She looked around quickly to ensure no other families were within earshot.

“You embarrassed us in front of the entire dean’s circle,” she said.

Father stood half a step behind her, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, staring down at the gravel.

“Did she, Mom?” Derek asked, his voice low.

“She brought her personal grievances to a university stage,” Mother said, adjusting the strap of her handbag.

“After everything we have done to support this family’s reputation.”

“You support the reputation,” I said, stepping closer to them. “You never supported us.”

“That is a lie,” Mother said, her cheeks flushing a dull pink under her makeup.

“We have always been proud of you. I tell my friends about your solar company all the time.”

“Only after we raised our first round of funding,” I said. “Only after it made you look good in the newsletter.”

Derek looked between us, the confusion in his eyes hardening into something heavier.

“Sarah, let’s just go get lunch,” Father muttered, speaking for the first time. “We don’t need to do this here.”

“We are doing this here, Dad,” Derek said, his voice cracking slightly.

He turned back to Mother. “Is what she said true? Did you really ignore her when she was trying to launch the company?”

“Of course not,” Mother said, offering a tight, patronizing smile.

“You know how dramatic your sister can be. I have always been her biggest champion.”

The dishonesty in her voice was familiar, a smooth lacquer that had coated my entire childhood.

I reached into the pocket of my slacks and pulled out my phone.

The screen was cracked across the upper corner, a small reminder of the early days of late-night warehouse shifts.

“I kept the messages, Mother,” I said.

I tapped the screen, opening the message archive from two years ago, searching for the date of our first major pitch.