Jennifer Minkus had threatened divorce several times over the years. Sometimes she would throw her ring at her husband and spend days without it. It was beautiful and extravagant and had once felt like a declaration, but these days…the days she did wear it, it felt more like a burden; thick and heavy.

She had only been gone two days. That was all the time it took to really examine her life and put things in perspective for her. Stuart wasn't a bad man. He was a hard worker, incredibly intelligent. His employees seemed to respect and admire him. Despite his recent behavior, she knew that he adored their son…even if he didn't appreciate him the way he should.

Jennifer didn't know if he still actually loved her anymore, but she believed there was a time in their life together when he had. If she was being honest, she wasn't so sure that she still loved him either. She cared for Stuart as a person. She would never want him hurt or unhappy, but that wasn't really the same thing as the love they had once found somewhere in the middle.

They were a couple born of selfish greed and personal gain. Stuart Minkus was the quintessential nerd in high school; not exactly the kind of qualities to allure the hottest, most popular girl in school. His short stature, shaggy hair, and coke bottle glasses had done nothing to excite her, but the projection of his success after graduation and the inevitable millions destined for his future bank accounts had. Stuart Minkus was going to be somebody someday and it would be better for her to latch onto him now while he was just getting started.

He seemed to enjoy being the kind of man everyone envied. He'd walk into a room with her and suddenly every guy in the place wanted to be him. He'd eaten that up and swallowed it whole. He required some effort in the aesthetic department as well as some social etiquette, but together they were the king and queen of promise; a living breathing super couple ready to take the world by storm.

She hadn't expected to do more than tolerate him, but gradually she found herself not hating him. Their conversations became less tedious, their silences less awkward. Their smiles became genuine and laughter contagious. He knew that she wasn't in love with him, but he appreciated all the things that she did for him and the way she contributed to their partnership. Somehow she grew to care for Stuart and then one night after yet another fabulous party halfway through their conversation it had dawned her; they loved each other. Marriage seemed like the next logical step.

They'd been happy then, when their love was newly discovered and the business had just gotten started. Stuart left for the office at the crack of dawn, but was always home in time for dinner. Nights were spent tangled up in one another. Anniversaries were actually celebrated. He had been a loving husband and a doting father once upon a time, and together they had achieved everything they had ever dreamed.

Unfortunately success comes at a price, one that seemed much steeper to the wife and mother than it had the materialistic teenager that had chosen this path. He still went into work early in the morning, but he no longer came home for dinner. In fact, sometimes he didn't come home at all. No occasion was too special not to miss anymore. At first she had found herself missing his presence, but the longer he stayed away the easier it became to be without him…until eventually she didn't really even want him there anymore.

She had grown tired of the sleepless nights in their empty bed and the numerous hours she had spent crying. She hated the way they screamed such hateful things at one another and then went days without speaking. It bothered her the way she could still feel alone even when he was standing right next to her playing the role of dutiful husband…but when her son had told her that he'd been afraid to invite his friends over because he didn't want them to hear her and Stuart fighting, that was when she realized exactly how bad things had gotten.

In those two days there had been no chaos, venom, or indifference. There had only been peace. Jennifer had been enjoying the sound of silence and tranquility so much that she was actually dreading going back home. She knew that she would never be able to take this feeling back there with her, and this was what she truly wanted for her life. What she and Stuart were doing to one another, it wasn't good for either of them, and it certainly wasn't good for their son. No child should have to grow up believing this twisted toxic thing between them was what love should look like.

And just like that her decision was made. She was finished making threats. Jennifer Minkus was going to go home and tell Stuart she wanted a divorce. Of course, she hadn't gotten the chance. She was already on her way back when she had received his call. She sat there watching it ring, knowing this was a conversation they shouldn't have over the phone. They would sit down and discuss matters like reasonable adults…hopefully.

Stuart was already in the penthouse waiting for her and Farkle when she came through the door. The look on his face instantly made her wish she had listened to his voicemail. She hadn't expected him to be here.

