Chapter 3 - The Declined Card
The next morning, the sun rose brightly over the city, casting a golden glow through my floor-to-ceiling windows.
I was dressed in a tailored Chanel suit, my silver hair elegantly styled, the small bandage on my temple barely visible.
I sat at my glass dining table, sipping imported espresso while Richard laid out the financial documents before me.
"As you requested, Margaret, the funds to their accounts were completely drained at midnight," Richard stated, adjusting his glasses.
"The electricity provider and the water company have been notified of the account closure."
"Excellent. Let's see how long Claire's flawless manicure lasts when she can't take a hot shower," I smiled softly.
Across town, in the luxury condominium I rightfully owned, Claire was having a terrible morning.
She was standing at the counter of an exclusive, high-end boutique, trying to purchase a three-thousand-dollar designer handbag.
She swiped her black metal credit card with a smug, arrogant grin on her face.
The card reader beeped loudly, flashing a bright red 'DECLINED' message across the small screen.
Claire scoffed, rolling her eyes at the teenage cashier.
"Run it again. Your machine is obviously broken. Do you know who my husband is?" she snapped aggressively.
The cashier nervously ran the card a second time, only to receive the exact same humiliating error.
"I'm sorry, ma'am, but the bank has placed a hard freeze on this account for insufficient funds," the cashier whispered.
Several wealthy socialites in the boutique turned their heads, whispering and giggling at Claire's sudden misfortune.
Her face flushed a brilliant shade of crimson as she aggressively snatched the card back.
She stormed out of the boutique, furiously dialing David's number on her phone.
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"David! Why is my card declining? Fix this immediately!" she screamed into the receiver.
Little did she know, David was sitting in his office, staring at a negative bank balance in pure, absolute terror.
