It was an ordinary Thursday evening, but the air in Jack’s garage felt anything but ordinary. Five men sat huddled around a small table, the dim light casting long shadows on the walls. Alexander, with his arms crossed and brow furrowed, stared at his four closest friends. Jack leaned forward, his hands resting on the table’s edge, his eyes gleaming with excitement. Ryan, always the optimist, nodded approvingly while the other three. Mark, Travis and Nick sat quietly with a mix of agreement and greed expressions.

“So, it’s all set, we’ve got the location, the investors are in and all we need now is for everyone to be on board.” Jack began, leaning forward. His voice was full of conviction.

Alexander shook his head slowly, his lips pressed together. He felt a wave of discomfort wash over him. They had been through so much together. These were the men he trusted most, the ones he’d known since childhood but the proposition laid out before him was nothing short of insanity.

“We’re going to make millions, I mean, come on, Alex. This is the opportunity of a lifetime.” Jack continued, undeterred.

Ryan nodded eagerly. “Jack’s right. This could change everything. We’ll be set for life.”

Alexander clenched his fists under the table with his mind racing. He wanted to support his friends but this was crossing a line.

“And what about the people?” Alex finally spoke, his voice low but firm. His gaze moved from Jack to Ryan, then to the others. “You’re talking about cutting corners, ignoring safety regulations. You know the kind of damage this can do, don’t you? People will die.”

Jack rolled his eyes and sat back, frustration evident on his face. “Alex, don’t be so dramatic. It’s not like we’re putting guns to their heads. They’ll take the risk willingly. It’s business, everyone knows there’s a risk with everything.” Jack laminated.

“But this is different, we’re talking about hundreds of lives at stake. One wrong move, one oversight, and the entire thing collapses. This isn’t just about making money. It’s about the cost of human life.” Alex shot back with his voice rising above others.

Mark, who had been silent up until now, spoke softly.

“Look, Alex. I get where you’re coming from but we’ve all got families to think about. This could secure our futures, our kids’ futures. It’s a calculated risk.” Mark exclaimed

“A calculated risk?” Alex scoffed. “What happens when it’s someone’s husband, wife, or child that gets caught in the crossfire of your ‘calculated risk’?”

Jack’s patience was wearing thin and he brusted angrily at Alex's face.

“Then what’s your solution, huh? You’re going to pass up millions, pass up a life we’ve all dreamed about, for what? Some moral high ground?” Jack screamed.

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I won’t be a part of this.”Alex said firmly, his voice unwavering.

The tension in the room thickened by the other four friends stared at Alex with a mix of disbelief and disappointment on their faces. Alex stood up, the scrape of his chair cutting through the silence.

“I’m out and if any of you have any sense, you’ll walk away from this too.” he said sharply and turned to leave.

Jack stood up with his face filled with a mask of frustration.

“Alex, don’t do this. Don’t be the one to ruin everything, you’re making a mistake.” Jack laminated.

“No, you’re the ones making the mistake….. I’m not risking innocent lives for money.” Alex said, shaking his head.

With that, Alex turned and walked toward the door with his heart pounding. He could hear the others murmuring behind him but he didn’t look back. As soon as he stepped outside, the cool evening air hit him and he exhaled deeply, trying to steady his nerves.

Alex got into his car, his hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as he sped away from Jack’s house. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts as his conscience battled between anger, disappointment and guilt. He could still hear Jack’s voice in his head, still see the look of betrayal on Ryan’s face.He drove through the quiet streets, heading home. The further he drove, the more the knot in his stomach grew. He knew he’d made the right choice but that didn’t make it any easier.

When Alex finally pulled into the driveway of his modest suburban home, he sat in the car for a moment, staring blankly at the front door. The porch light was on with a welcoming beacon in the darkness but tonight it felt distant. His heart felt heavy and he dreaded going inside. He didn’t want to bring this tension into his home.

After a long sigh, Alex opened the car door and stepped out. His steps were slow as he walked toward the front door and the weight of the evening hung over him. He barely had time to process his emotions before the door swung open and Tony, his six year old son, came running toward him.

“Daddy!” Tony’s face lit up with joy as he ran into Alex’s arms.

Usually, this moment would fill Alex with happiness but tonight, his embrace was more distant. He smiled but it was forced and he gently ruffled Tony’s hair without his usual warmth.

“Hey, bud,” Alex said softly.

Tony looked up at him, his wide eyes full of confusion. “What’s wrong, Daddy?” he asked.

Before Alex could answer, Isabelle appeared in the doorway with a warm but observant smile. She immediately sensed something was off. Alex’s usual enthusiastic greeting for their son was absent and his eyes looked troubled.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Isabelle said softly as she walked up to him. She leaned in to kiss him on the cheek, her eyes scanning his face for answers. “Rough day?” she laminated.

Alex forced a smile, trying to hide the storm inside him. “Yeah, just work. You know how it is.”

Isabelle didn’t buy it. She knew her husband too well that something was bothering him but she decided not to push, not yet.

“Come on in, I’ll set up the table for dinner. You, go relax.” She said, giving him a gentle pat on the back.

Alex nodded and gave her a weak smile before heading inside. The warmth of the house felt like a barrier between the chaos of the outside world but Alex couldn’t shake the thoughts swirling in his mind. As he walked toward their bedroom to change, the image of his friends’ faces kept replaying in his head. Jack’s frustration, Ryan’s eagerness, the silent approval from the others all weighed on him.

Once in the bedroom, Alex sat on the edge of the bed, running his hands through his hair. He wanted to forget about it, to push it all aside and focus on his family but he couldn’t. The stakes were too high. He knew deep down that his friends wouldn’t stop. They were too far gone, too blinded by the promise of money and success to see the danger ahead.

Alex thought on what to do but he was thoughtless, he finally put his thoughts aside after changing into new clothes to join his wife and Tony at the dining table.