Without telling him, I arranged financing through one of Asteron’s investment partners after Mom privately begged me to “help somehow.”
Dad thought his banker had rescued him.
I opened the folder.
“The emergency credit guarantee supporting Bennett Construction expires next month.”
The color drained from his face.
“You?”
“I guaranteed it.”
Mom whispered, “Claire…”
“I also covered Vanessa’s tuition after Dad’s company started struggling.”
Vanessa stared at me.
“No, Dad paid—”
“No.”
I slid another statement across the table.
“He couldn’t.”
Silence followed.
For years, they had treated me as
