I wasn't supposed to hear it I was sitting at my desk staring at the open spreadsheets on my laptop when my phone rang my father's name flashed on the screen dad a name that once carried warmth but lately felt like an obligation I answered hey Dad no response at first I thought it was a bad connection but then I heard rustling the sound of a chair scraping against the floor a sigh and then his voice she's a failure she'll never succeed my stomach Twisted I froze the phone still pressed against my ear come on Greg my mother's voice chimed in quieter but just as cutting she's doing fine she pays the mortgage doesn't she my father scoffed that's the least she can do after everything we've done for her you think I'm proud of her she was a mistake that should have never happened a constant disappointment and she thinks she's successful she'll never be anything more than a joke a mistake a joke the words sliced through me like a thousand paper cuts my mouth went dry my fingers tightening around my phone I wanted to hang up I wanted to scream but I couldn't move I couldn't breathe she's lucky we even let her be part of this family my father continued I don't know why she bothers trying so hard she'll never be one of us I realized then he had never meant to call me he had forgotten to hang up that's when the call ended the silence in my apartment was deafening my heart pounded so loudly I thought it would shake the walls I sat there for a long time staring at nothing for the past 6 years I had been quietly paying their mortgage they thought their payments were going to the bank but the truth was I was the one keeping a roof over their heads through JSC Holdings the Investment Company I'd created with the help of my financial adviser I had bought their mortgage from the bank after they nearly lost the house they never read the fine print they never knew they had no idea they had been living under my generosity and now I realized they never would have cared my whole life I had bent over backwards trying to earn my father's approval I worked harder than anyone else climbed higher in my career made more money than he ever did but it was never enough it would never be enough but this this was the moment that changed everything I exhaled slowly my hands steady as I reached for my laptop I opened the folder containing the mortgage agreements the payment schedule the ownership documents my father thought I was a failure that I was nothing but he was about to learn exactly who he had been depending on all these years and in one week he was going to get the ultimate surprise I didn't sleep that night I lay in bed staring at the ceiling my father's words looping in my mind like a broken record she was a mistake that should have never happened it wasn't just the insult it was the certainty in his voice the way he said it like it was a fact not an opinion as if my entire existence was an inconvenience I should have been used to it my father had never been one to offer praise even as a kid I had to fight for his approval straight A not good enough promotions expected buying my first home waste of money everything I did was either dismissed or criticized but through it all I held on to one fragile hope maybe if I worked hard enough I could change his mind that hope shattered the moment I heard that call by Sunrise I was done feeling hurt I was done feeling anything I pulled myself out of bed made a cup of black coffee and sat down at my desk the glow of my laptop screen reflected in my tired eyes as I opened the folder labeled JSC Holdings property number 12 my parents house the mortgage they thought they were paying was actually in my name the bank had transferred it to JSC Holdings years ago when they were months away from foreclosure back then my mother had called me in tears begging me to help my father had refused to ask too proud to admit defeat but I stepped in anyway I had set up the perfect Arrangement they thought they were making payments to the bank but in reality every check they sent was going straight to my LLC of course I was covering the majority of the cost 6 years 6 years of paying thousands every month so they could live comfortably never once asking for a thank you now never once expecting them to gravel but I had expected basic decency I clicked through the documents my hands steady as I reviewed the fine print when I first set up the mortgage buyout my financial adviser Mark had insisted on including a purchase option Clause a legal Safeguard in case things ever went South back then I had laughed what could possibly go wrong now I wasn't laughing if they missed a payment JSC Holdings had the right to seize full ownership of the house immediately my parents would be downgraded to month-to-month tenants and if they failed to pay rent I could evict them under state law they had no idea how much power I actually had I lean back in my chair letting the weight of it settle over me my father thought I was a failure he thought I would never amount to anything but he had been living under my roof this entire time a bitter smile tugged at my lips I had the power to take everything from them the only question was did they deserve it as if on Q my phone buzzed Mom hey sweetheart can you come over for dinner this Sunday we'd love to see you I stared at the message the last time she invited me for dinner it had been for one reason money I debated ignoring it but something in my gut told me to play along if my father could pretend to love me I could pretend right back so I tied me of course looking forward to it a lie but necessary before closing my laptop I had one last thing to check my uncle my dad's older brother had always been on my side he was the only one in the family who had ever treated me like I mattered I texted him me hey Uncle Ray I need to ask you something have you ever heard dad say anything about me anything unusual his reply came almost instantly Uncle Ray Jessica we need to talk I didn't want to be the one to tell you this but it's worse than you think my chest tightened worse what else had they been saying the phone rang and I answered on the first ring Uncle Ray he sighed Jessica I've kept quiet for too long but after what I heard last week I can't anymore I braced myself what did they say there was a pause then they don't just talk about you behind your back they've been planning something your father he's been looking into your finances he's convinced you've been hiding money from them he told your mom last week that if you don't willingly hand over more cash they'll