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.

He drank the water slowly, staring at his sister. The lies were astonishing. Vanessa hadn’t negotiated a single night. She hadn’t even known the name of Aurora’s lead analyst until the day the contract arrived.

My mother, Elena, quickly approached our table, looking around to make sure no important guests were watching her as she spoke to me.

“Isabella, for God’s sake, shut that child up,” she hissed. “And why are you sitting so close to the aisle? Pull out your chair.” The CEO of Northern Bank would be arriving soon, and Marcus didn’t want him to see this “unemployed single mother” hanging around like a maid.

“Leo is completely quiet, Mom,” I said quietly, calmly.

Continue reading…