Chapter 2 - The Five-Minute Ultimatum
My father, David, stared at the security camera, then back at me. The smirk on his face faltered, replaced by a twitch of irritation.
"You think a little camera scares me, Sarah?" he whispered, his voice laced with the same venom I remembered from my childhood. "I have lawyers. Real ones. You’re a public figure now with that business of yours. Think about the headlines: 'Successful Tech CEO Leaves Aging Father to Rot'."
"Four minutes," I replied, my voice steady, though my heart was hammering against my ribs. I wasn't afraid of him anymore, but the sheer audacity of his presence at Noah’s party made my blood boil.
Behind me, my husband, Mark, stepped up. Mark was a big man, a former college athlete who now ran a landscape architecture firm. He didn't say a word. He just stood there, a solid wall of protection between my past and my son’s present.
David glanced at Mark, assessing the threat. "This is family business, pal," David snapped.
"Sarah is my family," Mark said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "And you have three minutes left before I carry you out of this yard myself."
Noah sensed the tension. He clutched my jeans, his eyes wide and worried. I knelt down, forcing a warm smile onto my face, shielding him from David’s gaze. "Hey buddy, go help Daddy with the ice cream inside, okay? Mommy just needs to say goodbye to this guest."
"Is he a bad man?" Noah whispered.
"He's just someone who lost his way, sweetie. Go on inside."
As Noah ran off, David let out a bitter scoff. "Turning my own grandson against me. Standard."
"You are not his grandfather," I said, standing back up. I felt a cold, sharp clarity wash over me. "You are a stranger who broke the law by trespassing. You have two minutes. If you are still on my property when the clock strikes, I am calling the police, filing a restraining order, and sending the footage of you threatening a minor to every media outlet myself. I don't care about the headlines, David. I built my company from nothing. A ghost from my past won't tear it down."
David saw the absolute lack of fear in my eyes. For the first time in his life, he realized he had no leverage. He threw the gift bag he was holding onto the patio table. It landed with a pathetic thud.
"You’ll hear from my lawyer," he spat, turning on his heel. He marched out the backyard gate, slamming it behind him.
May you like
The yard fell quiet, save for the distant laughter of the other children. I took a deep, shuddering breath. Mark wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. "You did great," he murmured. "He's gone."
But as I looked at the cheap gift bag on the table, a sinking feeling told me this was only the beginning of a storm.
