Page 2 of Redemption
A wave of adrenaline shot through me.
Accounts frozen.
Those bold letters overshadowed the grayed-out millions beneath them.
“Is everything alright?” she asked.
I had no idea how long I’d been staring at my phone, trying to process what I was seeing.
“Of course,” I said, forcing myself to relax. “It’s just the bank being cautious since I’m out of state.”
I took the coffee. “Thanks, Sophia. I’ll pay you back later.”
Finding the most secluded corner of the café, I sank into a cushioned booth. Every single one of my accounts was frozen. I dragged my fingers through my dark hair, flipping it out of my eyes, still staring at my phone. My stock portfolio was empty. Nearly a billion dollars in stocks—liquidated. I didn’t need to check the transaction history to know the obvious.
My father took everything.
How the hell did he get access to my accounts? That was my fucking money.Accounts frozen.Fucking bullshit. Thanks to him, I only had enough cash to cover a month of expenses. My first day trying to create a normal life for myself was off to a bad start.
I sipped my coffee and watched Sophia as she swept between tables, lost in her own world. Humming, on autopilot. She shifted uncomfortably, stopped humming, and stole a glance, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.
“You work nights by yourself?” I asked, hoping for a distraction.
“Yep, just me. Only on weekends, though. This is one of my many jobs.”
I took another sip.
“Well, the coffee’s great. What’s your secret?”
“It’s an old family recipe. I just put a few scoops of coffee into the machine and press brew. A true art form.”
I laughed, then remembered I drunkenly commissioned a painting weeks ago for my new office. I wouldn’t be able to afford that now, not that it meant anything to me. I opened my contacts and found “Henry’s Gallery and Commissions.” If I remembered right, “Gallery” was just a converted living room in the guys house.
Too early to call. I sent a quick text instead:Good morning, Henry. I’m canceling the commission I ordered a few weeks ago. After careful consideration, I no longer feel the painting would be a good fit for my office. I will come by later to collect the partial payment I previously made.
Perfect. I hit send.
Sophia reappeared with a plate of pastries and more coffee, smiling brightly.
“Want to try some more old family recipes?”
“Sure, but?—”
“Don’t worry about it. My boss lets me eat a few on my break. We can share.”
I gestured to the booth across from me. She beamed, setting the plate down.
“I’ll grab myself a mug,” she said with a playful smile.
I watched her ass as she walked away and realized I should have more faith in the universe. My father freezing my accounts was just a pathetic attempt to drag me back. Everything would be fine. I took a bite of a pastry, then my phone rang. Great. It was Henry.
“Hello, Henry,” I answered.
“You can’t just cancel a commission,” a fiery woman’s voice snapped back.
“I can, and I did. Give the phone to Henry.”
“It’s already completed. You owe me a thousand dollars.”
