Daniel rushed into his study, opened his laptop, and tried accessing the family financial portal.
Access restricted.
He called the bank.
After eleven minutes on hold, an account manager explained that several accounts contained funds traceable to Claire’s inheritance and were temporarily restricted under a court order.
Daniel slammed down the phone.
His first reaction was anger.
The second was fear.
For years, he had behaved as though everything in their marriage belonged to him simply because he handled most of the finances.
But Claire’s father, Robert Halston, had been careful.
When he died four years earlier, the majority of Claire’s inheritance remained legally separate from the marital estate.
Daniel had repeatedly tried to persuade her to transfer those assets into structures they could control jointly.
Claire always refused.
That refusal was exactly why he had left her at O’Hare.
He called Claire immediately.
Voicemail.
Again.
Voicemail.
Then seventeen more times.
Nothing.
At noon, Daniel’s attorney, Mark Feldman, arrived.
Daniel shoved the bank notice across his desk.
“Fix this.”
Mark read the document.
His expression grew more serious with every line.
“What happened between you and Claire?”
“Nothing.”
“Daniel.”
“We argued.”
“About?”
“The trust.”
Mark removed his glasses.
“And?”
Daniel turned toward the window.
“I left her at O’Hare.”
“In that storm?”
“She had a terminal full of people around her.”
Mark stared at him.
“How long ago?”
“Ten days.”
“And you didn’t check whether she got somewhere safely?”
Daniel did not answer.
Mark leaned back.
“This isn’t just about the marriage anymore.”
Daniel felt his stomach tighten.
