Everything You Promised

“Security,” Alistair said, and his voice cut clean through my parents’ weeping. “Escort these two out. They’re distressing my wife and child.”

The administrator scrambled into the hallway. “Yes, Mr. Sanders — right away!”

Two guards were in the room within seconds. They took one look at the scene and moved for my father first.

“Sir, you need to leave now,” the larger one said, lifting Reginald by the arm of his suit.

Reginald didn’t fight. He simply stood there, hollowed out, his eyes empty as the full weight of it settled — the money gone, the power gone.

Barbara, though, started screaming and swinging at the second guard. “Don’t touch me! Get your hands off me! Do you know who I am? I’m Barbara Pembroke!