CHAPTER 3 – THE KNOCK AT EIGHT O'CLOCK
At 7:15 the next morning, Mike walked outside with his coffee.
His pickup truck was gone.
At first he thought it had been stolen.
Then he noticed the envelope taped to the garage door.
Vehicle Repossessed Pending Loan Review.
His stomach dropped.
Within minutes, his phone rang.
The bank.
"Mr. Carter, because the personal guarantee attached to your commercial loan has been withdrawn, your account has entered default under the original lending terms."
Mike nearly shouted.
"There must be a mistake!"
"There isn't."
"We require immediate repayment or liquidation of secured assets."
His face turned white.
The truck.
The business equipment.
Even the house.
Everything had been collateral.
At exactly 8:00 a.m., someone pounded on Stephanie's front door.
She opened it.
Mike stood there.
Behind him were her mother, Irene, Tyler, and two bank representatives waiting near the curb.
"What did you do?" Mike demanded.
Stephanie remained calm.
"I removed my name."
"You ruined us!"
"No."
She folded her arms.
"I stopped saving you."
Tyler stared in confusion.
"You got my dad's truck taken?"
Stephanie looked at him gently.
"No, Tyler."
"Your father lost his truck the day he taught you that humiliating people had no consequences."
No one spoke.
May you like
For the first time in his life...
Tyler lowered his eyes.
