Chapter 4

The call came at 2:17 AM. I remember staring at the glowing numbers on my bedside clock as the police officer's voice delivered words that didn't make sense. My father. Dead. By his own hand. Crushing debt. I'm sorry for your loss.

The phone slipped from my fingers, clattering to the hardwood floor of my apartment. My legs gave way next, and I found myself kneeling, a silent scream locked in my throat. Dad had always been my anchor, even after Mom died. Despite his financial struggles, his love had been the one constant in my life when everything else—when…