Deception

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Chapter 37/// Relapse

I feel so bad. I started this story in 2015... it's twenty-fucking-nineteen...

That makes for four years of procrastination. :/

I honestly stopped writing bc I thought no one was reading (which is still true) and I thought this story was trash. I have a weird problem with not being able to start something new if my other tasks aren't complete, so I pushed through and wrote this sloppy chapter.

I appreciate those who have read and voted over the years. I am sorry that my boring ass couldn't give this story the ending it deserved.

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Up next on E! News, we'll give you all the deets on the latest scam that the Markhams have fallen victim to. But, first, we need to go over a brief history of America's most expensive family.

It all started in the early sixties, when stock-lord Reuben Markham purchased his first share of a company. It only took that small acquisition for him to get hooked, and from then on, everything was history. He knew just how to play his cards right, and also discovered gold mines of potential in the smallest of businesses, which led to a constant stream of income.

Soon after his first stock acquisitions, Reuben got involved with a woman by the name of Ruth Harrison, and had his son, Hank. By the time he had reached his peak, though, Ruth left before she could watch her son grow up. But that didn't stop Reuben from reaching his goals. He continued to dominate the stock markets, never seeming to invest in something that would yield anything less than greatness.

Reuben decided to establish Markham Industries in the late eighties, solidifying his proficiency in a variety of practices including entrepreneurship, and proving his everlasting impression on the business realm. But by the time the nineties rolled around, Reuben seemed to lose his astute mindset, betraying his long time friend Mr. Bill Kramer by having relations with his wife. The deplorable act was soon followed by his abrupt disappearance that still hasn't been solved by fans nor authorities to this day.

Reuben experienced a deep rooted loss starting with his son and grandchildren and spreading to his self built empire and net worth. Looking back, it was easy to tell that the remaining Markhams never thought they'd be in the same predicament as their late patriarch, seeing as they never properly secured their money.

Presently, they own not a penny to their name after mysteriously having all of their cash withdrawn from their family bank account. The event took place overnight, and the police department has no leads on who the suspect may be because the ATMs used to complete the transactions were located in remote convenience stores with outdated surveillance cameras.

The Markhams tried to come after their bank provider with no luck, seeing as the money was rightfully removed with the correct bank information. The account information that was used stems back to Benjamin Markham, who denies having anything to do with the incident.

While the family refuses to disclose how much money they lost, it is estimated to be in the millions. Despite there being a portion of money unaccounted for, it is rumored that the Markhams stored most of their earnings in a secure area within their household.

Although the family has reached a roadblock yet again, we're sure that Melody can give them some pointers on how to overcome poverty.