welcome to Lost relation Chronicles dear listeners before we start today's Story please let us know your location in the comment section and don't forget to like And subscribe my name is William Jones a year ago if you had asked me to describe my life I would have said I was a happily married man to Brenda the woman I loved for over 17 years I was also a proud father to two daughters Melissa who was 16 and Kindra who was 15 back then I believed I had built a good life for myself and my family I
took in being a husband and a father those titles meant everything to me but now now I can't even bring myself to use the word proud when I think of my daughters and the idea of being happily married feels like a cruel joke my life feels like a shadow of what it once was the truth is I'm no longer married and the pride I once felt for my girls has turned into something I can barely put into words I've worked hard all my life as a chief engineer at a tool manufacturing plant it's not glamorous
work but it's honest and it's steady I've spent countless years pouring myself into my job taking on extra shifts solving problems and doing whatever it took to climb the ladder not for myself I never cared about fancy cars or extravagant vacations but for them for my family everything I did I did with Brenda and the girls in mind I wanted them to have a house they could be proud of a safe and comfortable space to call home I wanted them to have opportunities one never had growing up I worked tirelessly to provide them with all
the Comforts my salary could afford sometimes even more than that if I had to stretch things a bit you see my parents had a tough life my father a proud and hardworking man lost everything during the 1998 recession I was just a boy back then but I remember the look on his face when it all came crashing down the weight of failure he felt even though it wasn't his fault my mother God bless her stood by his side like the loving and honest housewife she was she didn't complain didn't point fingers instead she did whatever
she could to keep our family afloat there were days when things got so bad that my father had to sell our car just to make ends meet I can still picture him walking two miles to his office every day briefcase in hand his shoulders hunched from exhaustion but his resolve unbroken on the days when he wasn't feeling well he'd take the bus though even that felt like a luxury we could barely afford I grew up watching them struggle day in and day out I saw what it meant to sacrifice to endure hardships without losing hope
there were countless times S I gave up outings with my friends because I knew my parents couldn't spare any money for pocket money it wasn't their fault they were doing the best they could but as a teenager it left a mark on me I promised myself that if I ever had children they'd never have to feel that kind of weight I'd make sure they had a life where money wasn't a constant source of worry that's why I started working when I was just 16 While most kids my age were hanging out at the mall or
playing video games I was working at a local garage the pay wasn't much but it was enough to cover what I needed needed and take a little pressure off my parents I juggled that job with school and later with college managing to secure a full scholarship that paid for my education I was determined to be something more to break the cycle of struggle that had defined so much of my parents lives my parents didn't live to see the full fruits of their sacrifices they both passed away a year after I graduated college but I'll never
forget the look on their faces the day I landed my first real job my father who'd worked so hard and lost so much looked at me with a pride I'd never seen before and my mom she was beaming Tears In Her Eyes I'll never forget the day I bought her a car with my own salary it wasn't new far from it but it was clean reliable and the best I could afford at the time I remember handing her the keys watching her trace the dashboard with her hands as if she couldn't believe it was real
the tears in her eyes that day weren't just tears of joy they were a symbol of something deeper a sign that after all the struggle and sacrifice my life was finally on track after my mother passed away I inherited the small house and the car it wasn't much but it was ours and it held all the memories of her and my father it was what God wanted I suppose you can't argue with that life has a way of moving on even when your heart still aches it was around that time I met Brenda she was
smart beautiful and full of life we hit it off quickly and started dating before long we were married it felt like a fresh start a chance to build the kind of life I'd always dreamed of one filled with love and stability not long after we had our two daughters Melissa and Kindra life wasn't perfect but it was fine I worked hard to provide for my family and while money wasn't always abundant we had enough I taught the girls the importance of valuing what they had and understanding the difference between what you need and what you
want at least I thought I had that illusion shattered one afternoon when I walked into the living room and saw Melissa holding a brand new iPhone in her hand I froze for a second blinking wondering if I was seeing things Melissa I said pointing to the phone where did you get that she barely glanced up at me her fingers still tapping away on the screen mom got it for me she said casually as if it were the most normal thing in the world I turned to Brenda who was sitting on the couch flipping through a
