Chapter 4

A bank alert pinged on my phone while Mark was still ranting.

Joint Account Transaction: $15,000.00. Merchant: Jackson Hole Luxury Retreat - Event Services.

"An emergency publisher entertainment suite," Mark was explaining breathlessly on the call, "Chloe thought it would be a good move, show Axiom we're serious. Impress them."

Clearly an upgrade for him and Chloe, paid for from our joint account, an account primarily funded by the inheritance my grandmother left me.

This wasn't new. Months ago, I'd discovered he'd used that same account to lease a luxury sports car for Chloe – "for company image," he' d claimed. And to pay for her "networking" trips to exclusive industry parties in LA and San Francisco, trips I was never invited on.

Back then, I' d cried. I' d confronted him. He' d dismissed my concerns, called me jealous, insecure.

That was when I started moving my personal funds, the bulk of my inheritance, to a separate, private account. Ms. Albright had advised it.

I waited for Mark to pause for breath.

"Mark," I said, my voice cool, "I need to go."

I hung up.

Then I called the bank.

"I need to report unauthorized spousal spending on my joint credit card," I told the customer service representative. "And I want the card frozen immediately."

I explained the situation, the history. They were surprisingly efficient.