Chapter Fifty-Three: A Father's Wrath, a Mother's Gambit

The first blow landed on a Tuesday morning. It came not with a fist, but with the sterile politeness of a corporate email. Kobe forwarded it to me without comment, the subject line screaming in all caps: URGENT: J&L LUMBER CONTRACT CANCELLATION. I read the brief, jargon-filled text. “Unforeseen logistical challenges… re-evaluating our current commitments… regret to inform you…” It was bullshit, polished and presented on a silver platter. J&L was our primary supplier for the structural...