Chapter 10 - Margaret’s Favorite Son
Daniel was older.
Responsible.
Predictable.
Ryan was different.
Charming.
Impulsive.
Always one opportunity away from becoming the version of himself Margaret believed he already was.
Charles criticized Ryan constantly when the boys were young.
Daniel got praise for grades.
Ryan got lectures.
Margaret compensated.
Every failure became something unfairly done to Ryan.
Bad teacher.
Bad coach.
Bad girlfriend.
Bad business partner.
At thirty-one, Ryan still lived inside that protection.
Daniel once told me:
“My mother doesn’t love Ryan more. She forgives him before he does anything.”
I thought it was a joke.
It was not.
When Daniel began investigating altered safety records, Margaret did what she had done for decades.
She reduced Ryan’s behavior.
A paperwork shortcut.
A temporary problem.
Something Daniel was making unnecessarily dramatic.
Then the first outside auditor requested records.
The consequences became real.
Margaret did not tell Ryan:
Face them.
She asked Daniel to delay.
May you like
Daniel refused.
That was the moment family loyalty became obstruction.