magazine you bought her that phone Brenda looked up a bit annoyed that I'd interrupted her yes I did what's the big deal I stared at her trying to keep my voice calm the big deal is that I barely afford the Android I gave her last year that phone costs more than the car I used to drive in college why would you buy her something like that without talking to me first she Shrugged closing the magazine and tossing it onto the coffee table I save money William I had enough so I got it for her she's
a teenager all her friends have iPhones I felt the heat rising in my chest but kept my tone measured Brenda that's not the point it's not about whether you had the money or whether her friends have one it's about teaching them the difference between necessity and luxury an iPhone isn't a necessity it's a luxury she needs to understand that Brenda leaning back into the couch you're overreacting William it's just a phone it's not the end of the world I opened my mouth to argue further but her dismissive tone and the way she turned her attention
back to the magazine told me there was no point Brenda had made up her mind and this conversation wasn't going anywhere I let out a long breath shook my head and walked away the frustration stayed with me though I couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't just about a phone it was about the values I was trying so hard to instill in my daughters but Brenda Shrugged it off and the conversation died out a few days after the whole iPhone incident with Melissa I caught Kindra holding a similar phone I remember stopping in my tracks
the sight of it hitting me like a punch to the gut I walked straight up to her and asked Kindra where did you get that phone she looked at me with that same nonchalant attitude her sister had mom got it for me she said like it was no big deal I didn't say anything to her I didn't want to argue with my daughter especially not over something I knew wasn't her fault instead I went straight to Brenda Brenda I said trying to stay calm though my frustration was bubbling just beneath the surface did you buy
Kindra on iPhone too she didn't even Flinch yes I did I told you I Sav money save money Brenda where exactly are you saving this money last time I checked we had bills to pay grow groceries to buy and a mortgage hanging over our heads and you're telling me you saved enough to buy not one but two iPhones I know how much those cost don't treat me like I'm stupid Brenda sigh the kind of sigh that tells you she doesn't care to explain herself I don't see why this is such a big deal William there
are daughters and I wanted to do something nice for them why do you have to make it into some kind of moral crisis every time I spend a little extra a little extra I said my voice Rising Brenda this isn't just a little extra this is a luxury item that we don't need and can't afford what kind of message are you sending to the girls that they can have whatever they want no matter the cost that money just magically appears whenever they need it her expression hardened you're overreacting is always I've got it handled William
you don't need to worry about it the argument escalated from there I tried to make her see my point but it was like talking to a wall she had her reasoning her justifications and nothing I said seemed to matter by the end of the day she was still angry and I was relegated to the couch I lay there that night staring at the ceiling the frustration eating away at me whatever brendo was trying to sell I wasn't buying it I wasn't just upset about the phones I was upset about the deeper issue the lack of
communication the disregard for the values I tried so hard to uphold but it was clear we were on different pages maybe even in different books the next morning I went to the plant as usual trying to push the argument out of my mind mind and focus on work but little did I know that day would change my life forever we were called into a meeting with the upper management the kind of meeting where everyone knows something bad is coming the plant manager stood at the front looking grim and delivered the news the plant was shutting
down all operations were being transferred to a new facility in China I sat there in stunned silence as he explained the reasoning the owners had done their calculations and decided that manufacturing Tools in China and importing them back to the US was a more cost- effective way to increase their profits of course the only calculation missing from their spreadsheets was the human one the lives of the people who depended on this plant for their livelihood as angry as I was there was one silver lining I wasn't losing my job immediately my position as chief engineer
meant I had six months of work ahead of me my job was to oversee the dismantling of the plant and later to help set up two more in China they already had a plant running in China and they even offered me a position there but I wasn't about to uproot my life and move halfway across the world still they made it clear if I cannot go to China I should start looking for a new job after the new plant starts running I came home that evening dragging my feet through the door my head heavy with
the weight of the news from work to my surprise Brenda noticed she had this rare softness in her tone when she asked William what's wrong for once I didn't have the energy to dodge the question I told her everything the plant shutting down the six-month timeline the offer to move to China she listened quiet quietly and for a moment I thought she actually understood the gravity of what I was facing after a pause she asked would you consider moving to China the question caught me off guard I hadn't even thought about it yet it wasn't
