Chapter 4 - The House of Cards Falls
Michael flinched as if I had struck him across the face. "I was frustrated, Allison! The house was always tense whenever they came over! I thought you were just picking fights with Jessica because you didn't like her!"
"I tolerated her disrespect for seven years because she was your sister," I replied, my voice steady and unyielding. "I paid her son's tuition because Tony is an innocent child who shouldn't suffer because his mother prefers luxury bags to paying school bills. But you sat there on Sunday, watched her mock my purchases, and let her call me a freeloader while I was carrying our child."
Michael’s eyes filled with tears. He reached across the table, his hand trembling as he tried to touch my sleeve, but David cleared his throat sharply, and Michael pulled back.
"Allison, please," Michael begged. "The baby... we've been trying for three years. Every fertility appointment, every negative test... we wanted this. How could you keep it to yourself?"
"I was going to tell you after dinner, Michael," I said softly, the sorrow finally breaking through my cold facade. "I made your favorite pot roast. I bought the prenatal vitamins. I had a tiny pair of booties hidden in my nightstand. But before I could even bring dessert to the table, your family decided to put me on trial. And you chose your jury."
The conference room door clicked open again. David’s assistant handed him a sealed white envelope. David opened it, scanned the single sheet inside, and passed it to me.
It was an emergency notice from the property management company of our Manhattan apartment building.
"What is that?" Michael asked, panic creeping back into his voice.
"The master lease on the Manhattan penthouse expires in fifteen days," David stated, looking directly at Michael. "As it turns out, Mr. Caldwell, the primary guarantor on that lease was not your software engineering salary. It was the corporate treasury of Reed Advisory LLC. Mrs. Reed has officially declined to renew the corporate guarantee."
Michael went chalk white. "The rent is fourteen thousand a month. Without your guarantee, the management company will require a full year's rent up front or an immediate eviction."
"I am moving my business and my life to Queens," I said, standing up from the conference table. "You have two weeks to find a roommate, pay the deposit out of your own savings, or pack your bags. Just like you watched me pack mine."
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"Allison, don't do this!" Michael pleaded, standing up so fast his chair screeched against the hardwood. "My mother is going to lose her home! Jessica's landlord is already serving her with an eviction notice for non-payment of her retail lease! They don't have anything, Allison! They were counting on you!"
"No, Michael," I said, walking toward the door without looking back. "They were counting on your ignorance. And you gave it to them for free."
