Section 4
The drive back to Brandon’s parents' house felt torturous. My palms were clammy on the steering wheel, heart racing as I pulled into the driveway. The house loomed in front of me, a monument to all that had gone wrong. I stormed inside, ready for a showdown.
“Brandon!” I shouted, urgency tightening my throat. “We need to talk!”
He sauntered into the living room, a smirk spreading across his face. “Look who’s back. Have you come to beg for forgiveness?”
“I want the money back, and I want what’s mine,” I demanded, my voice steady but my insides churning. “The things you took from my parents' business.”
“You mean the things your father was too stupid to safeguard?” he shot back, crossing his arms defensively. “You’re just as greedy as I thought.”
“This isn’t about greed! It’s about principle and trust!”
“Trust?” he laughed, the sound grating on my nerves. “You think I owe you anything? I’ve been helping my brother out with that money!”
My breath caught. “What do you mean?”
“He’s a mess, and I had to step in. You think you’re the only one with responsibilities?” The way he said it was infuriating, yet there was a crack of desperation in his voice. “I did what I had to do.”
“You’ve ruined everything!” I shouted, feeling my head spin. “You’ve put us both in danger!”
Just then, the tension in the room shifted. Brandon’s eyes darted toward the door. “You’re in danger. The police are coming for us, and they’ll find you, too.”
My heart sank. “What do you mean?”
He turned away, his jaw tight, and that’s when I saw it—a letter, half-hidden beneath a pile of disheveled papers. The words jumped out at me: “money laundering.” My hands trembled as the implications sank in. Suddenly, the door burst open, and there he was, Brandon’s expression a mixture of fear and regret. “They know, Melanie. You need to leave—now!”
