Chapter 4
Michael's face turned pale.
He wanted to explain, but couldn't come up with a single excuse that sounded convincing.
As they stepped out of the court, sunlight spilled over the steps.
Anna's phone buzzed with a bank notification.
The severance pay had already been credited to her account.
The deferred incentive was still being calculated and would be paid out within three days.
She didn't bother checking her balance. Instead, she texted the real estate agent, getting ready to list their shared property for sale as agreed.
Michael stood a few steps away, not leaving. "Anna, my parents are getting old, and the store is bleeding money. I can't walk away from them."
"I never said you should," Anna replied.
"But you used to get it."
"Understanding doesn't mean I'm supposed to take the fall for everything."
Michael's phone rang.
He answered, and after a couple of words, his face changed. "Dad, why are you at the bank? Isn't the loan supposed to be renewed next month?"
The voice on the other end was loud enough for Anna to catch a few words.
Richard was at the bank.
The business loan for Hayes Hardware needed additional income verification, or it couldn't be renewed.
He had planned to use Anna's salary statements and their joint savings as supporting documents.
But now that they were divorced, the bank was demanding a re-evaluation.
Michael stepped aside, lowering his voice as he argued.
Anna didn't stick around. She turned and headed for the parking lot.
Her phone buzzed again.
It was Richard calling.
She answered, but didn't say a word.
Richard's tone didn't have the firmness it did last night. "Anna, don't go yet.
"I was stressed last night and said some things out of anger. Don't take it seriously."
Anna stopped at the bottom of the steps. "Mr. Hayes, we're divorced now."
Richard paused for a few seconds, his voice dropping lower. "The bank people are right here waiting for the documents. I need to ask you one thing.
"How much is that severance pay you got?"
Anna stood at the bottom of the court steps, listening as Richard pressed her in a hushed tone, and she couldn't help but laugh.
She thought, 'Yesterday, they were afraid I'd be broke. Today, they're scared I've got too much cash.
'Funny how their concern flips so fast.
Anna said, "The amount of my compensation is private. I don't owe you an answer."
Richard paused for a couple of seconds. "Come on, that's not how it works. The bank needs to verify your assets; they're not after your money."
"If they're not taking it, then the exact amount doesn't matter," Anna replied.
"But if the loan gets cut off, the store's payments will be overdue, and Michael will have to deal with the consequences."
"He knew that was a risk before he signed."
There was a sound of a chair scraping on the floor on the other end of the line.
A man's voice interrupted, telling Richard that if the paperwork wasn't all there, the bank would have to stop the renewal process.
Richard was clearly panicking.
"Anna, you and Michael were together for four years. You can't stand by and watch him drown in hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt," Richard pleaded.
Anna glanced over at Michael, still on the phone by the curb. "I gave him a choice last night.
"He chose to sign, and he chose to take on the liability himself."
Richard's tone softened. "Anna, I have never asked you for anything before, but this time, I'm asking. Just send me the message you got from the bank, so they know the family can pay off the debt."
"We're not family anymore. And anyway, this is a business loan. Why are you using my compensation to prove you can pay it back?"
Richard went silent.
Anna hung up before he could answer.
Michael walked over. "My dad is trying to get the loan extended."
"What did he use from my stuff?" Anna asked.
"Probably your pay stubs."
"Who gave it to him?"
Michael set his jaw. "We kept a copy at home when we applied for the mortgage."
Anna fixed her gaze on him for a few seconds.
She'd only ever handed those mortgage papers to Michael.
When they first got married, she'd stuffed copies of her driving licence, proof of income, and bank statements into a folder and had him drop them off at the real estate agent.
"What about my driving licence copy?" Anna asked.
"Should be in there, too," Michael replied.
"And the marriage certificate?"
"Anna, the bank hasn't approved anything yet. Don't blow this out of proportion."
Anna whipped out her phone. "Give me the bank's name and the account manager's number."
"What are you up to?"
"I want to see where my info ended up."
Michael reached out, almost blocking her without thinking. "If you call now, the loan renewal will be screwed for sure."
"Whether the loan gets renewed or not shouldn't be based on keeping me in the dark."
"There are a dozen workers at the store. If the loan gets cut off, how are they supposed to get paid?"
"That's something the business owner should figure out."
"You weren't this cold before."