Chapter 3

Early the next morning, I called the bank's customer service line and had Sonya's supplementary card frozen on the spot.

A little while later, my phone buzzed.

It was a notification that Simon had posted a new update on his social media. The photo showed a high-end restaurant.

Across the table, part of a watch-wearing arm was visible. It belonged to Sonya.

The caption read, "Thanks to someone for taking me to a place I've been dying to visit. I'm in such a better mood now!"

I raised an eyebrow. Sonya still had the appetite to eat at a high-end restaurant?

Half an hour later, my phone rang. It was Sonya.

I let it ring until it was almost over before answering.

"Mitchell, what the hell are you trying to do?"

The moment I picked up, Sonya launched into a furious tirade.

"What are you talking about?" I asked lazily, even though I knew exactly what she meant.

"Why isn't my supplementary card working?" Sonya snapped. "I'm treating someone to lunch, and you suddenly cut off my card. Do you have any idea how embarrassing that is?"

"Oh, that card," I answered casually.

"The charges on last month's statement looked suspicious, so I thought someone had stolen the card details. I had the bank freeze it to protect my money. Why? Were you using it?"

"Bullshit! Of course I was using it," Sonya ground out. "Unfreeze it right now! Do you have to humiliate me in front of everyone?"

My tone hardened. "Sonya, you took my money to treat your boy toy to a high-end meal that costs 1000 dollars per person. And you think that's not embarrassing?"

"Simon and I are just friends!" Sonya insisted. "Mitchell, I'm warning you. Unfreeze the card now, or you'll regret it!"

"Good. Because I'm not done with you, either."

I hung up and immediately blocked her number.

About ten minutes later, my phone rang again.

This time, it was my mother-in-law, Mildred Crowley.

When Sonya and I first got married, Mildred had been dead set against it. She had assumed that a rich man like me would be controlling and that I'd mistreat Sonya.

Once she moved into the villa I had bought and started using the money I gave her to play poker, she couldn't stop telling everyone what a wonderful son-in-law I was.

"Mildred," I answered in my usual tone.

"Hi, Mitchell," Mildred boomed. "Sonya just called me and said you two had a fight?"

She continued, "Come on, every couple has their disagreements. As her husband, you should be the bigger person here. You can't just cut off Sonya's money whenever you get upset. What will people think of her now?"

It looked like Sonya couldn't pay the bill and had turned to Mildred for help.

Sonya clearly hadn't told Mildred the truth. She had probably made it sound like an ordinary argument.

"Mildred, it's not that I want to embarrass her."

I sighed.

"Sonya's been spending way too much lately. Last month, she charged over 20,000 dollars to the card. When I asked her where the money went, she wouldn't tell me. I'm just worried someone might be taking advantage of her."

"What? Over 20,000 dollars?" Mildred's voice shot up. "That ungrateful spendthrift! What on earth did she spend all that money on?"

"I have no idea." I pretended to sound surprised. "I thought maybe she had given it to you. Mildred, didn't she give you any money?"

Mildred was so angry she slapped her thigh.

"She only gave me 1000 dollars for living expenses last month. She even said business was bad and told me to watch my spending!"

Mildred dropped her attempts to make peace with us. After a few halfhearted remarks, she hung up.

After the call ended, a small smile tugged at my lips.

Sonya was most terrified of her mother, and Mildred loved money more than anything.