Brandon walked through the backyard, basket in hand, absentmindedly picking vegetables while relentless thoughts ran through his mind.
"Ask my family for money? I'd rather die than do that," he thought, wincing at the idea. "Borrow from Alexander Moran? The humiliation would be unbearable."
After mentally weighing his options, he knew his only valuable asset was the company shares he had on hand. But with the business thriving, he knew selling them now would be a significant long-term loss.
"Brandon, your basket's overflowing with tomatoes!" Josie called from the kitchen window, laughing. "We'll never eat all those!"
Snapping back to reality, Brandon looked down, sheepishly realizing he had indeed filled his basket with tomatoes. "They looked so fresh today, and I couldn't resist. If we don't finish them tonight, we'll have them tomorrow," he said, clearing his throat. Quickly gathering a few more chili peppers, he returned to the kitchen, still deep in thought.
