Chapter 2 - The Paper Trail
The phone call ended with a sharp, echoing click.
I stared at the blank screen, my mind racing to process her impossible claim.
I had purchased this condo entirely with my own hard-earned money three years ago.
I immediately sprinted to the master bedroom and opened my hidden floor safe.
My hands trembled slightly as I spun the heavy metal dial.
The safe clicked open, but the interior was completely empty.
The original deed to my condo, my emergency cash, and my passport were all gone.
Julian had expertly picked the lock while I was at the office.
He had completely stolen my identity and my most valuable assets in less than seventy-two hours.
I grabbed my car keys and ran down to the underground parking garage.
I needed to reach the local police precinct to file a massive fraud and theft report.
I sped through the rainy streets, my knuckles turning entirely white on the steering wheel.
I marched into the police station and demanded to speak to a detective immediately.
A tall, imposing officer with graying hair walked out from the back office.
He looked at my frantic expression with complete, utter boredom.
"My husband just stole my property deed and emptied my safe," I told him firmly.
The officer slowly picked up a clipboard from the front desk and sighed.
"You must be Elena," he said, pulling a pair of heavy steel handcuffs from his belt.
"How do you know my name?" I asked, taking a cautious step backward.
"Because my nephew Julian was just admitted to the hospital with a brutally broken wrist," the officer smirked.
May you like
He lunged forward and grabbed my arm with terrifying force.
"You are under arrest for aggravated domestic assault, and you will not be seeing the outside of a cell for a very long time."
