“Tell me, Maxwell, have you actually saved any souls today, or are you still just a professional hugger?” he asked while slicing into his medium-rare steak. Tristan let out a soft chuckle while Barrett made no effort to hide his condescending smirk.
“One of my students just secured a full ride to a prestigious university,” I replied calmly as I continued to eat. My father clicked his tongue against his teeth and told me that was nice, but I should call him when I figured out how to make real money.
The table fell silent because no one ever defended me, but this time I didn’t care because I already held the truth in my hands. I reached into my bag to pull out a thick manila envelope and placed it firmly on the table next to the silver cake knife.
“This is for you, Harrison, and I hope you have a very memorable Father’s Day,” I said while looking him directly in the eyes for the first time in years. A chilling silence gripped the room as my mother turned a ghostly shade of pale, seemingly sensing that the world was about to shift.
I grabbed my car keys and walked toward the exit at a measured pace, and remarkably, no one tried to stop me. As I reached the front door, I heard my father’s voice trailing behind me, still dripping with mocking amusement.