something I wanted I don't know I admitted I don't think it's an option I'd want to take approving everything starting over in a country where I don't even speak the language it doesn't feel right she didn't say much after that but there was a look in her eyes like she wanted me to say yes she didn't push the issue though instead she just nodded and went back to whatever she'd been doing over the next 3 months I threw myself into work the process of dismantling the plant was backbreaking both physically and mentally every day was
a grind coordinating with teams overseeing the disassembly of machines I'd worked with for years and trying not to think too much about the inevitable end at home things felt off I was so consumed by work that I didn't notice it at first but one evening as I walked into the living room I saw it Bren sitting on the couch casually scrolling through a brand new iPhone I froze the sight of that phone sent alarm bells ringing in my head I could accept her buying one for Melissa and then Kindra even though I hated the idea
but for her to have one too that wasn't something she could brush off as saving money three iPhones in a matter of months on my salary then it dawned on me the money wasn't coming from inside the house it couldn't be it had to be coming from somewhere or Worse someone my mind spiraled into a thousand Dark Places was Brenda involved in something illegal I have heard stories how Housewives entertain men and make money was she borrowing money from someone she shouldn't be and what about the girls were Melissa and Kindra involved in this somehow
my head became a storm of wild paranoid thoughts each one was worse than the last and I couldn't stop them from building layer upon layer until I didn't even recognize my own reasoning anymore something was wrong and I needed to find out what it was I didn't have to wait long for my suspicions to start unraveling a few days after seeing Brenda with that iPhone I came down with a fever the exhaustion from work the stress about the plant and the swirling doubts in my head had finally caught up with me my body gave in
forcing me to stay in bed I lay there staring at the ceiling trying to convince myself that everything would work out somehow the house was quiet save for the faint hum of voices coming from the kitchen I wasn't trying to Eaves drop but their words carried through the thin walls he got me a new ear ing I heard Brenda say her voice light and almost excited wow Mom that's wonderful that was KRA I felt my stomach churn he who was he I want one too Melissa's voice chimed in sounding every bit the entitled teenager and
then came the blow that knocked the wind out of me when are you going to drop the bum and move in with Mr Parker KRA asked her voice dripping with a kind of casual cruelty that I didn't recognize I love his house it's bigger than this dump I felt the blood drain from my face my heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst my own daughter My Flesh and Blood had just called me a bom a bum and the house I'd worked so hard to provide for them a dump the words were suffocating and
inescapable I couldn't move I couldn't think my entire world felt like it was crumbling around me and I felt powerless to stop it but I was a man of principles I wasn't a doormat for anyone not my wife not my daughters rules applied to everyone in my house the Betrayal I had just heard cut deep but it also gave me Clarity if this was how they truly felt I wasn't going to let them trample over me any longer summoning every ounce of strength I had I managed to get out of bed my legs felt weak
my fever still weighing me down but my resolve was Ironclad I walked into the kitchen the moment they saw me the chatter stopped the air grew thick with tension Brenda turned to me flashing one of her practice Smiles oh honey you're up she said sweetly as if nothing had happened I didn't respond right away I pulled out a chair and sat down at the table staring at them at the family I thought I knew but now realized I didn't I could feel their discomfort growing under my gaze but I wasn't about to ease it yes
Brenda I said finally my voice calm but firm the bum is up her smile faltered and I saw a flicker of panic in her eyes good now I continued I want you to pack your bags and leave this house immediately I'll be filing for divorce and you can let me know where Mr Parker's house is so I can send you the papers Brenda opened her mouth probably to protest but I wasn't finished also I added my eyes shifting to Kindra and Melissa who were sitting Frozen in their chairs since I know the court won't give
me custody of these two devil spawns you might as well take them along with you that seemed to jolt them into action KRA stood up first her face Twisted with disdain who wants to stay with a loser like you anyway she spat Melissa chimed in backing up her sister as she always did yeah Mr Parker has way more money than you and he doesn't have to hide his incompetence behind so-called things like values the Venom in their words didn't even shock me anymore I felt numb I stood up slowly looking at Brenda one last time
well in that case Brenda I said my voice steady tell your Mr Parker that since he is so rich he can have you as his wife or whatever relation you want to call it and take these two devil spawns as his legally adopted daughters I'll also be signing over my parental rights for these two to him I will be more than happy to ensure that I no longer have to do anything with these two the room fell into silence I stood there waiting for a reaction but deep down I already knew they had nothing left
