I never told my parents that I had invested $500 million to save their failing company. My sister took credit, claiming she had closed the deal. At the victory party, my five-year-old son accidentally spilled water on his dress. She hit him so hard he lost consciousness. My mother snorted, “You clumsy speculator! Take the boy and go!” I gave them one last chance to apologize. Instead, they shouted, “Your sister saved us! You’re nothing but a burden!” Then they turned their attention to me. “Hello, our CEO…” What I had done had completely shattered their world.

“Why?” I asked, lowering my voice to a whisper that was louder than a shout. “Why would the CEO of Aurora Holdings invest in a failing company like Titan Corp? I did it for my legacy. I did it because, despite everything, I wanted to believe my father’s company was worth saving. I wanted to give my family one last chance to build a decent life.”

I looked Vanessa straight in the eyes.

“But tonight I learned that some things aren’t worth saving. Tonight I saw a “lifeguard” hit a five-year-old for pouring water on her dress. I saw a grandmother kick her own grandson while he was unconscious. I saw a grandfather disown his daughter for being a mother.”

Vanessa rushed downstage, her face contorted with rage. “This is all a trick! Marcus, do something! She’s ruining everything!”

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