Chapter 1 - The Cold Rain and the Warm Ignition
The cold rain started pouring down,
the exact moment my heels pressed against the wet driveway.
Behind me,
the heavy mahogany doors of the mansion slammed shut with a heavy,
resounding thud.
I could still hear Daniel’s furious voice echoing through the courtyard,
demanding that I never return.
I did not turn around,
nor did I shed a single tear.
The stinging red mark on my left cheek burned in the cold night air,
but inside my chest,
a cold and ruthless tranquility had completely settled.
For three long years,
I had played the quiet,
submissive wife.
I had endured Evelyn’s sharp snide remarks,
her endless insults about my humble background,
and her constant reminders that I was nothing more than a lucky charity case.
She truly believed that her son,
Daniel,
was the sole provider of our extravagant life.
She believed that his medium-sized logistics firm was generating millions of dollars every single month.
She believed that the $10,
000 allowance deposited into her personal account every single month was a generous gift from her dutiful son.
What she never knew,
and what Daniel refused to acknowledge,
was that his company had been on the verge of bankruptcy four years ago.
It was my private equity firm,
Vanguard Global,
that had secretly infused capital into his failing business.
It was my holding company that held the master title to the land,
the mansion,
and the luxury vehicles in the garage.
I pulled out my encrypted phone from my leather purse,
wiping a drop of rain off the glass screen.
I dialed a number that I had not called in over three years.
The phone rang once.
"Miss Carter,"
a sharp,
authoritative voice answered on the second ring.
"Arthur,"
I said,
my voice perfectly calm,
steady,
and devoid of any emotion.
"It’s time."
There was a brief pause on the other end of the line,
followed by the subtle sound of paper rustling.
"Are you invoking the master clause,
ma'am?"
Arthur Vance asked,
his tone instantly shifting into professional high alert.
"Yes,"
I replied,
looking up at the grand wrought-iron gates opening automatically in front of me.
"Revoke all discretionary funds immediately."
"Freeze the sub-accounts under Daniel’s corporate umbrella."
"Issue an immediate termination notice for the residential permissive occupancy agreement on the estate."
"And Arthur?"
"Yes,
Miss Carter?"
"Cancel the executive credit card assigned to Evelyn Vance by six o'clock tomorrow morning."
"Consider it done,
ma'am,"
Arthur answered smoothly.
"Should I arrange your transport?"
A sleek,
unmarked black armored limousine pulled up silently to the curb right in front of me.
The driver stepped out with a large black umbrella,
bowing his head respectfully as he opened the rear door.
"I am already in the car,
Arthur,"
I said,
stepping inside the warm,
leather-scented interior.
"Prepare the full legal dossier for court."
May you like
"Tomorrow morning,"
"the fantasy ends."