to say that would surprise me Brenda's face crumpled as tears welled up in her eyes she stepped closer to me reaching out like she had just remembered she cared williiam please she said her voice trembling I love you I don't want a divorce letun talk about this we can fit fix it I stared at her unmoved the words sounded Hollow empty of meaning where was this love when she was sneaking around accepting gifts from another man where was this love when she let our daughters call me a loser and disrespect the man who had given
them everything he could I took a step back putting space between us it doesn't matter now I said coldly your love for me was lost the moment it was traded for an iPhone and a gold earring her tears flowed harder but I didn't stop I was done done being walked over done pretending everything was fine when it wasn't I reached for my wedding ring the symbol of a union that had been reduced to nothing but lies and betrayal I slid it off my finger and placed it on the table with deliberate care the cool metal
hitting the wood with a soft clink without a word I walked over to the toolbox in the corner pulling out a hammer Brenda's sobs turned into startled silence as I returned to the table I picked up the ring held it flat against the surface and slammed the hammer down on it with all my strength the sound echoed through the kitchen sharp and final the gold bent and twisted under the force no longer a circle but a distorted broken piece of metal I held it up looking at it for a moment before holding it out to
Brenda here I said my voice steady but laced with bitterness I know you can still sell it for the gold that was the moment her tears stopped her face Twisted into rage the mask of sadness falling away completely so this is how you want to play She spat her voice Rising with Venom fine I'll wreck you in court I'll make sure you regret this day for the rest of your miserable life she turned on her heel storming out of the kitchen Melissa and Kindra followed her their faces a mix of disdain and smug satisfaction as
if they thought they had W something I didn't stop them I didn't say another word I just stood there watching as they disappeared up the stairs to pack their things the house felt heavier with each step they took and yet for the first time in months I felt a Str sense of relief they left later that evening slamming the door behind them I stood by the window watching them load their bags into a car and drive away presumably to Mr Parker's house whoever that is Brenda was true to her word in court she tore through
me like a storm leaving destruction in its wake I stood there powerless as the judge divided my life into pieces handing her almost everything my 401k gone every penny of my hard-earned savings wiped out the joint account now hers on top of that I was hit with a mountain of alimony set to drain me dry unless Brenda decided to marry her shiny new benefactor and child support payments that would stretch on until both my daughters turned 18 the only thing I was allowed to keep was my house in my car a hollow Victory really my
house felt empty now stripped of the laughter and warmth it once held my car well it was just a machine a tool to take me from one place to another none of it felt like much of a win I walked out of the courtroom feeling the weight of the world pressing down on me and then I saw him for the first time Richard Parker the man who had bought his way into my family he was standing there arm- in-arm with Brenda Kindra and Melissa they were wrapped in a family hug the kind of moment I
had fought so hard to build for years but now only existed for them without me did it hurt of course it did it felt like a knife twisting in my chest a brutal reminder of what I had lost but would it kill me no if anything it reminded me of one simple truth I had just rid myself of some bad people in my life people who didn't value loyalty Integrity or love the way I did people who saw me as a stepping stone rather than a partner or a father some might ask why I didn't
fight harder for my daughters why I didn't demand custody drag the case through the courts until I had them by my side the truth is a child's brain is almost fully developed by the age of 16 and both KRA and Melissa were nearing that point even if I had fought tooth and nail they wouldn't have come with me their minds were already made up their loyalty swayed by the promises of luxury and an easier life they were already seduced by money I decided to walk over to them every step heavier than the last as I
approached they all turned to look at me Brenda was the first to speak she didn't hold back I told you I will wreck you she said her voice cold and Victorious then Kindra spoke up and I could feel the Venom in her words as I said earlier Dad she put an extra tone in that word you are a loser it was like a punch to the gut but I swallowed it I wasn't going to show any more weakness I looked at Melissa hoping for something different some sign that there was still a piece of her
that cared about me but she stayed silent she wasn't going to speak up for me I could feel it she had already chosen her side I turned to Richard Parker the smug bastard was standing there with that grin plastered on his face and he said no hard feelings buddy they deserve better things in life you're just not able to cope up I stood there for a moment taking it all in everything that had led to this moment every word that had been said all of it came rushing back I couldn't let it break me I