find a way to force your hand blood roared in my ears force my hand how he mentioned calling your employer trying to discredit you maybe even contacting the IRS to audit you a cold sharp anger settled in my gut they weren't just ungrateful they weren't just cruel they were willing to destroy me for money I took a slow breath my fingers curling into fists Uncle Ray I need you to do something for me anything sweetheart I need proof I didn't know what my parents had planned but one thing was certain they thought I was weak they had no idea who they were dealing with and in just a few days they were going to learn exactly how wrong they were I spent the next two days preparing if my father wanted to play dirty I'd show him just how dangerous underestimating me could be first I called Mark my financial adviser Jessica he greeted his voice warm I take it this isn't just a social call not exactly I said tapping my pen against my desk I need to know exactly how airtight our agreement is on property number 12 if they miss a payment how fast can I act Mark didn't even hesitate immediately the purchase option Clause allows JSC Holdings to assume full ownership the second they default they'd have no legal recourse unless they have $350,000 lying around to buy you out I smirked they don't then they're screwed I exhaled slowly feeling a sense of control settle over me good I said I need you to do one more thing watch their account I have a feeling they're already struggling and I need confirmation that their next payment will bounce Mark chuckled that won't take long from what I see their balance is dangerously low if they don't magically find $5,800 by the 15th they're toast I glanced at the calendar that was in 4 days 4 days until my father the man who called me a failure would wake up to realize he had been living on my generosity 4 days until he would have to beg me for help I wasn't going to give it on Sunday I drove to my parents' house as if nothing had happened the sight of their home the home I owned filled me with an odd sense of Detachment this place had once been my safe haven now it was enemy territory as I walked up the driveway my mother flung the door open her face beaming Jessica sweetheart come in her enthusiasm was fake I knew it now I stepped inside the scent of garlic and roasted chicken filling the air my father sat at the head of the table arms crossed his expression unreadable my mother hovered beside him placing dishes carefully as if the perfect dinner would soften whatever they were about to ask of me my brother Liam leaned back in his chair smirking unlike me Liam had never struggled for our father's approval he was The Golden Child the one who could do no wrong despite the fact that he had zero accomplishments to his name I took my seat my face a mask of neutrality Jessica my father finally spoke his voice thick with forced warmth it's good to see you I nodded you too Dad there was an awkward silence before my mother jumped in her voice syrupy sweet we've been thinking a lot about family lately she said reaching for my hand across the table and how important it is to support one another in difficult times I didn't react that's true my father exhaled as if this was hard for him as if he were the one making the sacrifice the truth is Jessica we need your help the mortgage payment this month is a little tight a little tight they were about to default and he was still downplaying it how much do you need I asked feigning ignorance my mother hesitated we were thinking just an extra $3,000 a month that should keep us stable I nearly laughed they had no idea I was already paying $5,800 every single month and they wanted me to throw in another $33,000 on top of it I set my Fork down tilting my head that's a lot of money it's nothing compared to what we've done for you my father snapped irritation breaking through his act we raised you gave you everything the least you can do is support your family I held his gaze my blood turning ice cold the least I could do these were the same people who had mocked me behind my back the same father who had called called me a failure while living under my roof I took a slow sip of water controlling my expression I'll think about it my mother exhaled in relief oh sweetheart thank you we knew we could count on you I forced a smile they had no idea that in 3 days they'd lose everything that night I got a call from Mark they defaulted the words sent a shiver of satisfaction through me they what I asked playing dumb they didn't make the mortgage payment Mark repeated the funds weren't there as of midnight tonight JSC Holdings officially owns the house outright I closed my eyes exhaling slowly it was done my father the man who had looked down on me my entire life was now my tenant do you want to start the eviction process Mark asked not yet I wanted to see how long it would take for them to realize the truth I smiled glancing at the framed family photo on my desk it was from years ago back when I still believed my father was capable of love not yet I murmured let's see how far they're willing to go before they break because they would break and this time I wouldn't be there to catch them I didn't have to wait long 3 days passed and the Silence from my parents was deafening no calls no texts no guilt tripping messages about family sticking together nothing I knew why they hadn't realized it yet they still thought their payment had gone through still believed they had everything under control they had no idea the house they lived in the one they called their home was no longer theirs at exactly 9:07 a. m. on Friday morning the notification arrived in my inbox subject urg default notice property number 12 from JSC Holdings legal department I opened the email my heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and satisfaction the legal notice was cold formal and undeniable due to failure to submit the agreed upon mortgage payment by the deadline of the 15th the purchase option Clause has been exercised effective immediately JSC Holdings is the sole owner of the property located at Second Street as per contractual agreements the current occupants will be considered month-to-month tenants subject to rental agreements moving forward failure to adhere to rental terms may result in eviction proceedings I stared at the screen my fingers hovering over the keyboard this was it I had all the power now I didn't have to call them first they came to me at 9:42 a.
m. my phone rang mom I let it go to voicemail at 9:47 a. m.
she called again at 9:50 a. m.
