Chapter 4 - The Five O'Clock Freeze
At precisely 5:00 PM, I tapped the confirmation icon on my screen.
A small dialogue box popped up instantly: AUTHORIZATION SUCCESSFUL. ALL ASSETS, ACCOUNTS, AND COLLATERAL LIENS ASSOCIATED WITH HALE & ASSOCIATES HAVE BEEN SEVERED AND TRANSFERRED TO HOLDING ACCOUNT #7042.
Almost immediately, my cell phone began to ring.
It wasn't a text message this time. It was my father.
I let it ring out, watching the screen flash with his name. It went to voicemail, then immediately started ringing again. Then my mother’s number flashed. Then Madison’s.
I opened the glass door of my car, stepped out into the crisp evening air, and walked slowly toward the grand entrance of the country club. The valet didn't even look twice at my old Honda as I walked past, my cedar box tucked securely under my arm.
As I pushed open the heavy oak doors of the ballroom, the warm scent of roasted prime rib and expensive perfume washed over me.
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On the elevated stage at the front of the room, my father was standing at the microphone, holding a glass of champagne, his face flushed with wine and triumph.
“...and as we look forward to Madison and Ethan’s future,” my father was saying, chuckling warmly into the mic as the room applauded, “we know that Hale & Associates will continue to dominate this market for decades to come. Nothing can shake our foundation.”