smiled at him though it didn't reach my eyes you're absolutely right buddy I said so I guess you'll be adopting these two by next week or will they be brought up by my money Richard smiled unfazed oh I'm a man of my word he said reaching into his jacket and pulling out an envelope I've already started the process if you care to sign it'll all be official I took the envelope from him my hands steady even as my heart felt like it was being torn apart I looked over the papers saw what they were and
without hesitation I signed my name it was over really there was no going back I handed it back to him and he gave me a copy I have a lawyer and he will get this will be processed quickly you can use the other copy to close the child support he paused for a moment his grin widening also I'll be marrying Brenda next week you're invited I looked at him this smug man who had taken everything for me and I couldn't help but smile well congratulations I said my voice dripping with sarcasm I hope this time
Brenda doesn't find a richer man than you Brenda tried to say something but there were no words I could see it in her eyes she knew I was right a woman found a higher branch and she took it what would stop her from looking for an even higher one later on the truth stung but it was undeniable just like Parker had said the child support and alimony were both closed the financial ties between us were severed and it was as though I had been erased from their lives entirely 3 months later everything was finalized I
didn't attend the wedding why would I I had no business being there it wasn't my life anymore it wasn't my family anymore they had made their choices and I had made mine I moved on even though part of me knew that I was letting go of something I'd once thought was unshakable but in the end I realized that sometimes the hardest thing is to walk away from the people you love knowing they've already walked away from you now you all Must Be Wondering was I done lost wife lost daughters now move on well I could
have but something inside of me said Revenge so I did some diggings on the man that took away everything from me it turns out that Richard Parker the same man who had taken everything from me was one of the majority shareholders of the company I worked for I had heard his his name before but never met him personally he had bought the majority of the company's shares about 8 months ago and that was when things started to spiral the plant closure the move to China it all made sense now he wasn't interested in making the
company more efficient or profitable he was playing a game he bought the shares at a higher price knowing full well that by shifting operations overseas he could sell the company later at an even higher profit provided the product quality is the same as before I found out that the tools made at the China plant not only lack the quality but they actually break down after a few days so the company was heading for failure the lenders and creditors were going to lose everything this wasn't the first time Richard Parker had done this he had pulled
the same stunt with two other companies before mine bankrupting both of them the result he walked away Rich while the employees were left high and dry I may have been just a smalltime chief engineer in their eyes but I wasn't an idiot I understood business and I could see through his scheme it was the same old play he took out loans from Banks and other lenders bought the company and then dismantled the plant he sold the machines off for scrap or to other companies raking in some money but here's where the real trick came in
he moved the money around making it look like he was investing in improving the product and making it more coste effective in reality he was paying his own companies as vendors for the work being done this way he pocketed the profits the lenders lost their money and the employees were left on the street now how did I get all the details well as I said I was tasked with helping to dismantle the company and that's when I met with a vendor who was taking away the machines the company scrap metal private limited was owned by
a man named Alistair Parker Richard's brother Alistair was buying the plant machines as scrap but the truth the machines were in perfect condition later I discovered that scrap metal private limited had sold the machines to one of our company's competitors at a 60% discount from the market value what did I do with all this information well I was isn't going to sit on it I wrote a small email to the banks and lenders from an anonymous email address detailing the entire scheme the email didn't just stay there though it found its way to the local
newspaper and surprisingly the mayor's office now what politician in an election year would let go of a business Scandal like this in their City not one and what mayoral candidates wouldn't want to blame the sitting mayor for being part of this scheme it was classic Politics the timing was perfect they'd never let this slide without making some noise about it it was all set up to create a firestorm I knew it was risky but it was also the best move I had Richard Parker had taken everything from me but now he was going to face
the consequences it took just a week before the IRS FBI Department of the treasury and Federal Trade Commission everyone was involved the investigation into Richard Parker's Shady dealings became a full-blown Federal matter and here's something I couldn't believe myself as I said before God works in mysterious ways I was at the kower just picking up some groceries when I decided to try my hand at a scratch card for the first time in my life it might sound utterly stupid but I scratched it off and to my surprise I won $800,000 after taxes I will keep
