I was alone, but for the first time in my life, I felt the ground solid beneath my feet.

Suddenly, the phone in my hand began to vibrate.

The screen lit up with Richard’s contact photo.

It was a picture of him smiling on his boat, looking confident and in control.

I swiped the screen, bracing myself for the storm.

“Alexandra,” his voice was tight, low, and shaking with rage.

“Hello, Richard,” I said, my voice steady.

“What did you do to my accounts?” he hissed.

I could hear the sound of the ocean and Hawaiian music playing faintly in the background of his call.

“I didn’t do anything, Richard,” I said. “The court did.”

“My corporate cards are declined,” he said, his voice rising. “I’m standing at the front desk of the hotel with Valerie, and they’re telling me my accounts are frozen.”

“You shouldn’t have tried to hide the three hundred thousand dollars,” I said.

“That was company money!” he shouted. “I earned that!”

“The judge disagreed,” I said.

“I will ruin you for this, Alexandra,” he said, his breath heavy. “I will take everything.”