Chapter 14 - THE EMPTY MANSION
With his assets frozen and his company gone,
Marcus could no longer afford the massive staff that maintained his home.
The housekeepers,
the private chefs,
and the security guards all walked out after their checks bounced.
The grand mansion,
once the crown jewel of his perfect life,
became an empty,
freezing shell.
The snow accumulated heavily on the unplowed driveway,
blocking the entrance.
Inside,
the heat was turned down low to save money,
the grand rooms filling with a bitter chill.
Marcus sat alone by the dark fireplace,
staring at the dry Christmas tree that had started to shed its needles.
The gold stars on the ornaments reminded him of the dress he had destroyed,
a constant psychological torture.
He had built a fortress of wealth to keep the world out,
but now it was a prison keeping him in.
He attempted to call Kellen,
but his son's phone had been disconnected,
Kellen fleeing the country to avoid legal subpoenas.
He attempted to call Simone,
but she was busy selling her jewelry to pay her own rent.
The patriarch was completely alone,
May you like
surrounded by the expensive things that could no longer love him back.
His legacy was nothing but a series of empty rooms and cold marble.
