Chapter 26 - The Family Wedding That Wasn't
Back home in Ohio, the ripples of my international success continued to echo. Uncle Arthur called me a week after I returned from London with a juicy piece of family gossip.
"Megan and Todd are officially separating," Arthur said quietly over the phone. "The financial strain from your father’s failed real estate ventures, combined with the social embarrassment from your summit success, finally broke their marriage apart. Todd packed his bags on Tuesday and moved back to his parents' place."
I listened quietly, feeling neither anger nor malicious glee. Just the inevitable realization that a house built on fragile pretenses cannot survive a strong wind.
"And how are Paul and Susan?" I asked.
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"Quiet," Arthur sighed. "Your father spends most of his time alone in his study. Your mother goes to church, but she sits in the very back row and leaves before the service ends so she doesn't have to talk to anyone. They finally realized, Chloe... they finally realized what they threw away."
I didn't offer to visit them. I didn't send a card. Some relationships are beyond repair, not because of malice, but because the foundation was poisoned from the very beginning. My energy was fully invested in my research, my students, and my future.
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