Dn appeared in the doorway in his silk robe, leaning against the frame with azy voice: “Looking for something?”
My heart stopped, but I kept my expression neutral: “Stomach ache. Looking for those pills the doctor prescribedst time.”
He stared at me for two seconds, then chuckled softly: “Medical kit in the living room, second shelf. Turn off the lights while you’re at it-electricity bills are
Costs too.”
te turned back to the bedroom, his silhouette stretched thin by the night light, like a cold blooded snake,
Saturday morning, Dn had scheduled a video call with Swisswyers at ten sharp.
left at nine, saying I needed to grab files from the office, but actually drove straight to the private archive facility in the west end-before marriage, I’d stored my mom’s old house deed and a few paintings my grandmother left behind there.
thought he wouldn’t bother with those small items, but the manager told me: “Mr. Morrison was just herest week to pull files, said you’d authorized him to handle the old house demolition.”
ty heart sank as 1 pulled up the signature page-the flourishing characters spelling “Ste Parker” were clearly forged by him,
gripped the copies, my knuckles white.
The manager looked at me sympathetically: “Ms. Parker, technically it’s marital property. Your husband had all the proper documentation, we couldn’t really top him.”
nodded slightly, “OK.”
When I left the archive facility, my phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number- <fne31d> This text is hosted at find?novel</fne31d>
n the photo, my mom sat on a bench at the old street corner, a cup of instant soup watered down beyond recognition in front of her, clutching a crumpled grocery store flyer in her hand.
Caption: [Poor Mrs. Parker. Pension cut, daughter won’t help.]
My head buzzed as I called back-phone was off.
A secondter, Dn’s text popped up:
Ste, just got word from the demolition office. The old neighborhood project’s moving up. Compensation’s about $200K. Made the call for you-we’ll take cas nstead of the house, transfer it to my Swiss ount to save paperworkter. Mom can stay in my condo temporarily, saves on rent.]
stared at the screen, fingertips ice-cold.
He was even taking away my mom’sst refuge.
looked up to see the financial news ying on the building’s giant screen across the street-StarMed Medical’s stock hit new highs, with VP Dn Morrison being interviewed, shing that practiced smile: “Steady investment, shareholder returns.”
The camera caught his wrist-that 1.18-carat diamond ring.
A cold smile crept across my lips.
He thought Ste Parker was just a line item under “human resources costs” in his financial statements?
Time to show him that human resources can be a catastrophic storm.
called Rex Hartwell: “Rex, need you to check two things-first, that Swiss art consultingpany Dn set up; second, the demolition authorization he forge with my signaturest week. Can we get handwriting analysis?”
Rex chuckled on the other end: “Girl, you’re ying for real now?”
I stared at that polished face on the giant screen, my voice barely audible: “He’s tearing down my mom’s house. I’m tearing down his trust.”
Game on. Dn.