
"He packed his bags yesterday," David confessed, his voice shaking. "It turns out they were completely broke. Greg had been borrowing money from Mom for years to keep up their lifestyle. When you left, Mom demanded Greg pay her back in full to fund her legal war against you. Greg panicked and bolted. Chloe is facing foreclosure."
May you like
The perfectly groomed sister-in-law who had mocked Sarah for growing up on coupons was now buried in debt, abandoned by her husband, and entirely dependent on a mother who was losing her grip on reality.
"I'm sorry to hear that, David," I said flatly. "But none of it is my problem. Don't call this number again."
