She laughed.
“So you’re refusing?”
“I’m making a choice.”
Mark folded his arms.
“You know she’s under stress.”
“So am I.”
“That’s different.”
“No.”
“It isn’t.”
I walked toward the front door.
Behind me, Chloe called out loudly enough for her friend to hear.
“If she’s going to live here, she should at least be useful.”
The apartment became quiet.
Mark didn’t tell her to apologize.
He didn’t tell her to stop.
He simply laughed again.
That sound followed me all the way to the elevator.
During lunch, I called the condominium management office.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Bennett.”
“Hi, Linda.”
“I need copies of every visitor authorization submitted during the past month.”
“Of course.”
“And one more thing.”
“Yes?”
“Has anyone asked about transferring ownership of my unit?”
There was a pause.
Long enough to make my stomach tighten.
“…Actually.”
My grip on the phone hardened.
“Actually what?”
“Your husband stopped by last week.”
My pulse slowed instead of racing.
That always happened when something serious was confirmed.
“He asked whether adding a spouse to the deed required both signatures.”
I closed my eyes.
“What did you tell him?”
“That both owners must appear in person with identification.”
“Did he seem disappointed?”
