Chapter 3 - THE MORNING AFTERThe morning sun filtered brightly through the penthouse windows, but inside the luxury apartment across town, a very different atmosphere was brewing.
At 8:30 AM, Carmen marched out of her guest bedroom, wrapped in a silk robe, yawning lazily. She walked straight into the kitchen, expecting to find a fresh pot of artisanal coffee and a spread of sweet pastries waiting for her—courtesy of the housekeeper I paid for.
Instead, the kitchen was dead silent. The housekeeper hadn't arrived because I had already canceled her weekly contract at midnight.
"Daniel!" Carmen barked, leaning against the marble counter. "Where is the girl? The kitchen is a mess, and there’s no coffee!"
Daniel stumbled out of our master bedroom, rubbing his eyes, wearing silk pajamas that I had bought him for our anniversary. "Relax, Mom. Mariana probably just went out early to buy fresh croissants. You know how she gets when she's trying to overcompensate."
Valeria sauntered out of her room, scrolling through her phone. "Good. Because I need to book a nail appointment today, and then we're going shopping for those designer sunglasses I posted about last night."
Just as Daniel reached for his wallet to hand Valeria his card, his phone buzzed violently on the counter. It was a push notification from the bank.
Declined: Insufficient Funds.
Daniel frowned, tapping the screen. He tried opening the banking app. A stark red banner flashed across the screen: ACCOUNT FROZEN. PLEASE CONTACT ADMINISTRATOR.
"What the hell..." Daniel muttered, tapping furiously.
"What is it, son?" Carmen asked, stepping closer.
"My card... it’s not working. Mariana must have locked the joint account to punish us for last night. Classic knee-jerk reaction. Don't worry, I'll just use the secondary credit card." Daniel pulled a sleek black card from his Gucci wallet and slid it into the wireless reader on the kitchen counter to pay for an online food delivery.
Declined: Card Blocked.
Valeria tried hers. Declined. Carmen tried hers. Declined.
A heavy, suffocating silence descended upon the kitchen.
"Call her," Carmen snapped, her voice suddenly losing its arrogant edge. "Call your wife right now and tell her to fix this childish nonsense. We have brunch reservations at the country club in an hour!"
Daniel grabbed his phone and dialed my number.
“The subscriber you have dialed is currently unavailable, or has messaging service turned off.”
He tried again. Same automated voice.
"She's... she's screening my calls," Daniel stammered, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead. "She's just throwing a tantrum. Once she calms down, she'll turn everything back on. She always does."
Before anyone could respond, a sharp, authoritative knock echoed at the front door.
Thump, thump, thump.
Valeria rolled her eyes. "Who could that be? Tell them we're not buying charity chocolate."
Daniel walked over to the entryway and pulled the door open. Standing in the hallway were two stern-looking men in sharp charcoal suits, holding thick manila folders, flanked by a uniformed police officer.
"Daniel Rodriguez?" the lead man asked, flashing a shiny silver badge and legal identification.
"Yes? Who are you?" Daniel asked, his voice cracking slightly.
"I am process server Marcus Vance Jr., representing Mariana Rodriguez. You and all unauthorized occupants are hereby served with an emergency eviction notice, a temporary restraining order regarding marital assets, and a petition for dissolution of marriage. You have exactly four hours to vacate the premises."
The world seemed to tilt sideways for Daniel. He stared at the papers thrust into his chest, unable to process the words.
Behind him, Carmen shrieked, dropping her coffee mug onto the hardwood floor.
May you like
"Eviction?! From our home?! That ungrateful little—"
"Shut your mouth and read page four, ma'am," the officer stepped forward calmly, resting a hand on his utility belt. "The deed to this apartment is in Mariana Rodriguez's maiden name, purchased entirely with her pre-marital assets and corporate stock options. You are legally trespassing. Pack your bags."
