n and entitlement. "There' s some kind of glitch with the card you gave me. Can yo

, as if this were a minor inconvenience,

pocket. The caller ID was 'Sarah' . I ignored it. I

xt message

LL DID YOU DO? ANS

ry in me. She didn' t even ask if something was wrong. S

nswered, keeping my voice flat and

ompletely stripped of the gentle warmth she usually used with me. "I' m

ught you were at a spa retreat

riend's daughter. It' s a huge opportunity, and

t this wasn't a one-time mistake. This was a pattern. My generosity, which she had always praised as

ent" in a friend's art gallery that never seemed to materialize. The frequent weekend trips she t

I said

ce on the other end of th

ah. The cards a

e manager was wringing his hands. Kevin was pacing, still

no?" Kevin hissed into his

ing in the tense room. Emily watched me, her eyes wide

ice cutting through the air. "I believe t

at me. "Well, tech

d I have one condition. For my generous donation, I want you to send Mr. Miller and his daughter to

fear of Kevin' s supposed benefactor. "Well, that i

th Sarah. He strode toward me, his face red with anger. "You think

it card down on the counter. It was a different col

e. Try this one. And add another fifty thousand for my trouble. A little bonus to ma

er among themselves. Their eyes were on Kevin, full of admiration for h

em whispered to another. "That

ager. "Please, verify the new card. W

ersonal account. Unlimited limit. She said to tell her husband he's a pathetic, controlling loser when I see

im, letting his wo

e man with the money, quickly t

ed. The same sha

RD FROZEN. CO

nt from red to a pasty white. The smug confidence drai

sible," he stammered.

this time they were different. The admiration

d cards? Wha

not who he

etting emb

a simple, black card with no numbers on the front, just

stands. Double his last bid. And they," I po

ault!" she shrieked at Emily. "You're just a jealous nobo

spark of her father's fire. "The only one getting destr

on Kevin's arm. "Don't let them talk to me l

ds shaking slightly. He didn't dial

tered, more to himself than to

appeared. She was in a plush bathrobe, her

? I told you I'd

talk to them!" he pleaded. "And this o

Williams. I am a top client of this agency. You will do exactly as Kev

e believed she possessed. The manager, seeing her fac

Williams! My apologies! We will pro

entiality. My wife' s name was not publicly associated with my fortune. She had her own identity, something she' d always insisted up

bid stands. The highest bidder wins. That's how it works, isn't it?

etween Sarah' s video-call

s just gett