Chapter 14 - The Devil's Phone Call
Knowing he had submitted a forged document to an international conglomerate, Derek’s paranoia finally began to bleed through his arrogance. He needed to ensure I wouldn't suddenly appear out of the woodwork to contest the signature before the funds cleared on Friday.
At 8:00 p.m. on Thursday night, my burner phone vibrated on the shelter table. It was an unknown number, but I knew exactly who was calling.
I hit the record button and accepted the call.
"You’ve made your point, Lena," Derek’s voice came through the speaker. He was trying to sound authoritative, but a slight, desperate tremor betrayed his anxiety. "I know you're angry. But staying hidden like a coward isn't going to fix anything. Come home tonight, officially sign the sale documents in front of my notary, and I promise I won’t tell everyone that you attacked me first in the bedroom."
He was still trying to gaslight me, still trying to spin a narrative where I was the aggressor and he was offering me mercy.
I took a deep, steadying breath. "You already have my signature on the Halcyon contract, Derek."
The silence on the other end of the line was absolute, deafening, and profound.
Then, faintly in the background, I heard Marlene’s panicked voice hiss, "She knows. Hang up, she knows about the forgery!"
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Derek recovered his composure with chilling speed. "I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about, Lena. You are clearly confused. Your medications are making you delusional."
"No, Derek," I said, my voice completely stripped of all the fear I had ever felt toward him. "I’m an accountant. Confusion leaves messy, unpredictable numbers. You didn't leave a mess. You left a perfect, illuminated map."
