Chapter 9 - THE NOOSE TIGHTENS
The day before the launch party,
Grant called me in a panic.
"Evelyn,
I need you to transfer fifty thousand dollars from our joint savings,"
he said,
his voice tight,
breathless.
"The catering and venue fees for tomorrow night are higher than expected,
and my business account is temporarily locked."
"Locked?"
I asked,
pretending to be concerned.
"Why would it be locked,
Grant?"
"Just a banking glitch!"
he snapped,
impatiently.
"I'll sort it out on Monday,
just make the transfer,
please."
"I'm sorry,
Grant,"
I said,
my voice smooth as silk.
"But as we agreed,
all joint accounts have been transferred to my sole control to protect them from your creditors."
"I can't authorize a transfer for your business expenses,
it would defeat the purpose of the protection."
"Are you kidding me?"
he yelled,
the panic in his voice turning to pure rage.
"This is the launch of my new firm,
Evelyn!"
"If the venue isn't paid,
the event is canceled!"
"My entire reputation is on the line!"
"Then I suggest you ask Victoria,"
I suggested quietly.
"Or her father."
"After all,
they are your partners now,
aren't they?"
He slammed the phone down,
and I laughed,
a genuine,
lighthearted laugh that I hadn't felt in years.
He was drowning,
and he was grasping at straws,
completely unaware that the straws were made of lead.
A few hours later,
Lily came into my office,
holding her phone.
"Mom,
Dad just texted me,"
she said,
looking confused.
"He said he loves me,
and that he's doing all of this for my future."
"He asked me to forgive him."
I pulled my daughter into a warm embrace,
kissing her forehead.
"Do you forgive him,
Lily?"
She shook her head,
a tear escaping her eye.
"He took my dream,
Mom,"
she whispered.
"He didn't care about me,
he only cared about himself."
"Then don't worry,
sweetheart,"
I promised her,
wiping her tear away.
"Tomorrow,
you will get your dream back,
and he will get exactly what he deserves."
I looked out the window,
watching the sunset paint the sky in shades of bruised purple and crimson.
May you like
The storm was finally here,
and I was ready to let it pour.
