Chapter 5: The Panic Spreads
"What do you mean declined?" Eleanor hissed across the table, her voice dropping into a dangerous register. Nathan frantically tapped the screen of his phone, opening our joint banking app to check the balance. The application spun endlessly before loading a stark, horrifying red notification banner across the top.
Account Access Revoked. Please Contact Primary Administrator. Nathan stared at the screen, his face draining of all color until he looked like a ghost. He tried to click into the savings ledger, but the folder had completely vanished from his view.
"Claire," he muttered under his breath, his knuckles turning white as he gripped his phone. He immediately dialed my personal number, letting it ring three times before it hit voicemail. "Your call has been forwarded to an automated voice messaging system..."
"Pick up your damn phone, Claire," Nathan growled into the receiver, pacing near the café exit. He dialed again, his panic rising exponentially with every passing second. Meanwhile, Eleanor was fuming, her social standing flashing before her eyes.
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"Fix this immediately, Nathan," she demanded, snapping her handbag shut with a sharp click. "How am I supposed to pay for my spa treatment this morning? And Vanessa’s charity deposit is due by noon!" Nathan didn't answer her; he was staring at his phone screen in absolute disbelief.
He had never imagined a scenario where I would actually cut off the golden goose. For five years, he believed my threats were empty venting sessions designed to let off steam. He still thought he held all the structural power in our marriage because he was the man of the house.
