My Brother Kept Bragging About a Deal He’d Already Lost

teaching myself software engineering on an aging laptop at the kitchen table.

He was praised for confidence.

I was warned not to become “too intense.”

Across the table, David frowned at his phone.

His thumb stopped scrolling.

He leaned closer to the screen.

Something had caught his attention.

Marcus continued speaking confidently.

“Once the Peterson paperwork continue reading …