Julian, oh Julian.
That one true love you can't stop pining over.
She's about to hand you one hell of a gift.
I'd just finished lunch.
An unknown number lit up my phone.
I picked up and said nothing.
"Hello? Sis, it's me."
Rachel's voice came through, deliberately soft and syrupy.
In the background, I could hear her gagging.
"Ugh, this morning sickness is killing me."
I tapped the call-recording button.
My voice stayed flat.
"If you've got something to say, say it."
"Sis, don't be so cold."
Rachel put on her sweetest tone.
"It's just, I've moved into the new place, and I found that bag of yours still here."
"I think it's gorgeous, and the baby loves it too."
"Just think of it as a maternity gift to me, okay?"
I raised an eyebrow.
That bag was a limited edition I'd paid fifty grand for.
She actually had the nerve to ask.
I played along, letting out a sigh like a woman down on her luck.
"Rachel, I'm renting now. Money's tight."
"I was actually planning to list that bag on a resale site for some living expenses."
The moment she heard that, she laughed, smug and pleased.
"Oh dear, Sis, how'd you end up in such a rough spot?"
"If I'd known, I'd have told Julian to leave you a few hundred more."
She paused.
"But don't you worry."
"Once my buyout settlement comes through next month."
"That house in Julian's name will be all mine."
"And if I'm in a good mood, maybe I'll toss you a few thousand."
"Let you have a nice holiday too."
I lowered my eyes.
That was exactly the line I wanted.
"Is that so? Congratulations in advance, then."
I reminded her, offhand.
"Oh, right. The property fees and utilities on that house are due this month."
"Two thousand eight hundred total. Make sure you pay on time, or they'll cut off the water and power."
Before she could blow up.
I hung up.
Looking at the file saved successfully on my screen.
I gave a cold little laugh.
One more piece of evidence.
Less than half an hour later.
The landline at the company front desk started ringing like mad.
The receptionist picked up, got startled, and rushed to transfer the call to me.
"Sabina! Are you out of your mind?!"
The line had barely connected before Julian's furious roar came through.
"Who gave you the right to cancel my card?!"
"The fact that it was opened with my ID."
I held the receiver a little further from my ear.
"What? Card won't go through?"
Julian was breathing hard with rage on the other end.
"I'm at the baby store! Buying prenatal supplements for Rachel!"
"The card got locked when I went to pay!"
"There were a dozen people in line watching me!"
"You humiliated me in front of everyone!"
I listened to him falling apart.
And felt nothing but satisfaction.
"You brought the humiliation on yourself."
I told him, ice cold.
"It's not just the supplementary card. I froze the joint account too."
"From today on, don't expect to take a single cent from me."
"Don't you have a sweet little wife about to be worth millions?"
"Have her pick up the tab."
"Sabina! You poisonous witch! You just wait!"
Julian raged uselessly on the other end.
I yanked the landline cord straight out of the wall.
The world went quiet.
During the lunch break.
I took the buyout documents and the recording I'd just made.
And went to a law firm downtown.
Found John Whitney, the attorney who specialized in property disputes.
"Lawyer Whitney, I need to draft an anti-fraud and asset-protection declaration."
