The CEO’s Allowance

The officers stared at the message on my phone while Georgia Hawkins’s voice rang through the call. Then they looked at the payment notification showing I’d only spent a few dollars after using a discount coupon.

Every single one of them went pale. They immediately apologized and promised they would report the false police report to Sterling & Co. Holdings, my husband's company. Apparently, one of their employees had deliberately lied to the authorities.

However, I barely heard them. Clutching the counter, I bent over in pain, my face drained of color.

"My stomach hurts so bad..." I gasped. "I think... I think I might be going into labor... Please take me to the hospital."

Everyone panicked instantly. They rushed me into the car and sped toward the hospital.

By the time we arrived, the pain had become unbearable.

At registration, the nurse asked for payment. Fighting through the contractions, I pulled several bank cards from my wallet and handed them over.

A few minutes later, the nurse returned with an awkward expression. "Ms. Langley, your cards have all been declined."

A chill took over my body.

"That’s impossible." My voice trembled. "There should be millions in those accounts. How could there be no money?"

Then Georgia’s words suddenly flashed through my mind.

"Your spending has been restricted."

A chill crawled down my spine. She’d transferred the money out of my accounts.

I immediately grabbed my phone and called Ryan. The call connected after a few rings.

"Ryan, I—"

Before I could finish, Georgia’s impatient voice cut in from the other side. "Seriously, Ms. Langley? Are you done yet? It’s just a limit on your spending. Did you really rush off to complain to Mr. Newman that quickly?"

She let out a mocking laugh. "As I said, Mr. Newman authorized it himself."

I clenched my teeth against the pain and forced myself to stay calm. "I’m at the hospital right now. I need the funds. Unfreeze my accounts right now. If not, put my husband on. I need to talk to him this instant."

Georgia’s tone was thick with self-satisfaction. "Mr. Newman is busy. He doesn’t have time to deal with your little drama, so he left everything to me.

"Oh, and if you need money, that’s easy. File a request through the expense approval system like I told you before. Once I approve it, I’ll release the funds."

She paused deliberately before adding, "By the way, you only have $1 left in your monthly limit, so don’t bother applying for anything over budget."

As a sharp wave of pain tore through my stomach, my face went ashen, and finally, I snapped.