The late summer heat pressed down relentlessly as Vanessa Harper opened the front door to their new home. The twins followed reluctantly, their designer luggage looking absurdly out of place against the scuffed linoleum floor and faintly yellowed walls. The house smelled faintly of mothballs and cheap lavender air freshener—a desperate attempt to mask years of wear and tear.


    “Don’t track dirt inside,” Vanessa said automatically, her voice a hollow echo of the elegant authority she once carried in New York. She walked ahead, her heels clicking against the floor in a rhythm that didn’t match the casual home she now occupied. “Your rooms are down the hall. Pick whichever one you want.”


    Lexi lingered in the doorway, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her long blonde hair, sleek and perfectly straightened that morning, now stuck to her neck in the humid air. She scanned the living room with a disapproving eye, noting the second-hand furniture and faded floral curtains that drooped on either side of a cracked window.


    “I can’t believe this,” she muttered, more to herself than anyone else. Her voice wavered slightly, betraying the steady stream of emotions bubbling beneath her composed exterior. “This… this can’t be our life now.”


    Jordan, who had dropped his duffle bag unceremoniously by the wall, leaned against the doorway with his arms folded. His blue eyes, striking and intense, carried the weight of everything he refused to say. “It is our life now,” he replied flatly. “Complaining isn’t going to change it.”


    Lexi shot him a sharp glare. “Well, forgive me if I’m not as quick to adjust to all this.” She gestured around the room, her manicured hand sweeping across the peeling paint and outdated decor. “I’m allowed to be upset, Jordan. We lost everything.”


    “Not everything,” he countered quietly. “We still have each other. We still have Mom.”


    Lexi rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. She turned on her heel, wheeling her luggage down the narrow hallway. The sound of her footsteps faded, leaving Jordan alone with his thoughts.


    For Jordan, the loss wasn’t just financial. It was the collapse of everything he thought he knew about their family. Their father had been their hero—a larger-than-life figure who commanded respect and admiration in every room he entered. But that image had shattered the moment the tabloids splashed his name across their headlines: “FINANCIAL SCANDAL ROCKS HARPER EMPIRE.” The whispers and stares that followed were worse than the articles. Friends who once flocked to their lavish parties now avoided eye contact. His girlfriend of two years, Sophie, had broken things off the moment the trust fund rumors began.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Jordan shook the thought from his mind. He refused to let himself dwell on the betrayal. He had to be strong—for Lexi, for their mom. If he let the anger consume him, he knew he’d never climb out of it.


    <hr>


    Lexi’s new room was tiny, with walls painted a faded shade of lavender that clashed horribly with the gold accents of her luggage. The closet, small and utilitarian, was a joke compared to the walk-in wardrobe she used to have. She sat on the edge of the twin-sized bed, her fingers brushing over the worn quilt. Tears pricked at her eyes, but she blinked them away, determined not to cry.


    Her mind drifted to her old life—her best friend Serena, their shopping trips to Fifth Avenue, the glamorous parties, the certainty that life would always be perfect. And then there was Mason, her boyfriend. At least, he had been until the scandal hit. He’d stopped returning her calls, his texts growing shorter and colder until he finally ghosted her altogether.


    Meanwhile, Jordan stood in his room, which wasn’t much bigger than Lexi’s. His sharp eyes took in the scuffed hardwood floors and a single poster left behind by the previous tenant—a faded image of a basketball team from years past. He leaned against the window, staring out at the street below. A group of kids were playing basketball at the end of the block, their movements quick and practiced.


    For a moment, Jordan felt a pang of envy. Their lives seemed simple, unburdened by the weight of expectations and failure.


    <hr>


    The sound of the front door opening that evening sent a ripple of tension through the house. Vanessa had spent the afternoon cleaning the kitchen, trying to make the space feel like home, but even the smell of fresh-baked cookies couldn’t mask her nerves.


    When Alexander Harper walked in, his presence filled the small space like a storm cloud. He was still tall and broad-shouldered, his once-dashing appearance now marred by exhaustion and shame. His suit was wrinkled, his tie loosened, and the dark circles under his eyes hinted at sleepless nights and endless battles with lawyers and creditors.


    “Kids,” he said, his voice deep but strained.


    Lexi appeared in the doorway first, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Jordan followed, his expression unreadable.


    “Dad,” Jordan said simply.


    There was a long, heavy silence. Alexander looked at them both, his eyes softening for a brief moment. “I know this isn’t what you’re used to. I know… I failed you.” His voice cracked slightly, and he quickly cleared his throat.


    Lexi wanted to scream at him, to demand how he could let this happen. But as she looked at the man in front of her, so broken and human, the words caught in her throat.


    “Is this really our life now?” she asked, her voice small.


    Alexander sighed deeply. “For now. But I’ll fix it. I promise you, I’ll fix it.”


    Jordan didn’t reply. He just turned and walked back to his room, his footsteps heavy on the creaking floor.