Chapter 2: The Father Who Said Nothing
At 7:30 AM, her father called.
She let it ring twice before answering.
His voice sounded older. Smaller.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
She poured herself coffee, watching the city wake beneath her.
“You didn’t ask.”
A pause.
“I would’ve stopped her.”
“No,” she said. “You didn’t stop her last night.”
The silence stretched.
Heavy. Guilty.
He tried again. “This… this transfer. Twenty-four million? You’ve dismantled everything overnight.”
She smiled faintly.
“Not everything. Just the illusion.”
Another pause.
Then, quieter:
“Are you punishing me?”
She closed her eyes for a moment.
“No,” she said gently.
“I’m just done protecting you from the consequences of your silence.”
May you like
When the call ended, she didn’t feel anger.
Just clarity.
