Claire’s smile disappeared before Martin finished reading the second paragraph.
He stopped in the middle of the living room, the termination letter held inches from his face.
Around him, envelopes were being opened by brothers, cousins, nephews, in-laws, and other relatives who had spent years treating Whitaker Home Solutions like a family inheritance.
The room that had been loud seconds earlier went strangely quiet.
Martin read the page again.
Then a third time.
“This is a joke.”
No one answered.
His oldest son unfolded his own letter.
“I got one too.”
“So did I.”
Another envelope ripped open.
Then another.
Within minutes, forty-seven members of the Collins family were holding nearly identical notices informing them that their employment with Whitaker Home Solutions had ended following an internal review.
Claire grabbed Martin’s letter.
Her eyes moved quickly down the page until she reached the authorization line.
That was when all the color left her face.
Daniel Whitaker.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer.
Martin saw her expression.
“What?”
Claire did not answer.
He snatched the paper back and stared at the name.
For the first time in eight years, Martin Collins had nothing sarcastic to say.
Three nights earlier, he had raised a glass and called Daniel a loser while Daniel’s sixteen-year-old daughter stood crying behind him.
Now Martin was staring at proof that the man he had mocked had owned the company signing his paycheck the entire time.
Claire lowered herself onto the sofa.
Her younger brother looked between her and the letter.
“You knew?”
Claire closed her eyes.
Martin turned toward her.
“You knew this was his company?”
She whispered, “Yes.”
The silence broke.
Everyone started talking at once.
“What do you mean, yes?”
“How long?”
“Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Can he even do this?”
Martin shouted over them.
“Everybody shut up.”
The room obeyed.
He looked at Claire as though she had become a stranger.
“How long have you known?”
“Since before we married.”
Martin’s jaw tightened.
“You let me call him a handyman.”
Claire looked down.
“You let us think he worked for people like me.”
“I asked him not to tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because I knew you’d act differently.”
Martin laughed once, but there was no humor in it.
“And you thought this was better?”
Claire did not have an answer.
Across town, Daniel was sitting in the CEO office where he had spent much of Christmas night.
