Chapter 2

2.

After Julian left, I blocked him on everything.

Then, I immediately listed our three houses for sale, each priced about 5% below market value.

Buyers snapped them up quickly.

I used the money from two of the houses to buy a place in a great school district outright.

The rest of the cash I left in the bank, earning interest. It was my safety net, my seed money for a comeback.

Then, one day, I got a call from an unknown number. "Is this Chloe Vance? This is Audrey Sinclair."

Why would Audrey be calling me?

I spoke slowly. "This is she. What can I do for you?"

Her voice was choked with tears and panic. "Chloe, Julian was in a car accident! It's bad. The doctors say they need a hundred thousand dollars for emergency surgery right now, or they won't operate! Our bank accounts are all frozen. I'm begging you, for Aiden's sake, he's his father... can you please just pay it for now? We'll pay you back, I swear!"

Was she kidding me?

Julian and I had been divorced for almost half a year.

I heard he married Audrey the day after our divorce was finalized.

And now she was calling me for money? What kind of doormat did she take me for?

"I'm sorry, Audrey, but Julian and I have no financial ties anymore. You should contact the bank or his lawyer. A hundred thousand dollars is not a small amount. I can't help you."

Her voice turned sharp and shrill through her tears. "Chloe, please! I just got back to the country, I don't know anyone else! You're the only one I can call! Please, save him!"

Just got back? Only knows me?

The nerve on this woman.

"Audrey, my hands are tied. This is a life-or-death situation. Instead of begging me, you should be calling the bank or mortgaging an asset. Good luck."

With that, I hung up the phone.