“This office is closed for the day,” Malcolm said, his hand moving toward the phone on his desk. “I suggest you leave before I have security escort you out.”

“We are leaving,” my mother said, pulling her wool coat tighter around her shoulders.

She looked at me one last time, her expression completely devoid of warmth.

“Enjoy the office while you can, Avery,” she said. “Because by next week, you won’t even be able to pay the electric bill.”

They turned and walked out of the room, the heavy oak door clicking shut behind them.

The silence that followed was suffocating.

I sank into the leather chair opposite Malcolm’s desk, my hands trembling slightly.

“Can they do that?” I asked, looking up at him. “Can they really freeze the accounts?”

Malcolm sighed, rubbing his temples.

“If they find a sympathetic judge, yes,” he said. “They only need to show a plausible claim to get a temporary freeze.”

“How long do we have?” I asked.

“If their lawyers are fast, they could file the petition first thing tomorrow morning,” Malcolm said.