“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’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.”

I gripped the steering wheel.

“Where are you?”

“Outside.”

My heart dropped.

“Outside where?”

“Grandpa’s.”

“What are you doing outside?”

She started crying.

“Grandpa kicked me out.”

For a second, I couldn’t speak.

“What?”

“He kicked me out.”

“Where’s your mother?”

“Inside.”

“Did she come outside?”

“No.”

My hands tightened around the steering wheel.

“Why did he kick you out?”

“He was talking about you.”

“What did he say?”

“He called you a loser.”

I closed my eyes for half a second.

Then I heard her take a shaky breath.

“I told him to stop.”

“What happened?”

“He said I was just like you.”

I didn’t say anything.

“He told me if I loved you so much, I could go live with my loser father.”

My jaw tightened.

“Are you wearing your coat?”