CHAPTER 3 — Every Card Declined
CHAPTER 3 — Every Card Declined
The drive back to downtown Chicago felt strangely peaceful.
My cheek still burned.
But my mind had never been clearer.
By 8:15 a.m., I was sitting inside my River North condo.
The condo Preston loved introducing as "our place."
Except...
Legally...
It had never been his.
I opened my laptop.
One phone call.
Then another.
Then three emails.
At 8:32...
I froze every authorized user attached to my American Express account.
Preston's Platinum card.
Canceled.
Morgan's supplementary card.
Canceled.
The family account Eleanor used for luxury shopping.
Gone.
Next...
I called the leasing company.
"I need to remove Preston Walker from all building access immediately."
The concierge didn't hesitate.
"Of course, Ms. Bennett."
His fingerprints.
Deleted.
Parking permit.
Revoked.
Lobby access.
Disabled.
At 9:04...
I called my father.
He answered on the second ring.
"Morning, sweetheart."
"You sound tired."
"Dad..."
There was a brief silence.
"He hit me."
My father didn't speak for nearly five seconds.
When he finally did...
His voice was terrifyingly calm.
"Stay where you are."
"I'm coming."
At exactly 9:41...
My father walked into the condo.
He looked once at the bruise across my face.
Nothing else needed explaining.
He embraced me gently.
Then he stepped back.
"I trusted that man."
"So did I."
He nodded once.
"No."
"You trusted the version he sold you."
Then he made one phone call.
"Terminate every business relationship with Walker Construction."
That single sentence erased nearly twelve million dollars in pending contracts.
Preston still had no idea.
May you like
He was probably buying coffee.
With a card that no longer worked.
