“Thank you for being so clear, Brandon,” I said softly.

Pleased by my apparent submission, he whistled a cheerful tune and headed downstairs to watch television in the basement den.

The moment the basement door shut, I opened my laptop and logged into the newly unlocked portal of Sterling Crest Wealth Management.

The master trust established by my late father, Samuel Callahan, was fully active on my screen.

The red acceleration prompt for the twelve million dollar mezzanine commercial note held against Faulkner Commercial Builders was blinking on the dashboard, waiting for my authorization.

Brandon sat downstairs believing he had finally broken my spirit, completely oblivious to the fact that his family’s construction empire was built on foundation money that belonged entirely to me.