Stunned, Brandon met with lawyers and signed the transfer papers. The next day, he and his children drove past the gas station for the last time, headed toward a grand colonial estate Grives had once called home.
But their new beginning quickly turned to chaos.
Inside the mansion, furniture was overturned, valuables destroyed. Police found no signs of forced entry—whoever had done this had the code. Brandon’s thoughts turned immediately to Christopher, Mr. Grives’s son.
Days later, Brandon met with board members and staff, guided by Grives’s loyal secretary. But tension mounted when Christopher arrived unannounced. Cold and confident, he demanded two million dollars, claiming it was to settle his late father’s debts. When Brandon hesitated, Christopher threatened to expose the company’s illegal dealings—and hinted at violence, revealing a pistol tucked beneath his coat.
That night, Brandon uncovered a locked cabinet filled with ledgers: detailed records of criminal activity within the company. It was clear—Christopher had orchestrated the dark side of his father’s business. Brandon offered him 49% of the company to settle the matter, hoping to protect his children and preserve peace.
But Christopher refused.
The next day, Brandon returned home to find the children’s nanny bound and gagged. “He wants the company—or he’ll hurt the kids,” she choked out. With no time to waste, Brandon called federal authorities. They devised a plan: a meeting at a suburban hotel, where Brandon would hand over forged documents embedded with a tracking device.
At noon the following day, Brandon arrived at the hotel poolside, documents in hand. As Christopher gloated over his supposed victory, federal agents swarmed. “FBI!” they shouted, and within moments, Christopher was in custody.
Brandon handed over the ledgers, contracts, and Mr. Grives’s letter to the agents, knowing the company would be dismantled. He would walk away without wealth, but with something far greater.
That evening, back at the home he now owned, Brandon knelt on the porch steps, wrapping his arms around his four children. “We’ve got everything we need,” he told them with a smile. “Love isn’t something anyone can steal.”
And in that moment, he knew they were finally home—richer than any bank account could ever make them.