Friends.

Esteemed colleagues,” my father began, dripping charm.

“Forty years ago, Thessaly and I started with nothing but a dream and a commitment to building a legacy.”

A legacy of lies, I thought, my jaw aching.

“Tonight we celebrate not just our past but our future,” he went on, sweeping a hand across the room.

“Many of you hold the prospectus for the Newton Senior Enclave — the pinnacle of Steadwell Capital.” I watched the investors nod, holding my forged pledge in their hands.