Chapter 4 - The Nepotism Upgrade
My father, Robert, was a man who noticed everything. He had spent thirty-five years swimming with sharks on Wall Street, and he could smell blood in the water.
During a Sunday dinner, Dad pulled me aside while Eric was getting a drink at the bar.
“Is Eric pulling his weight?” Dad asked bluntly.
“He’s adjusting,” I said defensively. “His salary isn’t huge, Dad. It’s hard for him to live in my world.”
Dad narrowed his eyes. “Then let’s change his world.”
The next week, my father made a single phone call to an old colleague at a massive financial services firm. Eric was suddenly called in for an interview for a senior operations management position. He was qualified on paper, but he never would have bypassed the gatekeepers without my dad’s influence.
Eric got the job. His salary nearly tripled overnight.
I bought a bottle of Dom Pérignon to celebrate. I expected Eric to be grateful, or at least relieved that he could finally contribute equally to our lifestyle.
Instead, the new money mutated him.
Within two weeks, he had business cards printed with "Executive Director" embossed in gold. He started referring to himself as being "headhunted." He completely erased my father's involvement from the narrative.
More concerningly, his new salary didn’t go toward our joint household expenses.
“Did you transfer your half of the HOA fees this month?” I asked him one morning as he tied his new silk tie.
“I can’t right now,” Eric said breezily. “I had to upgrade my wardrobe for the new firm. If I’m going to run with the big dogs, I need to look the part.”
“Eric, you make six figures now. You can afford suits and the HOA fees.”
He glared at me. “My mother needs a new roof, Claire. I’m taking care of my family. You own this place outright, you don't need my money to keep the lights on.”
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I stared at him. He wasn't acting like a partner. He was acting like a man who had won the lottery, and I was just the winning ticket.
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