“No. I’m protecting myself.”

Another silence followed, longer this time.

Then faintly, I heard Nolan say to someone nearby, “I need your card.”

Alina answered immediately. “For eighteen thousand dollars? Nolan, absolutely not.”

Marjorie gasped like she’d been slapped.

I hung up before anyone said my name again.

For the first time in twelve years, I slept peacefully through the night.

Part 3

The next morning, the anger arrived before my coffee did.

Nolan sent six text messages, deleting three of them afterward. Marjorie left two voicemails that both started with “How dare you” and ended with “Call me back.” Alina texted me from an unknown number.