Chapter 2 - The Midnight Knock
The morning sun brought no warmth,
only a cold sense of urgency,
as I packed a small bag.
I grabbed Noah’s favorite clothes,
his toothbrush,
and his dinosaur books.
He woke up smiling,
completely unaware,
of the storm surrounding us.
"Where is Daddy?"
he asked,
rubbing his sleepy eyes.
"Daddy is working early,"
I lied,
my voice trembling slightly.
We needed to leave the house,
before Ethan came back,
with a lawyer,
or a police officer.
I buckled Noah into his seat,
locked the front door,
and drove straight downtown.
The bank opened at nine,
and I was the first person,
waiting outside the glass doors.
The air conditioning hit me,
as I walked inside,
seeking out Mr. Davis.
He was our account manager,
an older man,
who always smiled.
Today,
he looked worried.
"Emma,"
he said,
inviting me into his office.
"I saw your email,"
"it came in at midnight."
I sat down,
placing my hands on his desk,
trying to remain calm.
"Is the loan approved?"
I asked,
holding my breath.
"Not yet,"
he whispered,
looking at his screen.
"But the paperwork looks perfect,"
"your signature is right here."
"It's a forgery,"
I said,
my voice sharp.
"I never signed it,"
"I never authorized the transfers."
He sighed,
typing furiously,
his brow furrowed.
"The seventy-two thousand,"
"it already cleared,"
"it's gone, Emma."
My heart dropped,
into my stomach.
"Can we freeze the rest?"
I pleaded.
"Yes,"
he said,
"I can freeze the joint accounts,"
"but it takes time to process."
"Do it now,"
I urged.
Suddenly,
his phone rang.
He looked at the caller ID,
then looked up at me,
his eyes wide with surprise.
"It's Ethan,"
he whispered.
"Answer it,"
I said.
"Put it on speaker."
Mr. Davis hit the button.
Ethan's voice filled the room,
confident,
smooth,
and completely calm.
"Marcus,"
Ethan said,
"I need you to expedite that loan,"
"my wife and I are closing today."
I stared at the phone,
my blood boiling,
my fists clenching.
"Ethan,"
Mr. Davis said carefully,
"there seems to be an issue."
"What issue?"
Ethan’s voice dropped,
losing its warmth,
turning icy cold.
"Emma is here,"
Mr. Davis replied.
Silence stretched over the line,
heavy,
and suffocating.
"Put her on,"
Ethan commanded.
I leaned forward,
breathing heavily.
"It's over, Ethan,"
I said.
"I know everything."
"You know nothing,"
he snapped back,
"and you just ruined everything."
The line went dead.
He hung up.
Mr. Davis looked at me,
his face pale.
"I'm freezing the accounts,"
he said softly.
"Thank you,"
I whispered,
standing up.
The first battle was won,
but I knew Ethan,
he wouldn't stop here.
He was desperate,
May you like
and a desperate man,
is a dangerous man.