$544,000 more than what I had lost in the divorce the best part it was all mine it felt surreal the weight of everything I had been through the Betrayal the loss the struggle had just been lightened that money wasn't just a win it was a sign a sign that life in its Twisted way had a strange way of balancing out now Mr Richard Parker and Mr Alistair Parker were both being investigated by the agencies their good life Brenda and the girls took a nose dive I was getting calls from Brenda and the girls every day
but I was more than happy to ignore them they had made their choices and now it was my time to focus on me the work at the plant had stopped in the investigation with the involvement of the mayor ensured that everyone was being paid during this period I took full advantage of this break to remodel a few things at my house after a week of work and spending around $50,000 my house looked amazing it even had a small heated pool in the backyard my health was better and my mood was even better but then on
One Fine Day Brenda arrived with her devil spawns they were at the door banging relentlessly I opened it and she came running in almost pushing me back where did you get the money for this Brenda demanded KRA was already swooping around the house check checking everything my room is gone it has a giant TV in here and it looks like a home theater she said her tone dripping with disbelief Melissa followed heading straight for the backyard hell there's even a pool she exclaimed almost in awe I quickly moved between them and shouted hold on what
the hell do you think you're doing here Brenda turned to face me her expression filled with Fury you stole money from me I want my share I stared at her my smile cold married to someone Brenda and now you're coming here demanding money from another man you were smoking some weird stuff she glared at me her face flushed with anger you think you can just get away with everything I know what you did and I want my part of that fortune I crossed my arms the sense of control I had regained over the past few
months fully sinking in if you want your share maybe you should try asking your new husband Richard I'm sure he's got plenty of cash lying around for you Kindra rolled her eyes oh this is pathetic just give her the money dad I turned to her irritation bubbling up shut up Kindra don't call me that anymore you made your choice and it's too late for Second Chances now besides I am legally not your dad Melissa chimed in her voice laced with sarcasm yeah why don't you just hand over the cash and let's all move on Dad
I clenched my jaw the words stinging more than I let on but I wasn't about to let them get under my skin you know what get out all of you get out I don't need any of this from you out of here of I will call 911 Brenda looked stunned for a moment but then her face Twisted in Anger this isn't over William you'll regret this I shot back no Brenda you're the one who regret it you left me remember you chose money over everything else now you can go back to that I dare you
to take me to court this time I will wreck you I knew Brenda would file a case against me in court but I was prepared I had already gone through everything with my lawyer and knew this was coming in the courtroom Brenda sat there looking more entitled than ever she claimed that I had not given her enough of my assets and that I had hidden money from her my lawyer was calm and methodical as he presented the details to the judge he laid out everything explaining my sudden wealth how the money was earned and that
it was all legitimate the judge who had been flipping through the Case Files finally looked up at Brenda do you have any evidence that Mr Jones hid any money from you he asked his voice steady Brenda hesitated then stammered well no but the judge cut her off then I'm afraid there's nothing to substantiate your claim he glanced at the papers in his hands and added now about your request for alimony before he could finish Melissa and Kindra stood up their voices ringing out at the same time he abandoned us KRA yelled pointing at me you're
a coward yeah you just left us Melissa added her eyes filled with anger the judge sighed clearly L exhausted by the spectacle he slowly removed his glasses peering over the top of them at the two girls he held a few papers in his hand then turned back to Brenda Mrs Parker he said his voice firm you are currently married to Mr Richard Parker according to the records I do not see any reason to Grant you further money from Mr Jones Brenda's face Twisted with disbelief she opened her mouth to protest but the judge continued unfazed
as for these two ladies the judge continued motioning toward Melissa and Kindra since Mr Richard Parker has legally adopted you as his daughters and Mr Jones has transferred all his parental rights over to him he is no longer responsible for you this case for more alimony is dismissed I let out a breath I didn't realize I had been holding Brenda Was Defeated her demands shot down by the judge's final ruling I could see Brenda trying to find the words but nothing came out she just stood there fuming her face flushed with frustration but it didn't
matter it was over the judge had spoken and there was nothing she could do about it now the calls from Brenda and the girls didn't stop but something had shifted in the way they spoke to me they'd gone from demanding angry and entitled to something closer to desperation I agreed to meet them one final time but I wasn't going to make it easy I wanted control over the situation I told them the only place I would meet them was at my lawyer's office I wasn't taking any chances with them not anymore they showed up dressed
