The silence after Xander left felt like someone had sucked all the air out of the room.

Everyone was staring at me. My parents. Angie. Alex in his wheelchair, looking at me like I was a stranger.

"No, that's not happening." Alex broke the silence.

"Alex..." I started.

"No." He gripped the armrests of his wheelchair, his knuckles turning white. "We're not moving into the boss's house, Cynthia. What the hell were you thinking?"

"I wasn't thinking anything! I didn't know he was going to ...