Chapter 2 - The Celebration
Across the city, Ethan stood beneath a chandelier while hotel employees arranged gold balloons around a stage.
Linda entered the ballroom wearing a dark blue evening gown and diamond earrings. She looked around with satisfaction.
“This is beautiful,” she said.
Ethan kissed her cheek.
“You deserve it.”
Linda glanced toward the entrance.
“Where is Madison?”
“She wasn’t feeling well.”
Linda frowned.
“She always finds a reason to avoid my events.”
“She’s heavily pregnant, Mom.”
“Pregnancy didn’t stop me from hosting Thanksgiving when I was carrying you.”
Ethan forced a smile. “Today is about you.”
His phone vibrated inside his jacket.
He reached for it, but Linda touched his wrist.
“No business today. No distractions.”
“It could be Madison.”
“She has a doctor. You have spent months worrying about her. For one morning, be my son.”
Ethan looked at the screen.
Six missed calls.
He saw the beginning of Madison’s message.
I think the baby is coming...
His stomach tightened.
Before he could open it, the hotel manager approached.
“Mr. Cole, there is a problem with the final payment.”
“What problem?”
“The card was declined.”
Linda’s eyes narrowed.
Ethan quickly turned the screen off.
“Run it again.”
“We already tried twice.”
Ethan lowered his voice. “Give me ten minutes.”
He walked into an empty corridor and opened his banking application. The joint account balance showed less than three hundred dollars.
That was impossible.
The money had been there the night before.
Then he noticed a notification.
Account access suspended pending fraud review.
Ethan tried calling the bank, but the automated system demanded identity verification.
He swore under his breath.
His phone vibrated again.
This time it was not Madison.
It was a message from Nadia Brooks.
Do not attempt further transfers from accounts belonging to Madison Reed Cole. All transactions are being documented.
May you like
Ethan stared at the message.
For the first time that morning, the birthday party no longer felt like his greatest problem.
