The silence at the table was deafening. Owen's phone pressed against his ear like a lifeline. His face had gone from green to ash gray.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Thompson," Owen stammered into the phone. "Could you repeat that?"
"Your franchise agreement is terminated. Effective immediately. Headquarters will be taking over operations."
I watched Owen's world crumble in real time. His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.
"But sir, there must be some mistake. My numbers are excellent. Customer satisfaction is—"
"The decision is final, Mr. Murphy. You'll receive official documentation within twenty-four hours."
The line went dead.
Owen stared at his phone for a long moment. The dining room held its breath.
"Well?" Liam asked impatiently. "What did he say?"
Owen's head snapped up. Panic flashed across his features before being replaced by forced confidence.
"Everything's fine," he said quickly. "Just a routine check-in."
My eyebrows raised slightly. Interesting choice.