"I figured you would be at the office,"

He didn't seem surprised that she was home early, but his expression had transformed from haggard to confusion when she'd said he wasn't supposed to be here.

"Didn't you get my message?" he asked incredulously.

She had she just hadn't listened to it.

"I was driving when you called. I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet."

That was partially true. The truth was she had plenty of opportunity she just chose not to.

"Oh," he seemed crestfallen at her confession. "Well, I'm glad that you're here."

Jennifer's eyes grew wide. She honestly couldn't remember the last time her husband had said those words to her.

"You are?" she asked disbelievingly.

"Yeah, there's something we need to talk about. Something happened that you should know about." He gestured to a chair in the living room.

This was the kind of news you had to sit down for? This was bad. Whatever it was, it had to be bad. She sat down slowly, examining Stuart's features. He seemed tired and worried. Had something happened to Farkle?

"What happened? Is it Farkle? Is he okay?"

Stuart gestured with his hands for her to slow down, assuring her that their son was fine…for the moment.

"Then what's going on Stuart? You're starting to scare me."

"I uh, I made a mistake, actually I made a lot of mistakes," he trailed off.

Did he know she was leaving him? Is that what this conversation was about?

"I noticed some missing money on an account about a month ago." He explained.

It was about the company. It was always about the company.

"Turns out that was just the tip of the iceberg. Someone has been embezzling from the investors and filtering it through phony charities at Minkus International…for years."

Jennifer hated to hear that. The company was everything to Stuart, not to mention her son's financial future.

"I'm really sorry Stuart, but I'm sure you'll be able to bounce back from this. You always do." She offered reassuringly.

"You don't understand Jen. I don't even know how bad this is yet. It could mean anywhere from liquidating assets to prison time. Even if I manage to avoid prison we could still lose everything."

Jennifer sat there silent, trying to process the words coming out of her husband's mouth. She had come home to tell him that she couldn't be his wife anymore but instead he had an announcement of his own. For the first time in years he truly needed her. She couldn't leave him now in the middle of everything, could she?

"Farkle is going to be here any minute. We need to decide how much we are going to tell him." Stuart noted.

"I think we have to tell him everything. He's too smart not to. If we don't he's just going to put it together on his own and I don't know about you but I would much rather him hear it from us."

Stuart knew that she was right. As much as the idea of telling his son about his failure pained him there was no real way of hiding it. Once the IRS was made aware it would be everywhere; TV, radio, internet. There was no keeping it from him…or anyone else for that matter.

When Farkle had arrived home his parents were already waiting for him. They were sitting together in the living room, even holding hands. To most kids that wouldn't send up bright flashing neon warning signs, but his parents hardly ever represented a united front on anything, and lately they could barely tolerate one another.

He threw his hands up in protest upon entering the room.

"Whatever it is, I don't want to know."

Stuart and Jennifer gave one another a sympathetic look.

"Contrary to what my now less than perfect academic record implies I am still a genius. I know that something really bad is happening. Dad never leaves for work in the middle of the night. Mr. Mathews freaks out when Lucas is in her room during daylight but he let us sleep over, and you two never hold hands or look at one another with anything but intolerance. Something was big enough and bad enough to change every one of those facts and whatever it is I don't want to know."

Jennifer released her husband's hand and stood to face their son with her arms on his shoulders.

"I know that you don't want to hear what we're about to say. I don't want to have to say it."

"Then don't!" he insisted.

She steeled her expression. She didn't want to worry him any more than he already was.

"I have to. Because whether we like it or not this is happening, and it affects all of us." She took his hand and guided him to the seat across from theirs.

"The first and most important thing I need to do is say that I am sorry," Stuart began.

"You're right, something is happening and it has been for a while. I was worried and stressed and I took it out on you and your mother. That wasn't fair to either one of you. You did nothing to deserve that and no matter what reason you got that B, I am still incredibly proud to call you my son, not just because you're a genius, but because you are also a good person who tries to do the right thing."

As much as Farkle appreciated his father's apology and his pride in him, he was more concerned with the current events which had provoked it.

"What's happening?" he asked even though part of him still didn't want to know the answer.