Chapter 5

The moment I pressed answer, Jack's roar exploded from the speaker.

"Noah! Where the hell have you been? The farm is falling apart. Do you even know that?

"You're not answering your phone, you're not showing up. What's your problem?"

I put it on speaker and set the phone on the desk, continuing to organize the documents in front of me. My voice was flat. "What do you want?"

"What do I want? You're asking me what I want?" Jack bellowed.

"The livestock won't eat! They're all listless! The workers can't handle it! What the hell are you playing at?

"Did your worthless formula screw up or something? I'm telling you, if the farm takes a hit because of this mess, can you even afford the losses?"

I picked up a document, my tone still unchanged. "You begged me for that formula. You're the one who controls ingredient sourcing and production. If there's a problem, you should be asking yourself and that technical supervisor you're paying so much."

"Don't give me that crap!" Jack cut me off sharply, his tone domineering.

"Noah, don't forget that I paid you! 40 thousand dollars! You take money, you do the work!

"I'm your cousin and I've been good to you! Now what, you think you're too good for this? Getting cocky and throwing a fit?"

He got angrier as he went on, dumping all his rage on me. "I'm telling you, before the sun goes down today, you'd better get your ass to the farm! Fix this problem for me!

"Otherwise, don't blame me for not caring that we're family! Next year's profit share? You won't see a single cent! Mark my words!"

The threat came out hard and definitive. He'd completely forgotten that I was the reason he got this far.

I stopped what I was doing and stared at the blinking call display on my phone screen. Suddenly, the whole thing felt absurdly laughable.

To him, that forty grand wasn't a buyout but a salary. My help wasn't a partnership but an obligation.

I paused for a few seconds, my voice calm. "Are you done?"

Jack probably hadn't expected that response. He choked for a moment.

"If you're done, I'm hanging up," I stated plainly. "Also, let me correct you on something. That forty grand wasn't a salary: it was a consulting fee. We're even. So as of yesterday, anything that happens at your farm has nothing to do with me. As for next year's profit share—"

I paused, my tone mocking. "You seem confused about the situation. It's not a question of whether you'll give me a share. It's whether your farm will even have a next year."

"Noah! You—"

I'd pushed Jack over the edge. His voice went shrill. "Oh, so you're too good for us now?"

He laughed bitterly. "You say we're even? Let me tell you something. We're not even!

"You're walking off the job right now, and the farm's falling apart. These losses are on you! That 40 thousand was an advance payment for you to do your job! Now you're not doing the work, and you've created this huge mess. You have no right to that money!"

He took a deep breath and barked out each word like an order. "Noah, wire that forty grand all back to me! Not a cent less! If you're not doing the work, you don't deserve that money! That's just how it is!"

Outside the study door, Mom and Dad heard every word. The last shred of family loyalty Mom felt toward them disappeared.

I laughed quietly.

"Jack." I said his name and asked, "You're sure you want that 40 thousand back?"

"Yes! Wire it back now!"