in their best clothes trying to look like they still held some power but I saw through it all I sat across the table from them placing my Flagship Android phone on the table the sleek black device gleamed under the fluorescent lights the same phone I bought after my sudden windfall Brenda's eyes immediately flicked to it you've changed Bill she said almost in disbelief I smiled my gaze steady all thanks to you and Mr Parker's daughters Brenda's face hardened they your daughters bill I raised my hand slowly then reached into the folder my lawyer had prepared
for me I pulled out a piece of paper and slid it across the table toward her as for this paper I said they are not my daughters Brenda looked down at the paper her expression faltering what what is this I watched her face as it went from confusion to realization she saw the signature on the paper the one that sealed the deal her husband's signature it has your husband's signature on it I added coldly her eyes wed up her voice trembling does a piece of paper make him their father she asked barely holding it together
I leaned back in my chair crossing my arms I was done feeling anything for her or for them my anger had long since burned out leaving behind only the cold hard truth yes I replied my voice steady it does that's exactly what you taught me you were the one who initiated the affair with that man for money you became another man's wife for paper money my daughters called me a bum because I had less paper money they called my home a dump for paper money so yes when it comes to you and your daughters it
is all papers both Kindra and Melissa started crying their voices shaky as they said I'm sorry Dad I didn't even Flinch the old emotions those familiar feelings of guilt and longing for the family we once had were long gone now all I felt was something different nothing shut up I yelled my voice a hard Edge and if you call me dad one more time I'll end this meeting right now you're not my daughters if you want to call someone your father that is Richard Parker not me they both went silent their sobs quieting into choked
breaths it wasn't enough for them to cry it wasn't enough for them to apologize I had nothing left for them nothing left to give finally Brenda spoke her voice was shaky but steady like she was trying to keep control over what was left of her dignity we're getting divorced he wants to get rid of me she said her eyes looking at me pleading we had a PR up and now I'll be out on the street with my daughters there are you happy now I looked at her and the anger I had buried for so long
bubbled up but this time it was colder sharper no Brenda he is not trying to get rid of you you were trying to get rid of him now that he is looking at jail time and you know that you will not get a single penny you plan to get rid of him and jump back in my arms just because I have money you disgust me I was your wife for years bill they your daughters we will be on the streets how will you feel about it she said with a soft tone not my wife not
my daughters and not my problem you want money get a job want a job find it yourself don't come running to me because I'm no longer your doormat I stood up if I ever find you near my house or anywhere near me I will file a restraining order and have you sent to jail I said coldly my eyes locking onto theirs Brenda and the girls tried to put on a show crying pleading but it didn't touch me I wasn't moved not anymore they had made their bed and now it was time for them to sleep
in it I turned away from them not even sparing them another glance as for Richard Parker and his brother The Parkers got exactly what they deserved the investigation had led to their downfall they ended up in jail losing their wealth though I'm sure they had a ton stashed away in offshore accounts they were never going to enjoy it given the length of their possible sentences they wouldn't be able to touch that money during this lifetime they had no family no children to pass it on to so in the end it was all just waste but
they weren't completely stupid in a surprising twist the Parker Brothers made the most intelligent move they could they struck a plea deal with the government the government would get the money and in exchange The Parkers would be out in just a few years I couldn't help but feel a flicker of satisfaction at the thought Justice in its own way as I said earlier God has his own ways of doing things the Parker Brothers after everything got their own kind of Justice while they were in jail a group of men men who had once worked at
one of the plants Richard and Alistair had shut down found them these were the same men who had been left unemployed when the factories closed left to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives they made sure the Parker Brothers would never walk straight again and just like that the scales were balanced in a way that no courtroom could ever manage as for me I've made my peace I've decided that marriage is not in my future I've been through enough to know that I don't need that kind of complication in my life again I'm happy
my life is quiet but that doesn't mean it's lacking the house used to feel empty at times but now I've got two German Shepherds as my roommates they've brought a certain warmth to the place something I never expected I haven't heard from Brenda in a while and frankly I don't care to both of my ex-daughter-in-law