“I never told my wife’s family I owned the $15.9M company that paid their salaries. To them, I was just the “broke handyman” they loved to mock9360

I was supposed to be at the Collins house by seven.

Claire had gone earlier with Sophie.

I was finishing an emergency repair at one of our commercial properties when my phone rang.

It was Claire.

“Where are you?”

“Still at the warehouse. We’ve got a burst pipe.”

“It’s Christmas Eve.”

“I know.”

“Everyone’s here.”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

She sighed.

“Just hurry.”

“I will.”

There was a pause.

Then she said, “Sophie is getting impatient.”

“I’ll talk to her.”

“You always say that.”

The line went dead.

I didn’t think much of it.

I finished the repair.

I checked the building twice.

Then I started driving toward the Collins house.

At 9:12 p.m., my phone rang.

Sophie.

I answered immediately.

“Hey, sweetheart.”

“Dad…”

Something in her voice made me sit straighter.

“What happened?”

She didn’t answer.

I heard wind.

Then she whispered,

“Please come get me.”